New Years

John and I came home from California on Sunday afternoon.  Monday was New Years Eve.  I was debating for a few days what I should do with the kids for the whole week after New Years Eve.  They were going to be off of school.

So last minute I decided to surprise them with a trip to Utah.  And when I say last minute I mean last minute.  Monday morning I still hadn’t decided if I was going to go or not.

John took the car to the mechanic to make sure it was just the battery that wasn’t working properly.  When I found out that was the problem I decided okay, I would just go to Utah.

I packed one suitcase full of clothes and baby gear.  I grabbed a few of the kids blankets and stuffed animals.  We told them we had a meeting we had to go to.  Curtis didn’t want to go but I told him he had to.

We made it to the speedway before I finally told them where our meeting was.

The whole 7 hour drive to Utah I was thinking to myself, “why am I doing this”.

My sister didn’t know we were coming.  So we just showed up on her doorstep ready to play for a few days unannounced.

All the kids were so excited.  It was then that I realized this is why I do things like this. I want them to have fun memories with their cousins.

They stayed up much too late on New Years Eve and didn’t really sleep in the next morning.  Sleep was something I didn’t feel like I got enough of on this trip.

On New Years Day, Shannon and her kids came to Janeen’s house to play.  The kids all had fun playing together while us girls talked and talked.

Later that evening I took my kids and went and visited Grandma and Grandpa Lynn and Aunt Mary.  We had a really nice visit with them.  Grandpa hadn’t met Gianluca yet.

The next day we spent just hanging around Janeen’s.  Gianluca learned to really crawl that day.

In the evening Janeen and I took Reagan and Alessia to get their ears pierced.   Both girls were so excited.  Reagan went first and did not budge one bit.  It was like nothing happened to her.  Alessia on the other hand was blissfully eating her sucker when she got the first earring put in and then she started to scream.  I probably am the worst mom and I am laughing at how funny it all was while trying to be nice and help her at the same time. I had to hold her hand while she got the other earring done.  In the end she loves her earrings and cannot wait to change them for new ones.  (She even marked the day she can switch them on her calendar in her room).

The rest of the time in Utah was spent playing with cousins.  The kids would go outside in the snow for ten minutes come in for ten minutes and then repeat the cycle over and over again.

For me Utah was way too cold. I was freezing there.  We finally headed home on Friday.

It was a really fun spur of the moment trip.  Gianluca did excellent on his first road trip. I never heard from him on the way there or back.  He was just happy as can be in his car seat.  Of course the other kids were more annoying.  I have sworn off long car trips for a long time.

bestfriends

Rylee and Alessia with their Best Friend necklaces

cold

The temperature in Utah the day we drove home

cosuins

Reagan, Rylee, Alessia and Micah in the snow

crawling

Gianluca’s first official crawls.  I got it on video too.

earrings

Alessia getting her ears pierced

grandma

Micah playing with Grandma

grandpa

Grandpa and Curtis

new years

On New Years eve.  And yes Rylee and Alessia are kissing.

reagan

Reagan getting her ears pierced

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