Holiday craziness

I have an extra long weekend this weekend and Dillon is busy slaving away at his internship 8 hours a day, 5 days a week... so why not catch up on some blogging? :)  But honestly I don't even know where to begin.  I have been quite the slacker lately but seeing as how this is the best I get at writing in my journal, I better do some updating for myself even if everybody else has given up on me. 

To start the holidays off we headed to Star Valley to enjoy a nice Thanksgiving dinner at my parents house.  All of my siblings and their kids were able to be there, the only thing missing was our parents.  Yes, it was a bit strange to have Thanksgiving at my parents house without my parents there but we still managed to have a great day and didn't even burn the turkey or the house down :)  

We missed our parents but thanks to technology we were able to Skype with my dad in Alaska and my mom that had to be in Arizona for a family emergency as we had a little Christmas party while we were all together.

From Star Valley we headed down to Preston to my sister Nicole's house to throw a bridal shower for our (now) new sister Julie.  I think we sufficiently embarrassed her as we welcomed her into our crazy family :)  But it was a fun day getting to know her and her family just a little better.  The mustaches we used for a game were definitely a big hit with the kids, and Aunt Heather.

 

The Monday after Thanksgiving, after I got off work and after Dillon got done with school, we hustled down to SLC for the evening to watch the Utah Jazz take on the Denver Nuggets.  Dillon's little sister's in-laws have season tickets to the Jazz, and our brother-in-law, knowing Dillon is a Nuggets fan, let us have 4 free tickets to go watch them play! (THANK YOU DRISCOLLS!)
We were able to have our friends the Hardy's meet us there and enjoyed a nice friendly game of basketball... :)

 

Well...I guess there was the one guy that thought maybe he needed to fight with Dillon.  See the gentleman in the green shirt on his phone?  Yeah, he kinda thought he was tough.  But he had nothing on Dillon and that gnarly beard :) 

 The Nuggets lost and it was a fast trip that made for an early school/work morning the next morning, but we still had fun!  And it was SO nice to be able to see the Hardy's and spend some time with them!

Thanks to school and work the first few weeks of December were spent close to home, going to a bridal shower for Dillon's cousin and then their wedding, chopping down a Christmas tree...

 ...and of course Dillon studying for finals.

The week of his finals I thought maybe he could use a little break and invited the Bastow's over for some gingerbread house making fun.

 Luke was a little tired and ready to go home by the time we finished and didn't really want anything to do with having his picture taken with the finished products

Sof just wanted to eat :)

Despite the studying distraction, Dillon went on to take his finals and pass ALL his classes with A's!  Not only is he a handsome man, but he's SMART! :)

After finals and in the 2 weeks surrounding Christmas we managed to do a LOT of traveling.  We went from Blackfoot to Logan UT and back twice, from Blackfoot to Boise and back twice, Blackfoot to Shelley and back twice, and from Blackfoot to Star Valley and back once.  All in just 2 weeks.  Yes, it was crazy.  But it was good crazy, spending lots of time with family.  We got to experience the temple for the first time and witness the sealing of my awesome older sister and her fabulous husband on December 22nd.....

... and witness the marriage of my studly little bro and his beautiful bride on December 28th

 *side note: I still cannot believe my only brother is married...he is still supposed to be the little brother.

When we weren't celebrating wedded bliss at the temple in Logan or at receptions we were able to spend our Christmas and New Years in Shelley with Dillon's family.  As always we spent our time shoving our face full of yummy yummy food, opening presents, taking naps, hot tubing, and playing cards.  And I even got to go see Les Miserables with Dillon's mom and sister (by the way, AMAZING!)  Of course, my camera died so I have one picture from Christmas....

:)
Christmas day did come with another little surprise....Dillon SHAVED!!!! 

...ok, I didn't say he shaved it all off :)  LUCKILY this little style only lasted long enough to get a few laughs and sufficiently gross me out then it was gone by the next morning.

Our trips to Boise, once before and once after Christmas, were quick trips to the airport to pick up/drop off my dad and back.  Only stopping to grab some food (which I threw up 5 mins after eating) and hitting up Cabelas for a few minutes while we waited for my dad's flight to come in.  A LONG drive for a short trip.  But, we were glad that my dad was able to come home and experience all the wedding/sealing awesomeness and it was great to have the car ride to get all caught up on his exciting new life in Alaska.

Our last trip of our traveling craziness was also our last trip to Star Valley to visit my parents.  Weird.  We spent our time setting up and enjoying hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls at Cody and Julie's reception then, of course, sledding the next day.

We also helped my mom go through and pack a few more things before saying goodbye to her and her life in Star Valley.  I can't believe it...my parents officially live in Alaska.  My parents live in ALASKA!  Whoa.  But, we cannot wait to go visit this summer! :)

Oh and did I mention that amongst all this craziness we also got to welcome a new little one to our family?  Meet Ty Carson Miller, our newest nephew!  SUCH a cutie!!!!

But now the excitement is over and real life is back in full swing.  I'm working away as usual, babysitting an ADORABLE little baby girl a little on the side, coaching YW volleyball again, and all the other boring usualness while Dillon, as I mentioned earlier, slaves away doing his internship at Bingham Memorial Hospital here in Blackfoot 8 hours a day 5 days a week for 12 weeks.  After tomorrow he's got 2 weeks down, 10 more to go.  Then.....GRADUATION!!! :)