Christmas Vacation 2020

For the past few years, Ammon and I have talked about having Christmas at a cabin so we can have a white Christmas. We kept putting it off...we just had a baby...our kids are too young to remember...etc.

What Ammon and I had envisioned was playing in the snow, warming up in the cabin with hot cocoa, making home made Christmas tree decorations, baking cookies for Santa and watching Christmas movies.

This year we decided to go for it. We can do it again in a few years for the kiddos who don't remember it this year.

 

Monday, December 21

Today we drove about 11 hours and stopped in Trinidad, Colorado. We slept in a hotel.

 

While we were in the van, it started to stink. I asked, "Who farted?"

Isaac quickly said, "Not me!"

Conner said, "I didn't fart."

Caleb exclaimed, "I farted!! It was me!! Caleb farted!!" He was pretty proud.

Tuesday, December 22

We got to our Cabin around 3pm. Here is a tour of our cabin.

There were 3 foot snow banks near our cabin, so after unpacking the van, we took the kids outside to sled!

  After playing in the snow, we went inside and drank hot cocoa. We went into town that night for dinner. We went to a pizza place and it was so delicious! After dinner, I ran into the store to grab a few things. While I was in the store, Ammon called me (he was in the van with the kids) and said a snow storm was coming in and we needed to go asap. So I quickly finished up, and went outside to a blizzard! We started to drive up the canyon but got nervous as we passed a line of semi trucks parked on the side of the street by a sign that had been updated to say something like, "strong winds ahead, large vehicles use extreme caution." We turned around and parked behind the semi trucks and decided we would need to wait a few hours for the storm to pass. However, 15 minutes later, the storm was already letting up and we saw a handful of cars headed up the canyon. We decided to follow. It was an intense drive, but we felt safe. There was only one time that we (copied the cars ahead of us) turned on our emergency lights and pulled over. We arrived safely at the cabin.

 

That night we read our Christmas book in the loft!

After putting the kids to bed, Ammon and I hung Christmas lights around the inside of the cabin. The boys, sleeping in the loft, could see all the colorful lights and came to the railing to watch us hang the lights. It was cute to look up and see their faces in awe!

Wednesday, December 23

Today was our snow day. 

While I was making breakfast, Caleb read Emma a book.

 

We played in the snow outside of the cabin for a bit. There was a big field of untouched snow that the kids loved playing in! We had picked up snow boots for all the kids at a thrift store, but Ammon and I only had our tennis shoes. Amazingly, our shoes didn't get soaking wet like we thought they would. The snow was 100% powder.

 

Any guesses what we did next? HOT COCOA!

Next we drove into a small ski town where they had a sledding hill at the public park. The snow was packed down and smooth, perfect for sledding. We all had so much fun sledding! Even Emma loved it (when the sled didn't tip over)!

 

 

 

We sledded for about 4 hours. As the kids started getting cold, they'd go sit in the van with either Ammon or I. Emma was first, then Caleb and then Isaac. I don't think Conner would have ever been done sledding, but we had to go get dinner before going back to the cabin. This time, our drive to the cabin was uneventful, and we got back before bed time. So we did one of our ornament crafts!

Thursday, December 24

Christmas Eve! Today is our "cabin" day. 

We got to make homemade ornaments, cookies for Santa, play at the cabin, have Christmas dinner and get ready for Santa to come!

Making reindeer ornaments

 Snowman ornaments

Beaded Ornaments (candy canes, Christmas trees, wreaths)

 

Then we went outside to play (aka get some energy out!)

We watched Christmas movies while I did some prep work for a Christmas dinner we would eat that night

Every time one of her brothers would come down the ladder, Emma was there to help!

 

We made cookies to leave out for Santa!

We had a wonderful Christmas dinner!

Then we opened up our Christmas Eve present....Christmas pajama pants made by their cousin, Maia! They are so adorable!

Then we put presents under the tree. We don't put presents under our tree early because I'm sure they'd get opened. So we wait until Christmas Eve night, then we put the presents we bought for each other under the tree. Ammon and I love the Wow-Factor on Christmas morning when there are tons more presents, so we don't put all the presents out while the kids are awake.

We read our Christmas Eve book

Last, we got all the food ready for Santa...went outside and sprinkled reindeer food and put Santa's cookies out on the table.

Friday, December 25

CHRISTMAS!!!

Christmas was so magical! Kids are so much fun at Christmas! We always try to take a few minutes of video while the kids are opening their presents from Santa. We love to remember their sweet voices, their excitement, and the funny way they say certain words! I know not everyone will love watching these movies, so please don't feel like you have to watch them all. 

After seeing everything that Santa brought, we took turns opening presents under the tree. We would each open 1-2 gifts, and then we would take a break to play with toys for a while. It was so much fun!

Another thing we do each Christmas is take a picture of the kids with their presents!

Ammon and I bought the kids family a Nintendo Switch for Christmas and we had fun playing it throughout the day.

I kept telling Ammon I wanted a family picture in front of our cabin Christmas tree, and it didn't happen until Christmas afternoon...when we had been in our pajamas all day...

We had the merriest of Christmases. It was amazing how much more it felt like Christmas being in a colder climate with snow. Needing to go inside to get warm, drinking hot cocoa, all the wintery feeling things! It was everything Ammon and I had envisioned and we are so grateful we did it! 

I told Ammon that although we said we might do this every few years, if money was no object, I'd do this every Christmas! All the kids said they want to do it next Christmas too!

Saturday, December 26

We packed everything up, said goodbye to the cabin, and started driving. 

But sometimes, when Ammon and I are planning a trip, we go-big-or-go-home. You know, as if packing the 6 of us up for being in the snow (when we live in central Texas and own almost no snow gear) and taking Christmas with us isn't enough...

While we were planning our Christmas at the Cabin trip, Ammon asked me, "When are we going to go to Arizona to see Elise's family again?" Which got us thinking...The cabin was closer to Elise's house than ours by 3 hours. If we went straight to the Cranmer's house, we would cut off 1 leg of the drive (assuming we were going to their house anyways), plus take off 3 hours! We were sold! So the day after Christmas, we packed up all our snow gear and headed to sunny Arizona!

On the drive, we passed many frozen lakes and rivers. Then we came across this one. It took us a few minutes to agree on what we were seeing. Those very low clouds just above the not-frozen water surface were made from the steam coming off of the river. We could literally see jets/lines of steam going from the water's surface to the clouds. It was crazy and beautiful!

We got to the Cranmer's house around 9pm and after Emma pointed out Minnie Mouse who was up on a shelf, the first toy she found was a doll!

After 3 boys, these little girl things make me so excited! 

Sunday, December 27

Matt and Elise's family actually went out of town for Christmas as well, and they didn't get back home until this afternoon. They were so kind to let us get to their house before them! This morning, while they were driving home, we went for a hike in the Teton National Forest. It is definitely a different type of forest than the image that comes to your mind when you think forest. It is a desert forest. It's pretty in it's own way. We had so much fun hiking!

I think throwing rocks in the river was the highlight!

Monday, December 28

This trip was a relaxing trip. We really didn't have anything planned except playing and spending time with the Cranmer family. 

This morning Ammon went for a hike by himself up this pretty riverbed.

Elise and I took the kids for a walk to see some animals (horses, cows, sheep) down the road. We passed a house where the husband and wife were outside taking care of their lemon trees. They said they had way too many lemons and needed to give a bunch away. They kindly gave us a lot. After seeing the animals and getting back home, we made lemonade! Caleb liked it but made this face each time he took a sip.

Elise and I also took the kids to the neighborhood park. Elise and I were laughing because the blue bridge that Emma and Lukey are on has gaps between each of the blue things that the kids have to step over. Emma never hesitated going on it...she has 3 big brothers to keep up with! Elise told me that Lukey has never done it alone, that he always makes Elise hold his hand when he goes on it. But not today....I guess he felt he needed to keep up with Emma!

Tuesday, December 29

Elise had to work in the morning, so we went for a hike near the Lost Dutchman's hidden treasure!

Then we went to GoldField, a old mining ghost town. First we got to watch a shoot out! They used real guns with only gunpowder. Man it was loud! Emma didn't like it, she started crying, so Ammon took her inside one of the stores. Caleb climbed on my lap and said he was scared. But I think he still liked it. Caleb has never liked really loud noises. It was fun!

Next we went to their digital/laser shooting range and let the boys shoot. Then we went to pan for treasure! We bought a bag of dirt and headed to the sluice!

That night the Cranmer's cooked a whole thanksgiving style feast! Complete with a smoked turkey!

Wednesday, December 30

Ammon took Conner, Isaac and JD on a hike this morning. We learned about a hieroglyphic hike that was suppose to be tons of fun for kids, but when they got there, the parking lot was full, so they had to do a plan B hike. They still had fun!

While they were gone, Caleb and I played Mario Kart - with only 3 controllers, he doesn't get to play very often. 

In the afternoon we took the kids to a very fun park - we are planning to go there again tomorrow morning, good thing too, because the kids did NOT want to leave today!

For dinner, Elise let the kids make homemade, shaped, personal pizzas. My middle two kids LOVED it! All throughout our time there, the kids were making forts in the backyard to hide behind while having nerf gun wars. Conner and JD were having too much fun to stop and make their own pizzas, so they got circle pizzas.

Caleb made 3 Paw Patrol puppy dog bone pizzas

Isaac made a tarantula, pumpkin and star pizza

While we were at Cranmer's house, Lukey (who has never liked paci's) decided that Emma might be on to something...

Thursday, December 31

This morning we packed a picnic lunch and headed back to the super fun park!

Lukey and Emma played together tons while we were there. It was so cute! I love that they are so close in age! And that they are getting past the parallel play stage and moving into the playing together stage!

For New Years Eve Elise had planned the candy ball game! We made a ball out of plastic wrap with candy throughout it. The big kids (Isaac and up) had to wear Iron Man gloves when it was their turn to unwrap it. It was a HUGE hit! My kids have already asked me if we can play it next year on New Years Eve! Caleb was funny with this game. He would play until it was his turn to unwrap and get candy. Once he had candy, he was done playing until he had eaten said candy. Once it was gone, he was ready to play again!

We did a youtube countdown around 9pm then put the kids to bed! 

Friday, January 1, 2021

Today was another pack and drive day. Elise was so kind to take the kids to the park while Ammon and I got the van all packed up. We drove to El Paso that day. Then finished the drive home on Saturday. 

Our whole Christmas break was so much fun! We are so blessed to live in a country where we are free to travel as we wish. I hope that we always have that freedom!