Christmas Around Arizona

We spent our Christmas week in multiple places this year. Flagstaff, Show Low, and Mesa. We hung out in Flagstaff until Wednesday the 23rd and we left to go to Show Low after I got off work. We stayed at my mom's house so that we could be there the next morning for the festivities on Christmas Eve. The main events were that my brother Tyler was calling home from Spain where he is serving his mission right now. It was so great to get to talk to him. He sounds so much more different but is still his good old self. After we talked to him, the whole family, other than my mom and me and my sister, went up to Sunrise Ski Resort and went skiing for the whole day. Nate was so excited to go. He hasn't been since high school.

They came back and had an awesome time, and were really sore and tired. While they were gone I went and did some last minute Christmas shopping. It was crazy and being on my feet for 3 hours was probably not the best idea. I got everything done though and went back home and just relaxed. It was a really good Christmas Eve.
On Christmas morning we got to sleep in a little bit and then we got up and opened presents. It was fun to be with the little kids who get all the cool toys and just to be with all of the family in general. After presents, we got things ready so that we could eat our dinner. We had just the family and my grandparents and another couple that my parents knew come over and had a total of 15 people there. It was really good. After dinner, Nate and I headed into Show Low and visited his family and some of our friends. We were out for a while and didn't get home til late, but we love going and visiting everyone there.
The next morning, we got up and headed for the valley. We saw my grandparents some more and then Nate got in touch with one of his old mission companions who we went and met with for dinner. I wish I would have gotten a picture of them together, but we just had a fun dinner. It's always fun to see people Nate knew before I met him and hear their stories.
After dinner, we went to see my family from Colorado! My dad used his time share at a golf resort in Mesa for their Christmas vacation. We went and played the Wii with them that night. It was already a little late when we got there so we didn't stay for very long, but we haven't seen them in so long that it was so awesome. On Sunday, we went to church and then we met up with my Dad again after church. We went to my sister's condo and had dinner with them. We played more games and went on a walk together and just spent time together. We had such a good time seeing them but of course all things end eventually. We had to drive back to Flagstaff so I could be at work the next day so we said our goodbyes and got on the road. We did a little detour on the way out and stopped at the Christmas lights at the temple. I use to love doing that as a kid and it's always so beautiful.It was a great holiday and I couldn't help but keep thinking that this is our last Christmas together as just us for a very long time since next year we will have a baby with us.