Holidays 2016

Thanksgiving this year we went to Idaho.  How funny huh.  We just move back only to go there for Thanksgiving.  It was really nice to have Thanksgiving with the Jackson side this time.  I haven’t been with them since 2010.  Do you realize that was before I even moved to Mexico?! HOLY TOLEDO.  My parents have gone up, but one of the years we were supposed to go up there D and I were married and just decided to stay home and enjoy the holiday in good ol’ Cache Valley.  We actually went up Thanksgiving day.  Allie and Sean rode with us and we left bright and early.  Ok it was really only like 8 AM but that’s still early considering I wasn’t going to work.  Since my dad’s side of the family is so big, we rented out the civic center in Roberts.  There was plenty of room for everyone to eat.  This year was a little bit different.  Since we weren’t at my grandparents’ house, after we ate, everyone just kind of disappeared.  It wasn’t like Thanksgiving’s past.  We went and chilled at grandma and grandpa’s and watched the Cowboys beat the Redskins.  My aunt and uncle are living with grandma and grandpa while they build a house, so we didn’t sleep there this time.  We got a hotel in Idaho Falls.  We went swimming and then off to bed it was.  We got up at 5:30 the next morning to go BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING!! Man oh man do I love to shop!  The biggest deal that I found was a smoker.  I bought my husband a nice electric smoker for Christmas this year. (Don’t worry.  He already knows about it.) It was on a KILLER deal! He’s been looking at one for a while now, so he decided to finally jump on that wagon and I’m super excited to have him smoke some delicious meals.  Also, my mother decided to dress us.  Do you know how moms dress their girls when the have the opportunity of doing so?  Matching.  We all freaking matched.  Red ugly sweaters that were actually pretty cute. 

We went back to grandma and grandpas to chill then back to the hotel to swim.  The next morning we checked out and then went back to Roberts to watch the Ohio St vs Michigan.  Ohio St won in double overtime.  It was actually a pretty good game.  I fell asleep during the 4^th quarter and woke up to people in the house yelling during overtimes.  After the game we headed on home!

As soon as we got home, Devin helped me put our tree up! We were so tired though, we didn’t get it decorated until the next day.  I love my tree.  Yay for Walmart buys!  We celebrated Devin’s grandmothers and mom’s birthday pretty much right after Thanksgiving.  We went to Texas Roadhouse.  Couple of days later we were supposed to go to the Jazz vs. Warriors game in SLC.  Devin was sooo sick though. L  I felt so bad.  I bought him the lower bowl tickets for our anniversary back in October.  We made it all the way to the train station in Ogden but I finally made him turn around and come home.  He had a fever, sore throat and I just knew that he would be miserable.  My poor love bug! He went home, turned the game on and then fell asleep.   The next weekend, we had a little family party.  I got to see my aunt Shelly and Uncle Jared and their kids.  There is always such good food!  I made my “famous” (all my family loves it!) Loaded Baked Potato Dip. Recipe is below.

We did make it down to Temple Square this year too!  The lights were BEAUTIFUL!! I loved it.  I have a hard time around the holidays trying to enjoy it.  But going to Temple Square just days before Christmas really helped.  When I was little, going and sitting on Santa’s lap, wrapping all these presents and putting reindeer food on the roof of the house on Christmas Eve was what it was all about.  Now that I am older I truly understand the meaning of Christmas.  Going to the temple even to just look at the lights was the perfect way for me to bring Christ into my Christmas.