I was editing a blog post about Henrik's birthday today and realized how much I am forgetting as the days go by. I am losing these moments that could be fond memories if only I can write them down. So I'm hoping that I can write down some special things from our Christmas in Utah before I forget it all.
When we were leaving to come home to Ohio I kept wondering if this would be the last time for lots of things....the last time we would see Grandma Hill alive, the last time we would see Eric's mom's house (!), the last time we hang out with Mel and Kristen before their lives change.... You just never know what the future will hold, and so we tried to take advantage of the time we had to enjoy what could be "lasts." I was so glad we were all able to visit Grandma Hill and get a photo taken with her. Since her fall and her hip replacement, then her heart attack, we have been open with the kids about her situation and how she may not live much longer. Mierae was so sweet and wanted to fast for Grandma a few Fast Sundays. Mierae is trying to start fasting by skipping one meal, and I'm so proud of her for her decision to do it! She is really growing up, and I love our talks, I love the way she'll come up to me and hug me and tell me she loves me. I love how she plays with the boys and is anxious to help with them--even learn how to change Ollie's diaper! I love how she is able to put herself to bed and be responsible (most of the time) about getting to bed on time and getting herself ready in the morning. She and Jolie are very different! :) I hope Jolie will be able to do some of that growing up in the next year or two as well. :)
I was so glad that we had the chance to hang out with Kristen while we were staying with Mom and Dad. Mom said that they hardly ever see her anymore, but I wouldn't really want to go hang out with my busy parents when I could be partying with my roommates! She is so sweet and giving, and we just have the best time with her. Of course I enjoyed all the food she brought us or made for us :), but it was just fun to talk to and be with her. She went shopping with me one of our first nights in town when I had to get presents for the Hendriksen Christmas party. We just talked and enjoyed being out together. She only slept over at mom and dad's Christmas Eve, but it made Christmas that much more magical. She also came with us on the train to Temple Square, and I loved having her with us.
It was also SO fun to have Melodie there for Christmas! She is great with the kids and offered to watch them one afternoon while Eric and I went shopping. Such a sweetheart! She spoiled us with gifts (she gave to our family for Christmas). She gave me the softest purple and white chevron throw, a super cute blue and white polka dot scarf from Ireland, and gave us a frame of the letters of our last name taken from architecture--something I have wanted to do for a long time! She gave us chocolate from Ireland, gave the kids little activity books, and had a photo calendar printed for us with photos we have with her. It was so cute and included photos I've never seen before! I can't believe how much she spoiled us!!
It is always so cute to watch the kids with their cousins. Sarah was able to come to Utah from Colorado and we spent Christmas Eve at Eric's mom's with her family. The boys played together, and the girls played together, and it was that fun chaotic atmosphere that makes holidays so great. We met up with them again at Christine's house in Cottonwood Heights and enjoyed playing Catch Phrase on iPhones with a big group of us, eating Christine's homemade chili, crafting necklaces with Sarah, and the adults playing Yahtzee while the kids played "doctor." It was one of the best nights we've ever had with family. Just perfect. And Chris is always the best host. She had offered to let Eric and me go on a date and leave the kids there, but Mierae wasn't feeling well and wasn't comfortable with us leaving. It almost worked out better that we stayed. :)
We were able to stop at Ann's just before going to Christine's. We toured her beautiful house and were treated to a brunch of homemade pancakes and bacon made by her step-daughter Erin (who was so sweet to let Jolie help!).
Another highlight of the trip was going to see Frozen with Eric's mom on New Year's Eve. Mom and Dad were so sweet and offered to watch the boys so we could take just the girls and really enjoy the movie. It was so fun. We got popcorn and drinks, and Grandma brought the candy. We all really enjoyed being together. We came back to have a traditional Hendriksen New Year's Eve party with homemade gnocchi with two homemade sauces, Papa Murphy's pizza, a big veggie tray, and skookies for dessert. YUM! There was always great food at every family get together.
There was another big Sunday dinner with the Hendriksen side at mom and dad's, and then Christmas day dinner and another Sunday dinner at Rosie and Derek's beautiful new house. We also had a Sunday roast beef dinner at Mom Taylor's house after Eric played his beautiful oboe solo in her ward sacrament meeting. Eric and I got to go to the temple together. We barely missed the endowment session because it was too full, so we did sealings and had a beautiful experience. We even got to go out to dinner afterward as well. My parents were so sweet to watch the kids!
We did great sleeping at mom and dad's for the most part--Henrik woke up almost every night screaming. We tried to get in some fun in the evenings while we could, though. Kristen played some games with us when she was around, and we watched some movies too.
We got to take the girls to the art exhibit Sacred Gifts at the MOA at BYU. It was a special experience to see all the altarpieces--I couldn't believe how big they were! The video they showed before you viewed the exhibit was so touching. You could tell what a miracle it was that these paintings were able to be on display "for the first time and never again." When mom and dad gave all the families/single kids a framed Carl Bloch painting, I knew it would be one of the most treasured gifts I brought home. The girls even donated $1 each at the museum to get their own small print of choice from the exhibit. I'm excited to have them framed and hung in their room.
The plane rides to and from went ok. Henrik was so excited to be on that plane that he could hardly sit in his seat! It was so cute. (And he was the same way on the train to Salt Lake!) But all the turbulence into Denver made us all sick, and Henrik threw up just before we landed. Ollie had a blowout just after getting off the plane in SLC, and the poor guy was so tired and cold getting stripped down in the airport bathroom. Thank goodness Aunt Liz came to pick us up that night and had the van toasty warm, ready to get the kids to sleep after such a long, long day of travel. The way home went well, and thanks to Melissa Neddo picking us up in subzero temps, we didn't wait long to get home and then hunkered down for the next two days with school being cancelled. It was so nice to come back to our house! We love it so much.
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