Christmas 2010

Before the year ends, here is a summary of our Christmas 2010. Yes, I'm doing my best to summarize, hence the lists with each day, but you still might want to get comfy as you read all that's been shared. So kick up your feet, get cozy under the blanket, make sure you have a full stomach, and enjoy the read and pictures...

After discussion and debate we decided to travel, via car, to Amanda's house for Christmas. Since Amanda would be leaving on a work trip on the 31st (to Hawaii no less, yes we're very jealous) we decided that our coming to her would be the best plan. So here is the record of our trip:

Wednesday, December 22:
JaNae frantically cleaned the house, changed the sheets, washed a couple loads of laundry, and packed for our trip.
Dan arrived home from work around 1:00.
JaNae finally showered, around 1:00.
The car was loaded with our suitcase and gifts.
Departure at 3:00 for our stay in Boise...arrival 9:30 pm.
Visits with Boise Horrocks Clan (Dan's brother Andy & his family).
Laughing about Sid's Hanukah card to their family.
Turning in for the night at 11:30 pm.

Thursday, December 23:
First day of Dan's PTO!!!!!
Depart Boise at 11:00 am...destination Morgan, Utah.
Listening to Harry Potter #7 while driving through Idaho and Utah.
Arrived at Target in Ogden for last few treat ingredients.
Reached Amanda's home at about 6:30 pm.
A very yummy "Christmas Eve" dinner of ham, veggies and salad.
Games, visiting, and snacking on treats till late.
Bed so Santa could come.

 




Friday, December 24:
Awakened at 10:45 am to open gifts (the joys of adult children!)
Gifts, gifts, and more gifts!!!!!
 

 

 
 

This was NOT a hated gift, don't remember why she pulled that face.





Looking at the 2011 Horrocks Calendar



Dan's bows...Yes, they do leave much to be desired

 A delicious breakfast/brunch of eggs, ham, and juice after the gifts were all opened and things cleaned up.

Amanda's stash

Dan's stash

JaNae's stash

Lots of loves and hugs to our hostess and chef.

Breakfast/Brunch was cleaned up then we settled in for a little movie watching. Thankfully Amanda let us watch one of her new ones...Some Kind of Wonderful.

Quick showers, packing of cars and suitcases again, and then we all left for Pocatello.

Amanda arrived at her mom's for Christmas Eve dinner.

Dan and I to Loveland's for our Christmas Eve dinner.

After dinner was the Christmas story in word and song with Kevin & Ann and 4 of 5 children (Rebecca's still on her mission), Karl & Peggy Loveland, Dan & I.
Then we watched and enjoyed the Lovelands and their one gift Christmas Eve tradition.
Off to find a cassette tape recorder and hid while we listened to Sid's Christmas gift...a tape with him reading the Christmas Story from the scriptures.
After visiting more we finally crawled into bed around 12:30 am.

Saturday, December 25:
Rudely awakened with a very loud "Ho, ho, ho" from Matt and Neal at 5:30 AM! (Yes we are trying to determine the perfect revenge.)
Quickly heading upstairs to discover, 5 minutes later, we were 10 gifts behind everyone else.
Finding, amazingly enough, that Santa found us AGAIN!
JaNae took over camera duty for Lovelands so they could stay focused on their gifts.
Once the gifts were opened and a little something was eaten it was back to sleep for us.
Arising to head out for the day around 10:00 am.
Another delicious breakfast with the Lovelands.
Departing around 11:40 am to meet up for Sid's Christmas phone call home!!!!!! (I'll share some of our call in another post.)
An hour later off to Mark & Amy's home to play games, visit, do puzzles, eat, etc. with them and their boys.
Calls to my siblings to hear about their Christmas celebrations.

Returning to Lovelands for the night.

Sunday, December 26:
Visiting our old ward for Sacrament Meeting and chatting with our former neighbors after the meeting.
Knocking on Cousin Kelli's door...no answer. :(
Knocking on Aunt Elaine's door...in for a visit.
"Breaking" into Mark & Amy's house for a late breakfast (at 1:30 pm!).
Putting together Mrs. Claus's Clusters for the Horrocks Family Gathering.
Games, visiting, eating pizza, talking, catching up, etc. with all the Horrocks, minus our two missionaries.

 



Mr. Anti-Social in the middle of the conversation and doing the crossword puzzle alone...


 

Mother Daughter twin nappers

 
A priesthood blessing for Dan from his brothers and brother-in-law.
More visiting, despite part of the group leaving and others remaining saying they are tired and ready to head to bed.
Finally returning to Loveland's and turning in around 11:00 pm.

Monday, December 27:
Slept in...FINALLY!
Lunch with Cousin Kelli at a Cuban Grill in Pocatello. (Still mourning the closing of Food for Thought)
A few errands in town; rotating the tires, visiting the old Biomat to see their new remodel, leaving my rings with a jeweler, etc.
Back to Loveland's to find the house empty.
Time for a movie but this time one of our new ones....Blindside.
More games with the Lovelands.

 

After more hours of family fun and saying good-bye to Amanda, we finally turned in for the night around 11:00 pm.

Tuesday, December 27:
Packing up and loading the car with more gifts, dirty laundry, and unworn clothes.
Depart Lovelands at 9:40 (only 40 minutes later than planned).
Quick stop to top off the tank of gas and one last errand in Pocatello.
Officially out of town at 10:30 am.
Drive, drive, drive until we arrived home at 6:30 pm.
Unpack, process, fill hamper, prep for our return to work.
Crash into our bed at 10:30 pm.

Not sure how Dan did it but on the drive there and back, I managed to be the one driving through the worst roads. On the way the roads were a little wet but tough to feel confident about driving while car and truck headlights blinded me along the dark, unlit canyon highway.

On our return the snowiest and iciest roads were my watch. They weren't super bad but still caution was needed since around any corner was a possible line of semis stopped to chain up their rigs. Thankfully only one close call that I was able to avoid.


Whew, I'm tired remembering all we fit into our trip. What a wonderful Christmas vacation. Not sure when we'll get back to see our families, hope it's soon!

Thanks to everyone, we had a GREAT time.