Home

LOVE this happy love song that reminds me of us...

We've moved around quite a bit in the past two years.
But no matter where we've been, where we are, or where we're going:

"HOME IS WHENEVER I'M WITH YOU"

Ben is away at MLB Spring Training in Arizona right now.

Miss him.

So hurry HOME babe.

NY and New Years

No, we did not spend New Years in NY.

Been there.

Done that.

Too crowded.

However we did spend a night in NY a few days after Christmas. It was my surprise Christmas gift to Ben. We stayed at a cute bed and breakfast in Chelsea, went to the NYC Temple, shopped and site-see'd lots.

On New Years Eve we went to downtown Hartford and watched the fireworks display and rode the carousel. with the kids. Afterward we spent an evening of food, games, movies, and fun with the family at home before we flew back to Texas the next day.

Christmas in CT

This is how it's done...

Christmas this year was spent in CT with my side of the family. First thing first: we cut down a Christmas tree and trimmed it! We were so glad my parents decided to wait for us so that we could be included. It just might be my favorite part of Christmas.

Ben and Heather found these hats in my parents winter closet. We've collected so many over the years and they get weirder than this. Ben, a cowboy? Well we do live in good ol' Texas.

Laina shared hot cocoa with us Christmas Eve. (I ate most of the marshmallows- i'm crazy about them)

Ben and I trotted downstairs on Christmas Eve wearing onsie pjs... hoping to get a good laugh out of everyone. We may have gotten a bigger laugh than we expected... Ben's was too small. HA!

Our Christmas gift was nice, white, fluffy, snow, and lots of it! We went sledding with the kids in the backyard! This is what Ben chose to wear. Is that my mom's hat, my dad's gloves, and a onesie from Ben's youth? Yep.

We spent time at my brothers house with all 7 of his kids. What a full and fun house!

My oldest neice and I. I can't believe how fast they are all growing up.

Laina always does the best gift wrapping job.

These little gals got a guitar and a grocery cart from Santa!

My present- best ever. Ben remembered that I loved this painting by James Christensen at an art gallery a year ago. The one we saw was sold but he worked hard to find one and to have it reframed to be exactly like the one I fell in love with. It is such an intriging piece that invokes peace. (pictures of pictures don't do justice).

For Ben, I gave him a surprise overnight trip to NYC during our trip to CT. Details to be continued in the next blog post...