Christmas

Another Christmas has come and gone way too fast, but it was a good one. 

We started Christmas Eve off with breakfast at Black Bear. It really is the best we have had so far. Camden gave Emery one of his sausages, and was a boy about it. 

He thinks he's funny.

We did gift exchange gifts and pj's, then Cam had to work. Emery and I watched "Wednesday" while all the boys home watched "Willow". It was nice to do nothing all day and just relax. 

With only having phones now and not a solid camera, getting a family picture is kind of hard to do. So we went with a family selfie. 

This year the kids had to look on the tree to find with paper was theirs. 

For some reason, they all still like to get up at 6:30 am to open things. They are like my brothers, make the baby of the family wake the parents up. Jackson just flicks the light  on, which is jarring. 

The rest of the day we moved rooms. We were going to hang up this chair Emery got. Emery and Cam talked about switching rooms for a bit and decided Christmas day, that was a good idea. We spent most of the afternoon moving things around. Emery also got a neon sign, and it is bright! This is downstairs.

It's a quote from "Mean Girls" and she loves it. It really is a fun thing to have in her room. 

It gives everything a pink hue when it's on. I forgot to take a picture, so while I was typing things out, I asked Jackson to take a picture; he added a cute selfie as well. 

Cam got some markers and other art things. This was the first picture he did with them. I think it's pretty impressive.  

Cam got Beck this. Eevee and Luna as Step Brothers (maybe sisters?)

Beck said his favorite gift was a muscle message gun he got, and probably money for his trip coming up. Emery's was Birkenstocks. 

Jackson's favorite thing he got was his light saber. It can change colors and sounds. 

Camden at first said that button up, then he said a book we got him called "The Card College: Volume 1"

Distinguished Day Take 2

The boys had a lot of fun on their last Distinguished day, and so they have decided to do one the day after a big break from school starts. They did this one the start of Christmas break. 

The started by getting better jackets from Men's Warehouse. I have to say my boys look very dapper. They went to Dave's Hot Chicken for lunch and got the hottest one you can. Their friend Cameron did not like at all. 

Cameron is trying to drink away the hot pain. 

I don't try to understand all the these boys do. I'm just glad the plan of putting that into the back of my car did not work out. 

The exchanged crappy movie gifts.  

Then had a rock session. Beck plays his guitar every day almost and has a playlist he just listens to and plays alone. It's fun when I know the song and can sing along in my head. 

Looking way too old, but that's okay, I'll just cry happy tears. 

Then they watched one of the movies they got. "Super Mario Brothers"... not a great pick since most fell asleep. 

The prize at the end of the day was this Lego that they build together. Why this Lego? Because Cam bought it. 

The winner of the first game of poker got this chalice. Cam won.

Zander was the proud winner of the Lego pig. They are thinking of plans for the next one at spring break.

Never Again

My friend and her kids moved back to Idaho this past week. About a week before that I fly back to Texas with her to help her pack and get some things ready to move. I got a text my flight was delayed and looking at it, I would have about 20 min to get to my connecting flight. I called the airline and they assured me they would hold the flight. I get to the air port and I couldn't get my tickets at the kiosk, so I went to the front and they said the same thing, Flight delayed but I would miss the connecting. The girl helping me noticed a few on my flight going to Boise as well, so she called someone and the told her they would hold the flight for us. I was already a mess traveling alone, then no you can't leave from them, then a wait you can leave.  Our flight took off and while I was nervous, I still thought I would make my next flight. Flying at night is a little creepy, it's all just black with little specks. 

Well as you can guess, since I'm writing about it, they did not hold the flight. The gates were on opposite ends, why they do that, I don't get. I got to the gate and heard another guy getting a hotel voucher and a flight voucher. With how on edge as I already was, I tried to say the least I could to stop from breaking down. I just sent Brad a text that said 'they left without us' and got my hotel voucher, $100 gift card and heading to where they said to get a shuttle. Brad told me to call, and I eventually did, once I thought I wouldn't cry in public. (didn't work, the stress and thought that I was in a city alone, no bags other than my wallet and sleeping alone in a hotel, I didn't like)  While now everything is okay, at the time I was not happy or okay with it. I really hated that I didn't have a change of clothes, toothbrush, hair brush... nothing, but I had to get on a flight the next day and sit by people. Once at the hotel I called Brad again and we talked most of the night to calm me down. I grateful I have Brad who knows how to calm me down when my anxieties get the best of me. 

I love Idaho/Utah mountains, but have never been so happy to see them as I was this trip. Being stranded in a city you don't know is not fun, and I just went from the airport to a hotel, then right back to the airport. 

I also had to thing about, what if my bags didn't reach me? Thankfully they did, and thankfully no one took them. The airport didn't keep them safe. They were just sitting outside a room, no one making sure the wrong person didn't take them.  

We have really never had many issues flying, but I haven't near the holidays, and probably won't ever again. Weather is unpredictable and too many people trying to get to too many places. Again, now I'm okay, but... we found out the flight I was supposed to be one left 5 minutes early. The time it left was 5 minutes after we landed, So they could have waiting a bit longer for us to get there. Not only did it leave 5 minutes early but it got into Boise 20 minutes early as well. If they just waiting, the flight would have arrived on time. Brad at home, being worried himself and very frustrated, contacted them, and while no explanation was given, they did give us another voucher. Not fully worth the headache/anxiety of it all, but I guess something. 

Dogs

Why the dogs get their own post? I'm not sure, but they are pretty cute. Eevee is maybe my spirit animal. She loves to be comfy and sleep all day. She likes to be around blankets, but not too hot with a ton on her. And she's a little bit of a brat too. A cute Brat though. 

Luna just passes out and sleeps through anything, fully covered. We have 'lost' her a few times under blankets that she did not want to come out of. 

A few months ago Eevee was sitting on the couch and Luna sat on her instead of picking a new place to sit. Karma for Luna finally happened. 

Some Catch Up

Emery wanted to have a holiday party with her friend Kylee.  The had hot coco bombs, face masks, Rock band and Christmas movies. She had a fun night and I love the friendships she has made here. It's made better than her friends' name is also Kilie/Kylee, so there are lots of jokes made about that. Like Emery will ask if Kylee can come over and Cam will say Kilie is already here. Emery gets annoyed but it's still fun. 

The boys and I road with Paul and his family to Horseshoe Bend a few weeks ago to see my cousin bless his twins. It was good to see some family from Utah that I haven't in a while and see the boys actually hold a baby.  

Brad taught a class in primary for the last 2 years. He has kept the same class since his teaching partner needed to be with his son. Like any class, it had it weeks, in fact one week one girl wrote on the board, Welcome to Hell. Last week was his last week teaching them and he told his class that. The same girl who wrote that came and sat by him and was sniffling during primary. Afterwards she gave his this mouse to remember her by.  

Emery. What was it for? I don't know, I think making a movie with her cousins. Whatever it is, I like the new look.