Really what more could I ask for than to be home with my family for the holidays! I couldn't wait to finish school and start the wonderful almost 2 weeks break away from Utah and my crazy kiddos. Before I went home I had a stop to make at my very good friend Mallory's wedding. I is still crazy to me that she is married now but I am so happy for her because she is so happy!
I met Mallory at BYUI, we had a few classes together, but then we became really good friends when we came down to Utah and student taught together. These amazing ladies were the teachers we got to work with, Gomez and Peercy! I seriously love these ladies and am glad that we are still all friends!
I left the wedding and headed out for a red-eye flight home. Not my favorite but it is actually easier because I don't feel like I am wasting a whole day flying. I landed in Pittsburgh and had a mini McLaughlin family reunion! It was a celebration of Kevin's 21st birthday and Christmas all in one. It was really great to be able to see my whole family all at once. I won't say much about the condition Kevin was in, but I did learn from him that Ming Ming is the name of an elf on the movie Elf and it is the same boy who played Ralphie on A Christmas Story so long ago. WEIRD
Our Christmas Eve traditions range from eating steak dinners, to going to church, family pictures in front of the tree, and opening a present from each other. For the most part we did all of those on this wonderful Christmas Eve. We had the steak dinner, but dad had to work so he missed most of it. We still went to church, my favorite part has always been singing at the end with the candles. Then we came home took out pictures and then mom had us open our ornament presents. I just have to give a shout out to the wonderful looking men in my family and their sweet suits, and bow tie Kevin!
This year I got the mother-load of ornaments. The snow-globe because I collect them. Mom and dad made the Moab one from sand my mom collected when we were there in April. The nutcracker because last Christmas break I went with some family to see it!
Christmas Morning!
WE ARE GETTING OLD! First we got kitchen sponges in our stockings and it was like the greatest thing! Then the boys both got vacuum cleaners.
My family has been planning on taking a bike trip and my plan was to load them up with gear so that they knew I was serious and that we were going! They all got helmets, camel backs, and biking shorts! I'm still not sure how they felt about all of them, but they know we are going biking this summer!
Nick's ready!
Only one of the best presents ever! Nick and I got cordless power drills! That I was not expecting, but we sure had fun getting those! I might tell the story later how I tried taking that through airport security haha :)
My dad is the best and also completed my JCPenny collection of snow globes with 2 that I did not have. I am done with the small ones now because Penny's is done giving them away, but I still got 3 other big ones for Christmas! I love my snow globes :)
Merry Christmas Everyone!
How did you get such blond hair???? Your bros have such dark hair...I wasn't expecting that!
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