Our First Christmas

It has been forever since I last wrote about what has been going on in our lives! I will do my best to write about everything that has happened.

            My last day of college was right before the Thanksgiving break.  It was kind of bitter sweet but it was really neat.  The school had their first quarter AR reading assembly and there was a camel.  I don’t have any pictures of me with it.  I was supposed to kiss the camel because of how many books my kids read but…I kind of pulled away because it was going to eat my face and it wasn’t the best smelling animal I had ever been around, None the less it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am so happy I was able to touch the lives of my students.  I miss them but I cant wait to have a classroom of my own!

            I wish I had something to write about the Thanksgiving break but Jaron and I were both sick the entire time.  We did have the opportunity to spend time with Jarons relatives who came down from Alaska.  While in Utah over the break we were able to go to the Leonardo museum in Salt Lake.  It was no Ronald Regan Library or California Science Center but I was open to something new.  The museum is based on inventions and other cool thins.  We were able to see how prosthetic limbs work, green screens, energy reactions, and a bunch of other neat things.  The best part of this museum was the fact that it was all hands on and we were able to participate in all of the displays.  Thank goodness for hand sanitizer.

            Once the break was over we headed back up to Idaho for Jaron to finish fall semester.  The last few weeks of the semester included a TON of reading.  I have a feeling will have many more books to read for his schooling.  Along with Jaron finishing the semester strong we were able to throw our ward Christmas party.  This year the Sunday school was in charge.  I wish I could post pictures but because we were in charge we had to wait on everyone.  I decided at the moment I would HATE being a waitress.  Once the semester ended with an amazing GPA for Jaron we packed our stuff and headed down to Utah for two weeks.  The strangest part about leaving Idaho was that it was December 22 and there was still no snow on the ground.  Normally there is a ton of snow by October.

            We spent our first few days in Utah just relaxing and spending time with family. We went and saw Mission Impossible 4 with the family and spent time playing games.  Along with relaxing we were running around doing last minute shopping and preparing for Christmas Eve Dinner.  Christmas Eve finally came and that’s when chaos entered into the Clyde house.  Jarons parents invited all of their children to sleep at their house and have a huge Christmas.  This wouldn’t seem that crazy but they have four children plus their spouses.  Two of them have children adding six more to the mix.  Once the kids were all down to bed last minute wrapping, stocking stuffing, assembling toys, and placing of presents took over. After doing that for a few hours 1:45 came really quick and Jaron and I headed to bed. A few short hours later at 5:50 our alarms went off.  Yes, we had to set alarms because we don’t have kids and the rest of the kids wake up around 6. If we were going to do Christmas as a family we needed something to force us out of bed. 

            The grandkids and the two of us all lined up on the stairs.  All of the Clyde children were supposed to be in the pictures but they were taking pictures of their own kids.  There was also some bread in the mix.  Apparently when the Clyde children were younger they were forced to eat a piece of bread before they were allowed to go out into the living room.  I guess they needed food in their stomachs before eating their body weight in candy.

            Once the children were off the stairs it was chaos.  Wrapping paper was being thrown everywhere.  There was screaming and laughing and “are you sure this had the right name on it?”  I learned that Christmas with children is way different than what I am used to with my family.  After everything was all done and said there was assembling everywhere. 

            Overall Christmas was a success.  It ended in everyone taking naps after church but nonetheless it was amazing.

            The week after Christmas was spent relaxing and babysitting..  I got to spend four days with the cutest kids ever.  Colby and Emma had a blast playing with their toys and coloring the house Grandma got them.  We also went to see Alvin and the Chipmunks and we went to the Dinosaur Museum. 

            After babysitting for a week it was time to celebrate the New Year.  I can honestly say spending New Years as a married couple is a lot different then I remembered New Years as a single lady.  We played games for hours, played Just Dance 3, then watched the ball drop and started out the New Year with an amazing kiss from my adorable husband.  After the sparks were done flying we then went on the porch and watched the neighbors light fireworks.  We then played Wii tennis for an hour and we were off to bed.

            The last big event of our trip was the boys traditional bunny shooting.  They call it Rabbit shooting because they claim the rabbits they shoot are ugly and have nasty red eyes.  However, I will always call it bunny hunting.  The boys left really early in the morning and came home after not seeing any rabbits.  I guess it wasn’t a successful hunting trip but they still had fun together.

            Jaron and I are finally back in our small little Rexburg apartment and loving every minute we spend together.