We made it back home to Kentucky just in time to ring in the New Year with the Holts! We want to thank them for letting us crash their party, and for the wonderful food, company, and entertainment… Watching the ball drop in NYC and clips of the greatest movies from the last decade… Toasts all around with sparkling fruit juices… New Year Kisses… (I don’t know why I’m looking so frightened to kiss my own husband) Game time……
Instead of going to Temple Square and Crown Burger with the whole family (like in years past) Mom decided it might be easier if we went to the Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point and then out to eat at Chuck-A-Rama. She paid for everyone to go to the Luminaria and dinner as her gift to us all (even though she still gave gifts to everyone!). So I want to thank her from the bottom of my heart for her generosity, and…
We had such a wonderful Christmas Day at Mom’s house in Vineyard, Utah. Her house was just so festive… she even had two beautiful Christmas trees! Her dining room was all decked-out Christmas morning. She’s probably not had so many gifts under her tree in a very long time! All the stockings neatly laid out in a row. And Mom in the Christmas spirit wearing her Christmas tree earrings! First order of business was breakfast… Brad and I made custom…
Of course we can’t go home without visiting Temple Square and seeing the Christmas lights, especially since the Salt Lake Temple will be closed for four years starting in 2020 for renovations. And following in the Heelis tradition we ate at Crown Burger (Sean loves when I take eating pictures!) Even though I’ve been going to Crown Burger forever, one thing’s for sure…it never disappoints!!! Breck and I enjoying the chance to catch up with Mom! View of the Conference…
For the remainder of our vacation we stayed with Mom in Vineyard, Utah. Brad and I always like to walk along Utah Lake when we stay with Mom. These beautiful pictures of the lake were taken Christmas day. I also try to decorate dad’s grave every time I visit. I loved hanging out with Mom and all the kids again, and Sean and Iris fit in so nicely as an extension of our family. One evening when we…
Our next stop was Rexburg, Idaho for Aubrey’s graduation! Aubrey’s waited for this moment for a long time! I took lots of pictures of her entire walk just because I could… The most important dignitary, Brother Bennion Our proud graduate! Proud father and proud mamma! Congratulations and hugs all around… Aubrey was Brother Bennion’s TA, and according to Aubrey, her “only friend” that last semester (which was okay because she didn’t have any free time to do anything with anyone…
Right after landing in Salt Lake City, we rented a car and drove to Buhl to stay with Victor and Virginia for a few days, and visit with the folks in Idaho. Everyday we watched the wild turkeys peck around their yard … and roost in their trees at night. Their cat Lucky and dog Tango waiting to come in the house and get away from the turkeys. We also enjoyed soaking and getting massages at the natural hot springs, baking…
While visiting Utah over Christmas, we were lucky enough to go to Wesley and Molly’s wedding in the Payson Temple (just fyi: my father grew up in Santaquin, Utah, and graduated from Payson High School). Wesley is like a son to us, and Aubrey actually lived with Molly for six months during her mission trip to Chile. Heather Zwygart took the wedding pictures. The Zwygarts actually moved to Utah from Kentucky a few years ago, and it was so…
I’ve always wanted to go to the First United Methodist’s City of Bethlehem, but always had some kind of Christmas event going on at the same time. Finally, this was our year! We went with Rex and Veronica, who try to go every year. Inside the church, people were divided into small groups before listening to a short introduction. We then walked outside and strolled through a live Nativity, stopping at eleven different scenes as narrators recited the Christmas Story….