Christmas Eve Presents

After we eat dinner we go upstairs and my grandpa has the floor.  You would think that our attention spans would be a lot longer as we are all older and could really sit a lot longer than when we were younger.  Nope, I remember when I was younger he would talk for thirty, forty, fifty minutes maybe even an hour  (maybe is felt like that long) and we would listen to him speak about Christmas and help us really get into the spirit of it all.  Now he is lucky if we last fifteen minutes! Getting older hasn't made us more patient.

 Married over 50 years!
George and Diane

BEST PART ABOUT PRESENTS IS.... the cousin gift.  We each get a cousin and we buy a present for them.  We usually have to draw who we have on Thanksgiving, but a lot of us weren't together for Thanksgiving so some were just given names.  I didn't know who had me and I was very curious because it isn't hard to guess who has you because they usually end up asking you what you want (lame I know).  No one asked me, so I didn't have a clue who had my name.  I guess Brittnee requested me because she had already bought my present! Right when I looked in the bag and saw the shape I knew what it was.  I was a little excited not going to lie.  I totally wasn't expecting it.

SERIOUSLY BEST GIFT EVER AND ALL A GIRL COULD ASK FOR!

Why is this the best gift ever... I will show you.

 Meet August.... (Matt Bomer you have some competition) who wouldn't want to look at this beautiful man for a month ( I might keep him up year round).  The money from calendars goes to charity what more could you ask for!  I got a present that gives to charity and I get some eye candy to look at year round. 

A lot of presents had a theme the University of Utah. A lot of us are U fans!

 Titan is the only baby in the family even though he would disagree that he is a baby.  He is the cutest person to watch.  I think he was more excited to see what everyone else got then what he got himself.

 My mommy got a cute colorful watch from Kenz and I got one as well, but mine was more subtle and boring it was black.  A staple in my wardrobe.

Look at the picture behind my mother.  That is the last cousin pic we had done. Wow it is dreadful and needs to be taken down with something more updated!

 This cute couple have been married for over a year.  I had to take a picture to show the difference in wrapping techniques. Brookie bless her heart wrapped Sean's gift with baby wrapping paper and it was a little rough around the edges.  Sean wrapped hers in beautiful paper that looked like perfection.  So funny and such a cute couple!

 I had to wrap 12 presents and it about killed me because I don't have the patience for it, but I did better than this barely! Love ya Brookie!

  Some gifts that were given.  My sister got some cute jewelry, Kurt whose birthday is on Christmas Eve got a thing for his car, my mommy got some pajamas and she would totally rock them.  It was a gag, but I am sure they are warm and her and Kenz would have worn them!  Brookie's hubby gave her footsy pajama's and she looks like WHO!!!

 
All my grandpa asked for Christmas was a belt.  Well, he got a belt and a trip to Scotland to go golfing with my Uncle Brad!!! I was a little confused to be honest golf & Scotland don't really go together for me, but I guess it is the birthplace of golf WHO KNEW! I guess you learn something new everyday. He totally deserves it love ya grandpa! 


I am kind of jealous of him because I love castles and some of the oldest castles are in Scotland, so I wish I could tag along! They can play boring golf and I could go castle browsing.... One day it will happen...

 Everyone is together! Doesn't happen very often now that we are all getting older, but I enjoyed Christmas and I hopefully will see them all before next Christmas!

My cute family Kenz, me, Mav and Alex oh and the dog Fluffy

At the end of the night the women started a puzzle and the boys started a game! What an exciting way to end Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve Dinner

Christmas has been the same every year in our family since I can remember.  Every year everyone goes to my grandparents house.  We all gather and have dinner (so nice to have food I didn't have to make).  It was the first time I have seen most of my family since Christmas last year and let's just say that everyone is getting taller than me!

Mav is 15, I am 24, Madison is 15 and Brady is 14 the oldest is the shortest!  This is the year of growth for my cousins and I am still short.

  My camera sucks so my Aunt let me use her camera and I was the official photographer for the evening.  I tried to get a picture of everyone or most of the people in the family.  No one else takes pictures in my family, so I had to take pictures of them so I don't forget what they look like!

 

 Cute tobby and her brother Boston

 Kim and Danny and my granparents George and Diane

                 There is 15 grandkids and these are some of the youngest ones.

 

My sister Kenzie and Fluffy

The young ins.

Yea, some people don't like me taking pictures and they just won't smile!  They will thank me though when they are old and ugly and want a cute picture of them being young!

Zac and Shelly

 Tobby is my twin when you see pictures of us when we are younger we look so much a like the only way to tell us apart is to see what decade the decor is!  Wow that makes me feel old.

Cami and Broc

 Kenzie and I

 Madison and Brittnee

 What a cute picture!

 My cute mommy and fluffy!

All the cousins... we are all getting so old.

GOODBYE NYC HELLO UTAH!

I AM GOING HOME TODAY!!! 

GOODBYE NYC

HELLO UTAH!

 I MISS THE GORGEOUS MOUNTAINS

 AND THE BEAUTIFUL SKY!

A YEAR IS TOO LONG TO GO WITHOUT BEING HOME!

WASHINGTON DC

I went to Washington DC the day after Thanksgiving! Genius I know, but sadly it wasn't my idea I just tagged along.  We left early Friday morning.... I was up at 5:30AM. We arrived a little before and headed to our hotel to get rid of our baggage.  The best part about DC is that some of the museum are free.  I mean nothing is free nowadays so I love just being able to explore all of the great places that this place has to offer.  The next best thing besides things that are free is that the weather was gorgeous and I didn't have to wear a coat!

 Our room for the night.  The beds were really comfortable and that is all that counts.

Lincoln Memorial

 I love how he has the biggest memorial.  I mean did they really have to make it that big, but it is gorgeous.

The whole gang sitting on the steps of the memorial.

The best part of the trip was the Holocaust Memorial. It is amazing and so well done.  We all pretty much went our separate ways on this one.  You don't really want to talk to people you just walk around and read and see the horror that these people went through because one man decided to hate.  Hate is such a powerful thing and can take over someone's life.

  When you get there you are given an identity and by the end of the memorial you can find out if you lived or died.  The stories that they give you are of real people.  Honestly I don't know what the hell is wrong with people!! The whole time I couldn't believe that this happened only 70 YEARS AGO! and there is still genocide going on today.  You aren't suppose to take pictures and I didn't.  That is a first I know.  I really respect what they have done with this memorial and if you go to DC check this out.  It will make you grateful for everyday that you have been given.

At the end there is a room where you can light a candle.  I just walked around and read some of the quotes they have etched on the wall.

 "Only guard yourself and guard your soul carefully, lest you forget the things your eyes saw, and lest these things depart your heart all the days of your life.  And you shall make them known to your children, and to your children's children."

Deuteronomy 4:9

One of the most thought provoking parts of the museum was where they had hundreds of shoes all together that these people had worn and written above it was this quote.

"We are the shoes, we are the last witnesses.  

We are the shoes from the grandchildren and grandfathers, 

From prague, paris, and amsterdam, 

and because we are only made of fabric and leather

and not of blood and flesh, each one of us avoided the hellfire."

Moses Schulstein

SERIOUSLY!!!! I couldn't even look at it for very long because I was so upset that this was all that was left of these children, mother's, father's, daughters, son's, grandfather's and grandmother's just THEIR SHOES.  No one deserves this. 

 Guess what building this is??????

THE FBI BUILDING!

I know its that cool, but still.

 There is an exhibit in the National Museum of American History with dresses that the first ladies wore while their husbands were in office.  Most of these look rather uncomfortable, but the fabrics are very pretty.

This is Michelle Obama's outfit and I just couldn't get over the BLING! Share the wealth. Also note the shoes are Jimmy Choo. I wonder how much this outfit cost altogether even though I am sure the diamonds were borrowed.

 The picture on the left reminded me of Ceasar's Palace in Las Vegas.  I haven't been there since I moved to NYC and I use to go ever year.  I think I may need to go there sometime I miss it!

 Pretty buildings.  Bottom right is the archives building with the Constitution and Bill of Rights you can't take pics of course and I didn't try.  The security is tight I guess to get in, but I didn't realize until later that I was able to get in and I have a pocket knife on my key ring and I still got in.  Shows how worthless all that crap is because if someone really wanted to do something they could.   I did and I wasn't even trying.  I am just glad I didn't get caught that would have been fun. :) 

 Arlington Cemetery... I love the symmetry of the graves and how beautiful they are.  It is such a peaceful place and I am glad that we have something for those who have given their life for my freedom.

Here lay the remains of 2,111 of those who fought, fell, and died upon many fields of battle during the American Civil War. Sadly, the realities of war occasionally rendered impossible the delivery of aid and finally, the removal of bodies.  Placed in a sectioned vault beneath this stone are the arms, legs, and bodies of the numerous anonymous dead. Although intended for Union Soldiers, the unidentified undoubtedly included Confederate Soldiers who now rest here at peace with their former adversaries.

Air and Space Museum...lots of children in this one.  I just liked the gift shop lot so cool things to play with.

I LOVE SPACE! Earth is boring :)

World War II Memorial one of my favorites.

"They fought together as brothers-in-arms.  They died together and now they sleep side by side.  

To them we have a solemn obligation"

 Admiral Chester W. Nimitz

 

Korean War Memorial.  I love this memorial as well so gorgeous even in the dark! One of the 

walls has the inscription "FREEDOM IS NOT FREE" very true.  There is 2,500 

photographic

images on the memorial and

"FREEDOM IS NOT FREE"  

is etched onto the wall.

I heard that the NEWSEUM is cool.  We walked past it and I looked at the price! 22 bucks when I can go to stuff that is free NO WAY!  Every day they have every states newspaper front cover outside the building.  This was Utah's for Sat. November 26th.  I think that is a great idea and that was free to look at!

 There is a SPY Museum...Who would have thought!!!  There gift shop is cool as well. 

 Guess what this lipstick is....a pistol! It is like something out of James Bond.

 Washington Memorial

 Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh made with kitchen plumbing supplies. So cool.

Our lovely bus that took us home.  We were suppose to leave at 11:59PM yes that is late.  While we were waiting for the bus because it hadn't shown up and we should have been boarding we looked out of the parking garage and all these people are walking with their luggage into the garage.  The bus got stuck on it blocked the entrance so none of the buses could get through! I mean really at 12 at night this had to happen.  I didn't get into my bed until after 5:30 AM.  I don't recommend I am still trying to recover from lack of sleep.