The Holidays

Believe it or not, I started this post 3 weeks ago. Calvin got sick for about a week, the laptop died until we got a new charger, and then I got this sudden urge to reorganize my house (good thing it's so small or it would've taken a lot longer). I'm happy to report that we now have curtains and a stunning decorative pillow in our bedroom (after two years!). Here goes our update*...

*Disclaimer: This will be long and probably boring for some, so please refer to the following table of contents or choose from one of our friends & family blogs to your right (most of these people actually keep their blogs updated quite regularly, though I'm not sure how!).

1. Thanksgiving
2. Texas Trip
3. Heather & Max's Visit to Utah
4. Christmas

1. Turkey Day was a delight. We enjoyed the feast with my parents, Jamie & Rich & kids, Heather & Max, and Aunt Diane, Uncle Bob, & cousin Kody. I love that we always eat early in the afternoon so that there's room for leftovers before pie. Shawn & Lyndy and kids and Grandma & Grandpa Perkins joined us for pie (I had one of each, so like 8 slices!). I also love that Russell didn't have to work this year. Calvin seemed to enjoy his first Thanksgiving - he ate and slept well, so he's already got the essentials down.

Calvin gnawed on a truck for his appetizer while we scarfed our feast first (I promise we fed him after that!).

2. The day after Thanksgiving, we flew to San Antonio to visit family, attend our niece Savannah's baptism, and warm up! We enjoyed an extended Roberts family dinner as soon as we got there. Savannah's big day was Saturday and she did a great job. I was able to reminisce about my own baptism in San Antonio 19 years ago! Rod and Karen were so generous to offer us their vacation rental home to stay in. We went to the temple, spent an afternoon at the zoo, went to the Riverwalk and the Alamo, ate at Rudy's and Taco Cabana (several times) and most importantly, Calvin got reaquainted with Grandma, Grandpa, aunts and uncles. He also made a new friend - Jay - a German exchange student living with Rod and Karen. Jay is great with kids and Calvin loved just sitting with him. We flew home on December 1st, just in time for the beginning of the snow. I miss Texas!

Savannah's baptism

Eating the best BBQ at Rudy's
John is caught red-handed giving Westin a BBQ rib!


We ate at Rainforest Cafe on the Riverwalk
Calvin with Grandma and Grandpa in front of the big tree.
The Kimodo dragon at the zoo
Kelly, Westin, and Russell inside the bird habitat. They flock when you feed them, which is why Russell looks freaked out and why I stayed out.
Petting zoo (AKA a bunch of overfed goats that no one really wants to touch, so you grab a brush and pose for a picture).
Cute Westin was such a trooper!
Calvin and Jay
John & Kelly watched Calvin while Russell and I went to the temple with Rod & Karen.
Calvin had a blast with his cousins.

First visit to Santa at the mall and he didn't even cry!

With Grandma and Grandpa at the airport


3. My sister, Heather, and her eighteen month-old Max came to Utah for a month to visit while her husband, Ephraim, was enduring Ranger School as an Army officer. It was so nice to see them for Thanksgiving and when we got back from Texas, we made Christmas cookies at my mom's and visited Temple Square to see the lights. Calvin especially loved playing with Max, which consisted of him following him around and doing everything he did. It was clear that Calvin enjoyed this much more than Max, who tried to hide the toys from Calvin. We had a farewell dinner/December birthday party the weekend before they left, so Calvin got to practice opening birthday presents and eating cake - what a lucky boy. We love Heather and Max and were sad to see them go! Riding Trax in to Temple Square
Frozen family

Kelsey and Calvin - the December birthday girl and boyCalvin opening birthday gifts - Russell must have worked a graveyard the night before
Calvin's very own pre-birthday cake!
Trying on new snowman jammies from Aunt Heather

Playing ping-pong with Max - Max was in charge of paddles and Calvin took care of licking the ball.
Max trying on my shoes
Cousins with Grandma and Grandpa the night before Max and Heather went back to Georgia.

4. On the 22nd, we went to the Martineau Family Christmas Party and it was so nice to catch up with family that we don't see often enough. We had quite the blizzard on Christmas Eve and were happy and relieved to make it to my parents house in the weather. We had a delicious dinner and then got in costume for the annual Perkins Family Christmas Pageant. I love this tradition because even though some of us have to play several parts and the costumes and the high-pitched "JOY TO THE WORLD" at the end make us laugh, it's a wonderful reminder of the humble birth of our Savior and the reason we celebrate this time of year. As always, this year's pageant was a success. We exchanged gifts and by the time we were ready to head home, the snow had stopped - thankfully! Russell and I opened Christmas jammies when we got home and Calvin opened a gift from Grandma and Grandpa Roberts - a cool UT Longhorns shirt and a lion book. Christmas morning was a blur of wrapping paper, candy, and those stupid twisty tie things that anchor every baby toy to the box, rendering them impossible to open. We enjoyed our traditional big breakfast and lazed around in pajamas until Kim and Mike came over for Christmas dinner and movies. Calvin seemed to love his first Christmas and I was thrilled to not be overdue pregnant this year. Speaking of which...stay tuned for Calvin's first birthday post.

I love this picture - I caught my two boys sitting in awe watching the train circle the Christmas tree.
Russell joined the kids at the craft table at the Martineau family party
Jacob as Joseph and Russell the shepherd with his flock of sheep (Calvin, Alex & Logan)
I was the Angel of the Lord

Hannah was Mary, Jamie and Rich were wise men, my mom was all three innkeepers and my dad was the narrator, as usual. Sorry I didn't get pictures of mom and dad! Rich's robe was gold and flashy - we called him Gladys Knight - and he broke into some gospel music at the end...quite entertaining!

Calvin checking out a cool firetruck from Grandma and Grandpa Perkins

Rich and Russell with their handheld fishing games

Opening games from Jamie & Rich

Grandma & Grandpa opening a digital picture frame

My boys in their snowman jammies

Christmas morning

Calvin's singing cow puppet from Grandma and Grandpa Roberts

Posing in the aftermath

Many thanks to anyone who actually made it through this whole thing. I'll try to be more timely in the future. P.S. I just remembered that I forgot New Years - Russell worked and Calvin and I went to Jamie and Rich's with my parents for dinner, games, and karoake (a highlight of the evening - I WISH I had pictures of that!). Happy New Year!