A Denver New Year's

Mom and Dad were awesome and had a great Christmas ready for me when we landed in Denver. I have to admit that I benefited from being the only one home for Christmas. 

We got to do a conference call with Hannah. She sounds AWESOME! I have been so impressed with her and the growth that she has experienced. She has been out for about 6 months and already sounds like I did at the very end of my mission. It's so exciting! 

Since we didn't have the ingredients to make pie in DC we did it when we got back. They weren't our best but they were still very delicious. 

On New Year's Day we drove up to Tober and the Erickson Clan drove up to meet us. It was an absolute blast to spend time with them and the kids have grown so much! 

We infected Brittany as well! Dad and Elias were going crazy and tried every tactic to get us to stop and play with them. Eventually they broke and helped - they claimed that it was so we could finish faster so that we could play their games. 

Summer loves spending time with Grandpa Peter! 

These boys were a riot! They are at the beginning stages of transferring from milk to solids. Smith (on the left) struggled more than Boyd but they are both amazing boys that are so calm and sweet. 

Mom was a rockstar and helped me with a project of the break. I have always wanted to make a quilt and this was the weekend to do it. It was a great learning experience but I was reminded of all the reasons why I don't thoroughly enjoy sewing. Things don't line up, certain fabrics don't lay flat, and I don't know how to do a lot of the steps but it was a fun project and I really like how it turned out.  

Dad's Birthday

We got to celebrate my Dad's birthday while out East. Since he loves history, we went to a new museum about President Lincoln's Cottage. I had never known that the president has multiple homes. This was a summer home that the Lincoln's used to escape from DC and the heat. 

They always talk about how tall Abraham Lincoln was but he was quite large in stature, especially with that hat on. It was an interesting tour and we learned more about Lincoln as a man than as a political figure.

After the tour we sent Dad on a scavenger hunt around town. I would tell him a piece of information he needed to find, for example the headlining story of the Las Vegas Sun or the year that Rembrandt finished his self-portrait. He would then text me the information and get the next clue. He eventually made it back to the house to find this pie. It wasn't a banana creme pie (his favorite) but it was decent. 

The Puzzlers

Because the museums and things would close so early and it was chilly outside we were in the condo most nights while in DC. Mom randomly bought a puzzle and it became our new favorite thing! We worked on it every night while watching movies. I never knew doing puzzles was so fun and relaxing. 

A DC Christmas

This year for Christmas was a little different because all of the married kids were with their in-laws and Hannah was on her mission so it was just me and my parents. At first I was worried because we had three weeks of just the three of us but I honestly had a blast and it was perfect one-on-one time. I met them in the Denver airport and we flew out to Washington DC. It was perfect weather and we had a blast touring around the city. It really is an incredible place, especially during Christmas time. 

We didn't have a car so anytime we went someplace it had to be through public transportation. For some reason, my Dad loves the bus and each time we went out he wanted to take the bus instead of the Metro. He loves it! 

There were a ton of holiday markets around town which were fun to walk through. They have the funnest things! 

We also got to go to the Washington DC Temple Visitor's Center and attend a concert. This was Paul Cardall. I've always listened to his music but it was neat to see him live. 

There was a true feelings of love and a Christ centered Christmas at the temple. With all the missionaries and lights it was wonderful to walk around and remember the true meaning of the holiday.