Our Christmas Road Trip

This year Christmas was wonderful/Exhausting. It was wonderful because we got to see ALL our family. Exhausting because we had to drive all over the place to do it. In the end 100% worth it!!
Our little adventure started out leaving unexpectedly Monday night on the 22nd or something. We were rushed with excitement and stressed to get everything packed and get out of cold Utah . We just wanted to make it to Vegas fast because we heard of a huge storm coming in. So we made it safely. Then Garrett had a surprise "meeting" in AZ the next day. So he flew out early in the morning and I killed a couple hours shopping in Vegas. (real hard right?) Then I picked him up around 4 and we continued down to California. Once we got there we were stayed and spent time with family for about 1 1/2 weeks. We had such a great time. (Pictures will follow after my novel.) We then got a crazy idea to venture down to AZ for New Years. I wanted to surprise my family but of course I just ended up telling them because I was so excited. So we woke up really early New Years Eve day and drove to AZ. After we stayed there a couple days we found out we needed to go back to Orange county for Garrett. So we got in the Car Monday drove to California, stayed a day, and then yesterday drove the rest of the way back home to Utah. We are home finally, both sleep deprived, both sick, both in need of massages, and both feeling like we just lived in the Car all break. BUT most of all BOTH loved every minute of our vacation together!!!!

This has been such a great Christmas this year. Here are some of our highlight outside of the car.



As a huge family we all went and saw the Broadway Mary Poppins. It was a great musical, and all the kids loved it! Here are all the sisters with MOM.

Our little Family Christmas morning watching all the nieces and nephews open all their presents.

The kids waiting to get the OK to all come down stairs. A very cute tradition. Once they can,they run all over the house looking for their Santa presents. This Santa was clever and hid them all over the house.

The Ilum's got a new pug for Christmas. Her name is Kona, and she is the cutest pug ever! Duke loved her.

Some other highlights of Valencia are

* eating at La Cocina everyday. Not a joke.

*going on morning walks with Garrett

*feeling the sun

*eating Moms Cinnamon rolls.

For New Years Eve night we all got tickets to go watch Joel McHale. He was in AZ, at the Dodge Theater. It was so funny. I really love that guy. After the show we all went over to Cheesecake to bring in the new year. A very fun night. I don't think I have stayed awake past 10 since I have become pregnant. It took me a couple days to recover.

Jenna and I waiting for Joel to come out.

My favorite person in the whole world.