Christmas 2011

We had a fun Christmas Holiday this year with my family in Billings. We drove out on the 23rd, taking all three furry children with us. I was shamefully remiss in taking pictures after Christmas Day, but we were so busy having fun that I didn't have time to grab my camera.

We went to Christmas Eve service at Faith Chapel, where John & I were married. Not that you'd recognize it now with the new sanctuary and confusing tunnels of kid classrooms. It is nice to see that the church is growing and doing well.

Christmas morning we went over to Natalie's to meet up with Nic and watch the girls open their Santa gifts. We also made vegan pancakes, which was a new and slightly odd experience for us. Hemp milk is really watery! The girls made a haul, not that we expected anything less. Bella wanted everything Hello Kitty and pretty nearly got her wish, including a Hello Kitty water cooler (who knew?) and a GIANT makeup pallet. Alana said her favorite gift was the Rock Picking Field Guide that John and I got her and she had to take Uncle John out the next day to find her first rocks.

 Bella opening presents.

 Nat and Tony after the hurricane of opening.

On Monday after Christmas we drove over to Bozeman to check out the set-up for John's class that he will be teaching. We had fun wandering around the SUB and feeling old as we talked about all the things that have changed. Then we went to my current favorite yarn shop, Stix (where I ran into a friend I hadn't seen since college), and went out to see John's former advisor, John Miller. After that we drove to Three Forks to see Dad & Reba. We were so excited for our dinner reservations at Sir Scott's Oasis. We had a really nice time visiting with them and there just wasn't enough time in the day.

The rest of the week was spent visiting and just enjoying being together. I got to go to lunch with Nic and fabric shopping with my Mom. John and I got one-hour massages from Natalie (her Christmas gift to all of us) and hung out in the hot tub for way too long. The girls spent the night three or four times at Grandma's so we got to see a lot of them. They are so wonderful! I just love them!

We drove home New Year's Day, loaded down with presents and very rested and grateful for our long break.

The doggies, however, were VERY sad to leave their most favorite place...The Backyard.

But we'll be back again soon.