Christmas and Utah

So, I'm a little late with my Christmas post, but better late than never, right? We had a nice low-key Christmas here in Cornelius and we had great time. We love having Christmas at home. It's so relaxing! But, next year we are looking forward to spending Christmas with my family in my parents new house in Logan with ALL of my siblings and their families! It's going to be a riot!
Christmas
I guess we were too busy enjoying Christmas morning to take a lot of pictures, because I sure don't have very many.

The girls on Christmas Eve opening their jammies from Grandma and Grandpa Hansen

Their new jammies

Christmas morning. Maggie woke us up at 6:30. We told her NO earlier than 6:30--we should have said no earlier that 8:00!! It was early!
Paige got a new stroller, crib and high chair for Christmas. We already have two of all these things, but it was on her list and I guess Santa delivers!
Maggie opening up her itouch. Santa tricked Maggie and Lydia by wrapping up their gifts (Maggie's itouch and Lydia's DSI) in huge boxes.

Lydia loving her DSI

Bella loving her car. Although, she has to fight Paige for it everyday! I guess Santa should have brought two!

Grandma Georgia and Grandpa Jim got Bella and Paige these cute Melman slippers/socks (from the movie Madagascar). They both love them!

Utah

The day after Christmas, we drove to Utah to spend some time with my parents in Wellsville. We drove it all in one day--it was pretty long. The girls did great though. The last couple of hours were really hard, especialy since we spent one of those hours sitting on the side of the road not going anywhere. We were close to the Utah border and Garrett saw a minivan stranded on the side of the road and felt he needed to stop and check up on them. It turns out it was a single mom with 4 kids in the car whose car had died and they didn't have any heat. (It was 12 degrees outside). Garrett checked under the hood for them, but couldn't help them. Luckily they were able to get a call through to the woman's dad who was somewhere in Idaho and he was on his way to get them. Garrett wanted to stay with them until he got there, so some of the kids and the mom squeezed into our car to get warm while they waited. They were very appreciative for the help--Garrett is such a good guy to help them out and wait around with them.

Anyways, we got to Utah safely and had a fun and relaxing time with the units. We read a lot of books, ate great food, went sledding in the snow, the girls played in the dorm room, we made a gingerbread house, had cousins and aunts and uncles over for dinner and games, and Maggie and I worked on our quilts. Garrett and I unfortuneatly caught a short lived flu bug. It wasn't too bad, though. We also got to go to Salt Lake and see the lights on Temple Square, see the conference center and watch a great movie on Joseph Smith in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. My girls didn't care for the movie though; they were scared of the mobs and Maggie sobbed and sobbed at the end when the Prophet was killed. I knew they wouldn't like it, but I sure enjoyed it and really felt the spirit. The temple and the lights were beautiful, but it was FREEZING!!

Here are some pictures of our trip:

Bella ready to go out into the snow.

Bella not really liking being out in the snow!

Lydia

Grandpa Hansen, Garrett and Maggie

Paige

Me and Bella. I was going to go sledding, but my niece Sydnee had spent the night with Maggie and she didn't know we were going to go sledding and therefore didn't have any boots or anything, so I let her borrow my boots and pants.

Lydia done for the day.

Garrett, Maggie, Sydnee and Grandpa Hansen

Here's a short video of Grandpa trying to sled down the hill, with Lydia sledding behind him

Trying to survive the cold at Temple Square

Conference Center

At the Visitor's Center

Making a gingerbread house

Bella LOVED eating the chocolate candy!!

The night before leaving

Back at home--Maggie and I trying to finish our quilts. Finished products will soon be pictured!!