More Packards in Texas!!

To jump start our Christmas 2011 adventure we had Nate, Telisha, and their cute kiddos here with us in Texas.  They got here late Wednesday night, we stayed up with them for just a little bit that night because I had to work all day Thursday (boo!).  They met me for my lunch break on Thursday, which was a lot of fun watching the kids go crazy in the McDonald's play place.  Then we had a get together with all our family here after I got off work on Thursday, and then we all left that night for California!  We love visiting them in Ohio, but it was fun to have them here with us too!  It was a quick stop for them, but we're so glad they came. 

The cuties in our apartment

Sean and the kids opening some presents

Video of Sean and the kids opening their presents

Family get together at Aunt Elaine's house. 

Love these little cheesers!

Some more pics of our fun night!

Look at all these cousins! 

Oh, Spencer and Aaron...

Good times

Fun picture!

 The kiddos on the ride to California.  They did A LOT better than I thought they were going to.  They are troopers!

The tearing up of the phone book!  It really was Telisha's idea, haha!

Tanner was having a blast!

We left straight from Aunt Elaine and Uncle Mark's house for California.  We all packed in the minivan with a car top carrier with three kids, four adults, and 22 hours ahead of us.  We definitely had some memorable moments which include but are not limited to; getting pulled off the highway by an angry cop because the highways were closed, being stranded for hours on end in New Mexico, seeing Nate lose his mind for the first time :), watching the kids tear up a phone book and throw the pages everywhere, off roading in the KIA through the back roads of New Mexico, and so much more!  All in all it was a fun trip, and we're glad we got to spend it with some of our favorite family.  

Thanks Nate and T for making the trip out to Texas and for letting us go with you to California with you and your sweet kiddos.  It was the start to a truly memorable Christmas!  More to come... :)

Christmas work party 2011

The last few offices I've worked at haven't had Christmas parties, so when I found out my new office always has one I was really excited.  I just feel like so many of the work weeks are stressful, it's nice to just sit, talk, and have a good time with your co-workers.  Dr. Beougher and our office manager, Lani did a great job planning our party.

 The hygiene department

Miki and Frita

First, we had dinner catered into the office.  Then, Dr. B. and Lani gave us our gifts.  Each present had a 'Coach' wristlet inside with $200 in it!  The note on the gift said we were all going shopping at Willowbend mall!  We only had 90 minutes to spend it, and any money we didn't spend we had to give back.  Also, the presents we bought HAD to be for ourselves.  They told us that we work hard all year and we deserve to get something just for ourselves.  (I never have a problem with that but apparently some people do, ha ha!)

Did I mention there are 25 girls that I work with?  It was very generous of Dr. Beougher to get all of us such a nice gift.

Some of the girls opening their Secret Santa gifts.

Priscilla and Dr. Irvine's sweet little girl, Kylie.

Starlyn, our hygiene coordinator and one of my favorites!

Dr. Beougher scaring the children...

Dr. Irvine and Kylie

After all the shopping fun we had, we met back up at this neat little restaurant called 'The Keg'.  I haven't been there before, but I really liked it.  They had a couple of fires going and big comfy leather chairs and couches for people to sit on and chat with one another.  Everyone showed each other their purchases and then people talked, had drinks and appetizers, and Dr. B was nice enough to pick up the tab.  It was a really fun night.  It was so nice not to have to talk about work, but just have fun together.

My purchases!  Merry Christmas to me. :)

Holiday in the Park

We've been in Texas for two years now, and ever since we've moved here I've wanted to go to Six Flags.  Sean HATES amusement parks.  He hates the roller-coasters (apparently it upsets his stomach), he hates walking around all day (he has really flat feet), and he thinks it's a waste of money.  Sometimes we could not be more different.  I LOVE amusement parks!  I love the roller-coasters, I think they are so fun!  I would give up 2 months of shopping easy to pay for a ticket!  I know they are a little pricey, Sean has a point, but can you really put a price on fun/memories?  I think not.  I have been harassing him to go forever, and he finally gave in.  It helped that one of his co-workers won tickets as a prize, and then sold Sean the tickets for $25 for two tickets!  I didn't realize it was $25 for both until we were at the park, which was even better news! 

Conveniently, Sean's cousins/our good friends Mike and Kylie, wanted to go too!  Let me rephrase that, Kylie wanted to go too.  Mike is a pansy just like Sean (sorry Mike).  Kylie and I have been talking about going forever, and when we got the tickets, they agreed to go with us!  Luckily, Texas is warm (I thank God for that everyday that we finally live in a warm state) and it was only 50 degrees at 6pm when we went in the middle of December!  We bundled up for the cold, but I was actually hot!

  Kylie and I were REALLY excited!

The park looked really sweet.  There were Christmas lights up everywhere.  I guess they do it every year, and call it "Holiday in the Park".  I feel like we should make it a yearly tradition.  :)

Kylie and Mike!

I realize that my camera blows, but these pictures seriously don't do it justice!  The park looked amazing!

Could we be sisters?  We've heard that we could be a time or two...

Basically Sean and Mike were party poopers, shocker.  Sean kept saying all along how Kylie and I should go by ourselves, but I insisted it WOULD BE FUN, and that we should all go together.  This doesn't happen very often, but I will have to say; Sean was right.  I know, I know...it's craziness.  Kylie and I were basically by ourselves the whole night anyways, and rode most the rides by ourselves while Mike and Sean talked sports.  So next time we'll save some money and go by ourselves while the boys watch Preston! :)  All and all it was a fun night, and I'm so glad we went!!  

Thanks for humoring us boys.

Happy Wedding Day to Monica!

 I don't stay in contact with many of my friends from high school, but my friend Monica is one of the few that have made the cut! :)  Recently Monica got engaged, and we decided to make the trip out to Indianapolis for her wedding.  It had been a couple of years since we've gotten together, and Sean has only met her once, but it was still a lot of fun!  I got to see a lot of friends that I haven't seen in 7 years!!  Ahhhh, that makes me sound so old!  Sean has met a few of my friends from high school, and little by little he figuring out what I was like back then.  Ha ha!  :) 

She looked beautiful (as usual), and it was nice to finally meet her new hubby Brandon.

Our fun table!  I was really good friends with everyone here (and their parents sitting with us), and it was really good to see them again.

Sean and me <3. 

This is Katie, one of my close friends from high school.  Our senior year we were dance team captains together, and spent A LOT of time together.  We talked/danced the night away together.  It was so fun to catch up!

Monica, Katie, and me.

Mr. and Mrs. Pollom's first dance.

This is Russell and Kyle.  Russell was probably my best friend my senior year.  We got really close through student council and had a lot of similar friends.  Our senior year when I was class president and he was student body president we spent a lot of time together.  Kyle (on the right) was actually my vice president, but I actually became friends with him through Russell.  He and Russell still are really good friends.  Sean had met Russell before, but it was his first time meeting Kyle...and boy was it fun!

Kyle being Kyle...

Dancing the night away...just like old times.

Katie and her Mom (Mrs. Goodrich).  She was our dance team coach our junior and senior year.  I finally got to see her moves on the dance floor after all these years, and it was worth the wait!  She's a dancing queen!  No wonder she was such a good coach. :)

More high school reunions!  This is Jenny, and we go way back.  She came on vacation to Hawaii with my Mom and me back in middle school!  We were friends through elementary, middle, and high school.  Her Mom was sitting at our table next to Katie's Mom.  After we graduated high school Jenny, Monica, and our friend Jaime went to Clearwater beach, Florida for my first road trip!  Her parents came to my Dad's funeral, and we have known each other since kindergarten.  Like I said, we go way back!

As a bonus to the trip, we got to see my good friend Heather from BYU, and her new husband Michael!  They got married back in June, and they were kind enough to let us stay with them in Indianapolis.

  It was fun to get to know Michael a little better and see them again!

They showed us around downtown Indy and we had a great time.

They're so cute!  I've known Heather for about five years now, and this is definitely the happiest I've ever seen her.  I'm so happy for her!

<3 her.

Wedding trip: 349787642, success!