Sunday, January 7, 2024

Dec 2023

Between our thanksgiving trip to Texas and our Christmas trip to Mexico we squeezed in a lot of holiday festivities.  

We had Avrams friends over one Sunday for Homemade scones and reminiscing.  
Issac is starting his mission in January.  He is going to Bakersfield CA.  We were able to help him with a little mission preparation.  
We finally got to hold this sweet little girl.  Stefan and his now wife had this sweet little girl about 6 weeks ago.  We needed up getting sick so we haven't been able to be around her until we were 100 sure we were healthy.  He name is Baylor, she is half black half Samoan.  She is such a good baby! 



One afternoon everyone was home by 4:00 so we forced the kids into the car and we raced down to City Creek so that we could visit the Giving Machine.  Since we are going on a trip for Christmas we didn't by gifts for our kids.  We gave them each an allotted amount of money and told them to use in on the machine.  It ended up being a great experience,  


I got to hang out with my little buddy a couple time this month.  Its fun being with a child that thinks everything we do is fun!

I was able to squeeze in some Christmas cookies/ decorating. 
This year Adam, Ila and I went to the Forgotten Carols together.  As we sang "We can be together forever someday" at the end of the show I couldn't help but cry as I looked over and thought about the three extra seats that should be filled by my boys.  

I helped at Ilas school a couple of times.  We went on a field trip to the family history museum and then we went to the giving machine.  We love the school Ila is attending! It is awesome that she is at a place where they aren't forced to separate God and academic learning.  


Ila had social dance for a class this semester so they had a little mini performance for parents this month.  







Eating like Kings

The boys slipped away one day to go golfing.  It sounds like they had a blast.  
I think I mentioned we ate a lot!  
Thanksgiving had all the fixings for a delicious meal.  Mike smoked a Turkey for us.  







We searched up the top BBQ joints from some Netflix specials and had to just share meals so we could save room to visit more locations. 




 Even though we had some amazing food the very best meal we ate then entire week was a Wagu Brisket that Mike and Adam decided to smoke at home.  It was hands down the best meat I have ever tasted!!!! 



It was so great to see the Anthonys. Every time we leave it makes us sad that they live so far away.  Mike and Dianas girls are amazing and I wish they were closer.  They are all such loving and kid girls.  
It was wonderful to get away and have a break for the Holiday.  It feels like holidays often become so much work that I forget to enjoy them.  

The Thanksgiving Festivities have begun!

We decided to return to San Antonio for another Thanksgiving.  We arrived Monday afternoon and immediately headed to an amazing restaurant. 

Briggs realized there was a Spurs game so we dropped off the little girls at home and went to the basketball game.  









We decided to visit The Alamo.  





I think everything we did was planned around food!  Between BBQ and Latin food there are endless options in San Antonio.  


The girls only went to swim practice once while we were there.  I was so impressed with their practices!  It is some pretty intense practice.