Christmas Break

This Christmas Break has been amazing. Tanner and I both have had work off for the last few weeks and I feel so lucky we got to spend so much time together and with people that we love.

First, Tanner and I decided to open our presents to each other by ourselves before going down to Lehi. We woke up on Wednesday morning and had TK Christmas and it was SO FUN! I loved being able to enjoy the gifts from each other without all of the other distractions of Christmas morning. Tanner got me new Vans that I'd been wanting, a cardigan, shirt, scarf, a cute purse, and a calligraphy pen. HE IS THE BEST. After opening presents we ate some breakfast and played some racquetball. I am a little competitive (a little haha), but we had a lot of fun. That night after work we celebrated with Olive Garden and TK Christmas was complete!

We hiked to a yurt as a family. As Sadie put it... "It was kind of fun but also not fun" hahahaha. The hike in was fun and then we played games together in the yurt and ate some mountain house (not actually too bad, surprisingly. But it could have been the cause of the over abundance of gas that we all had.) By that time it felt like it was time for bed but it was only like 6:00. Around 9 we started going to bed and that was when the real fun began. It was SO HOT in there. Like sweating profusely kind of hot. And it smelled terrible like smoke form the fire and then we opened the roof to get air in and then it was freezing and also the beds were hard as rock... So it was a long night ;) But we definitely will never forget that kind of bonding experience! 

Christmas Eve we drove back from the Yurt to Lehi and my grandparents were there. I love hearing my grandpa tell stories. He told me about how he got so sick when he went deep sea fishing and vowed to never go on a boat again haha. And he also told me about how he felt so lucky to have gotten so many great job opportunities in Richfield. He's the best. That day we just hung out and later that night we drove to West Jordan to visit Tanner's mom. She gave us a lot of presents (it was really nice of her), we went to Panda Express, and then went to see Passengers. CHRIS PRATT AND JENNIFER LAWRENCE FOREVER. I loved it. 

Christmas morning was amazing as always. I still can't believe that my dad bought Tanner an XBox, he was (and still is) so excited. My parents win, always. I got a new backpack that I've been wanting and some super nice colored pencils and the movie The Incredibles (I know it sounds lame compared to an XBox but in all reality it is WAY BETTER and everything I wanted!) We went to church, played games, went to Grandma Drapers and ate a lot of food (as always), played some chimes, and went to bed. I love Christmas. Everything that I have I owe to my Savior. I have my forever family and forever second chances. 

(Thanks to Cam for letting us use her new polaroid. Featuring Christmas mess in the background.)

(Keeping a straight face is impossible obviously.)

On Monday Tanner went to Gunnison to murder some innocent rabbits with his friends so I hung out with the fam. We seriously just relaxed all day and it was awesome. Played some Just Dance (It's a lot harder on the XBox. But those replays though... TOO FUNNY), read my book, watched McFarland USA (That movie gets me every time), ate an extreme amount of caramel popcorn, and that's about it. One benefit of this day was the "where is my goat" video made my Camrie and Rylie. They're going to be famous. I love them so much.

On Tuesday I went snowshoeing with my parents. Something about those snow capped trees. We also went to see the movie Sing as a family. I'd give it maybe a 3/5. It was ok, but no Moana.

On Wednesday we drove to MOAB. (I know, the Drapers party hard.) We hiked to Longbow Arch which was awesome! And saw some petroglyphs and a dinosaur track. That night I read a book while everyone else watched the BFG (haha losers, it looked so boring), and we played some scum! 

(This is one of my all time favorite pictures.)

(Some day we'll figure out why all their drawings include horns and also goats.)

On Thursday we hiked to Corona Arch and my stomach hurt so bad so it wasn't all that fun. Thankfully, though, I just needed a bathroom break and I felt fine the rest of the day. (Yay for non stinky porta potties.) We went home and had lunch and then mom, dad, Tanner and I hiked to Delicate Arch. I know it's like the cliche arch but it's so beautiful. Like nature just made that! That night we ate Mexican food (Mason's choice), watched Despicable Me, and I got destroyed in Ticket to Ride.

On Friday we drove home from Moab and went to another Christmas party in South Jordan. Look how cute the gifts from my grandma were:  

Saturday was New Years Eve! We went snowshoeing with Tanner's mom and my mom (so much hiking this week, but hey exercise and also nature), went to lunch at Costa Vida, and then went to pick up Taryn to stay with us for the rest of the week! I love her so much. It's like Heavenly Father took all of the things that Tanner and I don't have in common and put them into Taryn so I'd still have someone to talk to about books and teaching and chick flicks. We played some video games, some Codenames (this is such a fun game, I got it for Tanner for Christmas and would highly recommend to all), went to Chick Fil A (someday I'll start eating healthy haha), and went over to Jackie's for a party. It was so good to see so many people that I haven't seen in forever. We continued the tradition of Zumi Zumi (I was the first one out. I have a real strong gag reflex haha), got updates on everyone's lives, played Telestrations, and that one catch phrase game where you make up all the words. I love the kind of friends that you can just pick up right where you left off. I feel lucky to have so many of those kind of people in my life. 

(On the couch: Taryn, Tanner, me, Jackie, Tommy (Alesha's boyf), Alesha Hatch, Halea Walker, Emily Allen (well, Barrett I guess haha), Jordan Barrett. Back row on the ground: Brad Barton, Ian Hansen, Austin Hunt, Kaden Wilcox. Front row on the ground: Derek Wilcox, Dallin Griffin, Buttscratch (er, Trevor Bursach. The nickname will never die))

Today my dearest roommate Kat had her mission farewell. I love her so much. I'll always think of her when I listen to Jason Derulo. Or when I sing in the shower. Or when I eat stuffing or instant potatoes. It was so good to see my snow 105 roomies. I will always be grateful that I have them. They've taught me a lot about life and friendship and love and they'll always know me in a way that most people never could. (Cue all the tears and sentimental feelings.)

My dad also gave a talk in church and I seriously can't listen to him talk without bawling my eyes out haha. I look up to him so much. 

(HAHAHA some things never change.)

Now we're sitting here watching Spiderman 2 (I'm not emotionally prepared for this!) and Taryn is staying with us until Wednesday. Next week I start the new semester and Tanner starts his new grown up job. AHHH. 

Today when we were driving home I just felt overwhelmed with how blessed I am in my life. Sometimes I get frustrated that I'm so young and so inexperienced at life and marriage and I don't get to see my friends very often but I realized that I have the greatest blessings in the world. I love my siblings so much my heart could explode. They are creative, funny, thoughtful, and just so much fun. I love my parents and their love for each other and their need for adventure. I love Tanner so much. And no matter what, we always get to hang out together. He really does get me. He makes me better in every way. And because of him I have another amazing family as well. 

LIFE IS SO GOOD. (Remind me of this next week when I'm buying all of my textbooks ;)

MERRY CHRISTMAS.