New Years

New Year’s was a little crazy this year.  Originally we had planned to go down to Utah because my brother Kelly and his family were coming up from Arizona and all of my family would have been together. When we found out they wouldn’t be coming after all, we decided to just take it easy for one last week before the craziness of tax season began. Then on Friday around 1:30 pm (about 30 minutes before Merritt would be heading home from work) I started getting antsy and wanted to get out of town. Knowing Merritt was content with staying home I decided it would be better to text him my idea before calling.  Here is the transcript of our texted conversation):

1:30 pm (about 30 minutes before Merritt should be done at work)

Mandee: When are you headed home?

Merritt: That depends.

Mandee: On what?

Merritt: What do you have planned?

Mandee: What would you say to jumping in the car and going to Utah?

Merritt: ?????? 

What the question marks don’t quite convey is that in Merritt’s head he was thinking, “What the *!#@*!”

About one hour later we were packed and headed to Utah.

And although we had looked forward to a relaxing and restful weekend at home we were so glad we went. It a was a quick trip but we had a great time with my family and it was exactly the getaway I needed.  The only thing that would have made it better would have been to have Kelly and Danette with us!

One of our favorite Christmas traditions is our Pork Chop breakfast. And this year we got TWO!

The master chefs at work with the help of a little Maggie who was eating the oranges faster than they could be sliced.

A few of the hooligan cousins.

After a delicious and very fattening breakfast we decided we needed a little work out. So off to the skating rink we went.

Sammy had a hard time staying on his feet even with the help of the little walker. He spent a lot of time on his behind.

Alex was more of a “natural”.

Don’t even ask what was going on here.

This is what it is all about. I love seeing all the cousins playing together and having a good time!

One of the biggest highlights of the trip was our first experience with the X Box Kinect and “Just Dance”.  I think I have a new obsession.

Merritt, here… I had to hijack this post in order to show the most enjoyable part of the trip… Mandee and Beth getting their groove on with the X Box.

Oh yeah, baby!

This is exactly what made me fall in love with her.

Just so you know, my smoking hot (and incredibly mature) wife is now in the process of coercing our children to save up all of their money so that she can have a new X Box Kinect.  That is why I love my slightly neurotic wife.