California Christmas

We headed down to California on the 19th, driving through the night. On Saturday, our first day, a friend of the Penrods was getting married and my mom was doing the food for the wedding. So we spent most of the day prepping for that. It's so much work.

Luckily we got to head over to the Highams just as the hardest part started :) We had a fun day catching up with them and enjoying a quiet night with them and the Yees.

Sunday was the big choir performance for my mom--the Hallelujah chorus! All the Utah kids had come home and sang in it and it was a lot of fun. And it sounded great. But we were exhausted! We ate dinner with the Penrods, then headed over to the Higham's for a bit, then back to the Penrod's for their ward party/FHE. It was so cute--definitely an idea to be filed away.

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are a blur to me--included in them were dental appointments, bananagrams, caroling with both families, baking, shopping, wrapping, hair appointments, frisbee, volleyball, copying music, playing the piano and flute, and talking with my sisters. Lots of fun, but also tiring.







Christmas Eve we went over to my grandma's for our traditional clam chowder and sandwiches. We did the nativity, opened presents and headed home. My grandpa hurt his back and it was really exhausting for them to have this party--but we were so glad they did. It's nice to see all the family and this is the only time we get to see them, especially some of my younger cousins. Tori was a big hit with them :) After the party, we came back and opened the pajama presents and our secret Santa gifts. That was a lot of fun.


Christmas morning Santa was very good to us. We got a lot of fun things, and Tori really made out. She's had so much fun playing with all her new toys up here. We did Christmas dinner at my aunt's home in Hacienda Heights, then headed back to the Highams for dinner there. It was a very busy but very fun day.

Saturday was spent returning and exchanging things, packing the Uhaul to bring back all the stuff (we got a bunch of furniture from my parents as well!), packing our stuff, and then hanging out with the Highams. We also celebrated my mom's birthday with Pick Up Stix and presents. It was a crazy day!

Sunday was a bit more relaxing--we got to go to church with the Highams and then got to take naps! Yay! It was nice to spend the day with them.

Monday evening the Penrods left to go halfway. We stuck around a couple more hours and then headed out ourselves. We brought Emma with us and got home around six in the morning. Our house was freezing. No more nice California temperatures :( But we were pretty glad to be home.