Utah-California

*I didn't bring a camera home, so all of these pictures are stolen*

When we were in Utah everyone asked me if I liked living in London. My answer was always, "I am happy when I'm there, but when I'm home- it makes me want to be home." It is just so fun being close to friends and family, and especially cousins. The kids were in heaven.

These 2 looks more like siblings than cousins

Breakfast with Grandpa

Met up with our favorites at the beach.

Zaid and Otie are destined to be next door neighbors and BFF's

cousin luncheon at Mimi's

Firework show

Sweet baby Ivy Lucille

Got in a lot of snuggle time with Grandma

Milly still can't see a dog without saying, "Coco! Whitney!"

Polar Express party

It was wonderful to be home and it's wonderful to be back. Just for the record, I will say that I flew home with the kids by myself. I didn't sleep for the week leading up to the flight because I was fretting it so much. It was long and horrible, but I survived. And the time home was worth it.

Betsy gets home!

It was amazing for our family to have a missionary. I lived for her weekly emails. Otis still blesses Betsy in all of his prayers. What an amazing experience for her to live in Uruguay for 18 months. Glad she is finally back.

London-Paris-SLC

Disclaimer: There is nothing fun about flying overseas with kids. I do not recommend it.

These 2 pictures account for about 20 minutes of the flight. The ipad was out for the other 12 hours.

Uncle Rick happened to be our pilot from Paris to SLC! It was so exciting and fun to hang out in the cockpit before we took off.

Christmas in the Lake District

We enjoyed a unique Christmas for us. Away from home and family and in a cozy (dark and cold) 17th century barn conversion in the Lake District. It was a five hour drive up to Cumbria and Lancashire and we had such a great time with our little family.

Christmas morning 2011

Highlights:

• Singing Christmas carols in our freezing barn by the fireplace
• Watching "Joyeux Noel"- amazing war story, new Christmas Eve tradition
• Milly getting the plague and throwing up alot and snuggling
• Otis requesting to sing alot of solos
• Visiting castles, Hadrians Wall
• Exchanging gifts
• Playing Trivial Pursuit and adding occasional Toy Story questions so Otis could answer some
• Taking long afternoon drives so the kids would nap at the same time
• Castlerigg Circle- majestic scene with misty clouds
• Otis refusing to wear a coat when it was freezing outside
• Watching Cars 2 (again and again and again)

Our barn- the back part connected to the owner's house

Since we don't have them at home, the stairs were probably the highlight for the kids

Hadrian's Wall

This covers 84 miles and was started in AD 122. We saw some of the Roman defense forts and it was really cool. Alot of people take a 7 day walk along the whole wall.

Road trip officially made possible by iPad and juice boxes

Castlerigg Circle- similar and mystical like Stonehenge

Milly got the worst stomach bug so we watched Cars 2 more times than I can count

Took a detour to see the Preston Temple on our way home

Christmas card 2011

Because I don't want to forget...

The best card of the season.

Hilarious (as usual).

My Orphan Child

Tonight at a Christmas party someone said, "Milly is so cute. Even though she always looks like a little orphan, she is so cute!" I can't be offended, because as I look through pictures, I think she has a really valid point.

My general policy is that if no one is crying or bleeding then things are fine. So if my children look like orphans, at least they look like happy orphans.

I admit that I could spend a little more time on her hair so she can at least see. Notice Otie's new smile for the camera.

Proof that I do, in fact, bathe my children

In other news, Milly is 18 months and went to nursery for the first time last Sunday! Otis was SO excited that she got to go with him.

Although she does often look straight off the set of the movie, "Annie", I love this girl so much. I love how excited she is to find Eddy the Elf every morning. I love how much she loves books and turning the pages by herself. I love how she likes to walk with me next to the stroller and hold hands. I love how she runs away when she steals something from Otis or when it's time to change her diaper. I love how she imitates everything Otis does. I love/hate how she prefers Tyler over me. I love how she says, "hold me". I love how she always stays close to me in a crowd. I love how she grabs my face to pull me in for a kiss.

I love how she rubs her plate all over her hair after every meal. I love how she says, "O-Dee!" when it's time to pick him up from school. I love how she loves to snuggle in just her towel for awhile after the bath. She has the sweetest nature and is so loving. I know she is the cutest thing, even if I don't spend my mornings braiding her hair.