Utah Trip

After Christmas we flew out to Utah to spend time with the Melville's. We all were there together for a few days which was so fun. Ryan went to a Jazz game the night we got there.

Eli doesn't love a lot of people but warmed right up to Popcan. His favorite thing was being chased! We exchanged Christmas gifts where again we got lots of fun things and the kids got more fun toys. Other things we did that week was skiing, seeing Tangled, shopping, and Ryan and I got to go out by ourselves, a real treat!

This was our New Year's Ever party of fondue, pinata, and games. A few people were sick and it was freezing cold so it was a little more low-key and no night sledding.

We did our poppers with the paper crowns in them. Jace with Aunt Jenny.

One the best things about my parents house, the animals! Jace and Eli could not get enough of Bronco, Kasey, and Missy.

Celebrating 2011! We actually did it a couple hours earlier and then went to bed.

Jace got a set of tools and helped install a new dishwasher with the boys.

All the sisters and kids (love Jace's face!). He's a little uncooperative with pictures these days.

Oen of the highlights of the trip was meeting our newest nephew Brady who was born safe and sound just a few days before Christmas, he's a cutie!

Another highlight was seeing my Grandma Melville who recently moved from Kentucky to Salt Lake. We went down to see her new place. We played and had lunch.

The kids loved the toys she had and they kept busy running down the hall and playing on this step.

We enjoyed going out to eat a few times. We of course had to hit Cafe Rio and my new favorite Union Grill in Ogden. We waited a long time to get in and by the time we sat down the boys were a little delirious.

Jace was having me take pictures of his "funny faces."

Here's freaky Uncle Ale....

...and Jace trying to imitate him.

Ryan stayed a week and the kids and I stayed another 1 1/2 weeks where it was more quiet and could just hang out with my parents at the house. I love being there because my mom does most of the meal planning/preparation, cleaning, and I feel like there's nothing I really have to get done. So I take advantage and relax and watch TLC and real estate shows on cable (which we don't have in IL). The kids waited every night for Popcan to get home so they could play chase and after Eli went to bed Popcan and Jace spent a lot of time playing knights and sword fighting.

Jace wanted to ski but we decided he was a little young to take him up to the resort so we took him cross country skiing in the backyard. He liked it although we mostly pulled him around the yard.

He's been telling people since we got back about skiing in Utah.

We discovered the creek at the top of the street froze over this year and made a great sledding hill, kind of like a bobsled run. Jace also "ice skated."

And did some sword fighting.

One of the other highlights was going to the Treehouse Children's Museum where Jace discovered Medieval Knights. He played with them the whole time at the museum and spent his Christmas money on two knights and horses which he named Brandon and Richard. They are his new favorite toys and he wants to learn all about the culture which has been fun reading about. I survived a 3-hour flight back by myself with Jace crying the first hour because he didn't want to leave Utah and Eli screaming the last hour because he was tired of sitting on the plane. But we made it and are already looking forward to our trip in the summer!