A (not so) White Christmas

This year we got to spend Christmas with my family in Arizona! People from Utah have often asked me how I had Christmas without snow growing up? To which I simply reply, we opened our presents like normal on Christmas morning but the difference was we got to play with our toys outside that same day and we didn't have to get all bundled up to do it. It never seemed to phase me that there wasn't any snow on Christmas. Probably because the last time I had a white Christmas I was 7 and don't really remember my thoughts about having snow on Christmas morning. I'm fine spending my Christmas in sunny and warm Arizona.

Our journey to Arizona began on the Friday before Christmas. I was unsure how the long distance drive would affect me, being almost 8 months pregnant and all. The last time we drove long distance was back in July when I was in my first trimester with a horrible case of morning sickness. I figured since I was in my third trimester and no longer having morning sickness I would do okay as long as I got out of the car often to stretch my whole body. Unfortunately the drive wasn't as pleasant as I was hoping it would be.

I started out driving the first 3 hours and did fine. Then Lance took over and this awful and uncomfortable cycle began. It started out with me falling asleep for a period of time. Then my body would get completely uncomfortable in any position and I couldn't go back to sleep. Next I started to get really nauseous until we reached our check point to fill up on gas and I was able to get out of the car and walk around. After getting out of the car and walking around for a bit my nausea went away and I seemed to be fine. Once I got back into the car the cycle would repeat. I would fall asleep, then get really uncomfortable, then get nauseous until we reached our pit stop and I was able to walk around. Luckily nothing ever went past the nausea and I always seemed to feel better once I was able to get out of the car for a while. I have never gotten car sick but maybe while I'm pregnant it's a different story.

Saturday and Sunday we just relaxed and soaked in the warm sun. We waited till my sister and her husband arrived Sunday night before we began all our fun activities.

Enjoying some delicious oranges straight from my parents front yard!

Christmas Eve day we have a tradition where we go bowling and we play to see who has to clean up the Christmas Eve dinner that night.

My mom and Zac

My cute parents...

The adorable newlywed couple...

and my oh so handsome brothers

How we play for clean up duty is usually boys against girls. However, there were more boys than girls this time so my brother Zac was so sweet and was happy to join the girls team. Unfortunately the girls lost making us in charge of Christmas Eve dinner clean up. It's not so bad when you have 4 people cleaning up.

After bowling we spent most of the day playing different games. Last Thanksgiving (2011) my dad wanted to start a tradition for when we all get together for the holidays we'd play a bunch of different games to earn points and ultimately win a cash prize. We only recorded one of the games this time because it's the one that usually is the most comical to watch. To see the video Lance made for Thanksgiving 2011 of some of the games we play click here.

Here are the videos we did take of a game where we see who can balance on one leg the longest with their eyes closed.

I was pretty proud of myself for how long I lasted, being a little front heavy and all.

I think Lance forgot he was filming about half way through.

The next day was Christmas! It's fun to think back to when we were little and how Christmas morning has changed so much. It's also fun to think that this was the last Christmas just Lance and I. Every Christmas from now on will have kids in the picture, anxiously waiting for Christmas morning to come. 

Representing BYU in our matching shirts

We got a lot of good stuff this year!

 I had no idea what this gift was that Lance got for me. He said it wasn't a gift for me exactly but a gift for the both of us when the baby comes.

A car seat! I was very grateful Lance took the lead in researching different car seats
and purchasing one. It helped to be able to cross off this one thing on my 'before baby comes
to do list.'

I was very excited to give Lance his gift that I made for him, Yes MADE for him.
With some added help from my mother-in-law :)

It's a shirt quilt made from memorable shirts we both had.
He loved it and was very proud that I made it myself.

Another great gift we got from Lance's mom!

This was one of the gifts my parents got us...

It's supposed to help babies sleep! I've heard great things about this device.
I'm excited to use it. (sorry the picture is side ways)

Those were just some of the great gifts we received. We were pretty spoiled this year.

Another tradition that we have is on Christmas day we go and see a movie. We all decided on seeing The Hobbit in 3D. It was really good and the 3D affect was amazing too.

Wednesday we spent the day shopping the after Christmas deals! My parents had given us some money for Christmas to buy what we wanted for ourselves. It was nice to have that money to buy stuff we wanted and not use it entirely on bills. :)

The next day the whole family went to this go-cart race track. I couldn't ride for obvious reasons and my mom had a bad whiplash experience the last time she went, so we both just sat on the side lines and watched.

We tried to get there when the place opened before it got really crowded. We were told they had 2 different parties coming in, one at 12 and the other at 1 but they could work us in. Well somehow we ended up waiting a good 3 and a half hours till they could "work us in". It was ridiculous! We weren't to happy about that.

I tried taking some action shots but they were going to fast it made the picture blurry. I did take a video of them racing which I thought would just be blurry too, but the video actually makes them look like they are going slower then they really are.

They got to race 2 times, each time consisting of 12 laps around the track. These were their finishing places after each race.

Everyone had a lot of fun, even my mom and I had a good time just watching.

Friday I met up with my wonderful friends who I hadn't seen in what felt like ages! It was so good seeing them. I wish we still lived in the same state.

My amazing and wonderful friends Ali and Lacey

For Christmas my sister and her husband got my brothers boomerangs that they got while on their honeymoon in Australia.

Not gonna lie I was a little scared of the thing

The hard part was finding the right flick of the wrist and how hard to throw it in order for the boomerang to actually come back to you. It's not as easy as they make it look in the movies. I think they caught the boomerang maybe twice.

Here are some video recordings of their attempts.

Later that evening we went and saw the movie Les Miserables. I have never seen the play or even knew much about the storyline, but I've heard its amazing. After seeing the movie I would have to agree, it was amazing.

After the movie we stopped at the Mesa Temple to look at the temple lights.

Some of Lance's photography skills...

The next day was Saturday and the day of my baby shower! My amazing mom threw this wonderful baby shower for me.

My good friend Heather and her cute daughter

                                                 

It turned out to be a great baby shower. I got a lot of cute stuff! I was grateful for those who showed up especially since we through the shower over Christmas break.

While us girls were having the baby shower the boys went and played paintball.

Lance's paintball wounds

Sadly our trip had to come to an end and we left to head back up to Utah on Sunday. The good news is we'll see my family again soon when this little boy gets here in February!