Hale Christmas Activities

We made our way to Utah on the 21st and Brandon insisted that Kendall and I fly and that he would drive Rachel and Andrew.  He didn't want a newborn that needs to eat every 3 hours to slow him down, and he is a sweetheart and wanted to do what was best for Kendall.  It was an absolute joy to travel with just one little baby!  For Brandon, he said that the kids were amazing, really they were.  I think it's because they didn't have me there to boss around and keep them entertained.  They left at 2p and arrived around midnight.

The next morning, we went to a breakfast-with-Santa event at Riverside Country Club with Grandpy Val.  It was very fancy, and I was a little stressed out with all the glass dishes and goblets that the kids were using, but the buffet was delicious and it ended up being a lot of fun.  Santa arrived via golf cart and they had a hilarious "Buddy, the Elf" character.  Then we exchanged cousin/sibling gifts and were so happy to be with our family!

The highly anticipated, annual Grandma/Grandpa Sleepover was after Christmas, and the kids were so excited.  Grandma makes a video of it every year, and they love watching it (especially the part where they jump on all the mattresses she puts in the basement; it's always the same song, that the kids remind her of, "Da da da da da da and we jump on the beds!").  They have dinner, swim in the hot tub, lots of jumping and playing, read a new Christmas story, and wear matching pajamas.  Andrew got to sleep out with all the big kids per his request, and he was, of course, the first one awake!  It's a fun tradition, especially for the moms & dads.  We all went out to dinner to Red Lobster together, which is always super fun.  However, Kendall was being high maintenance!  Overall, Kendall did very good the whole trip and seemed to know when to be patient, behave well, sleep extra long, etc., so we were being as understanding as possible at dinner as we were trying to put her to sleep, then I was nursing her in the Red Lobster bathroom stall, bouncing her, trying to put her to sleep again, etc.  Right now, we're in the stage where Kendall seems restless in the evening hours, wanting to eat every couple hours, and her last feeding isn't until 11p or so.  Then she is up around the same time as the big kids, with lots of cat naps during the day (and we never know when we'll get that glorious long nap), and she loves to sleep in someone's arms in the daytime (particularly daddy's).

Random story:  I got my haircut while there, and Hailey always straightens it for me.  I hadn't had my haircut for 6 months, so it was long overdue.  When I got home, Andrew had a fit about my straight hair and cried and cried because he either didn't recognize me or didn't like it.  He is not a fan of haircuts!  It's funny because when he was younger, he almost didn't recognize dad after one drastic haircut.  Funny boy.  *Make note of Andrew in the pajama picture - he's the only boy with a white long-sleeve shirt under his t-shirt, which is because he doesn't wear short sleeves, so we had to put a long one underneath.

Trying to stay warm in Utah!  :)

Buddy, the elf and Santa at Riverside

"Cheers!"  I was stressing out as Val was taking this picture!  

A very lively Santa!

Cousin Gift Exchange

Rachel and Kennedy showing off their gifts

Sunday Best (Maybe not Andrew's "best" - see disheveled, too small shirt and skater shoes), and on a sidenote, he absolutely hated wearing that suit and it made Brandon and I pleased to make him wear it.  ha!

Jump house at the sleepover

I love seeing pictures of these cute girls together.  I hope they will be forever long friends!  I didn't have any girl cousins my age, and always thought that would be fun.  They are all one school year apart, which is how me, Shalauna & Sheena were.  

Miles Murray - what a cutie!

Chase, Cannon & Kennedy

Love this picture!  Rachel & Brynn