Christmastime!

I'm a bit behind on blogging...oops.  I need to do better but our computers are so slow they make me want to die so that's why I just don't use them.  But I need to suck it up and get caught up before the baby comes (my due date is less than 2 weeks away!!)

So jumping back to Christmas time.  We had a fun month!  Lots of random stuff going on.  Cody moved in with us after Thanksgiving so he was around for many of our festivities as well.  I have been babysitting for our friends the Bests baby, Calvin, since October and these are just a few of the gem pictures I got in December.  My phone is full of Calvin...it's pretty funny.  Cody joined me a couple times which was fun and super nice having another pair of hands to help out.

He's going to be a great Daddy someday!

Cody, Billy and I went to the Queen Creek Christmas festival in early December.  The parade was funny, tons of horses and tons of cheerleaders.

We went out to dinner with the Johnsons one night then went down this really Christmassy street which was fun.  We miss living in Phoenix by our friends ;(

Spontaneous trip to IHOP one morning, as you can tell I was caught off guard but never willing to turn down IHOP!  Fun times.

Went to see the Mesa Temple lights one evening.  Can't miss that.

Helped Bruce decorate cookies for his home teachees one day.  He is pretty picky about how the cookies are decorated so Cody didn't last long...haha.

We had our Christmas celebrations with Bruce and Karen one evening before we headed off to San Diego.  We made gingerbread houses and opened presents and had treats.  So fun.

Billy's

Mine

Bruce's

Karen's...love the dome top!

We got Bruce a lap desk which I think he liked and we got Karen a Google Home which has been pretty entertaining for us all.  We got some awesome things from them as well.  Thanks Bruce and Karen for a super fun evening.

The next morning we were off to San Diego!  We left super early and got in around 11.  Mom and I ran some errands that day and just hung out.  The next morning Mom and I went running on the beach!  It was super overcast and started raining which made the beach really empty, peaceful and super beautiful!

Seagulls all in a row

I thought this was funny and that all the colors/textures were cool

The rest of that day was more Christmas prep.  In the evening we did gingerbread houses which turned out not so good haha!  They failed pretty miserably but I think we all still had fun.

I was pretty proud of mine with the little horses escaping from the attached stable

Friday morning Mom, Dad, Billy and I went and hiked Torrey Pines.  Unfortunately since it had been so rainy, it was pretty muddy and we couldn't go very far.  So we had to turn back but it was still pretty and good to get out and moving.

muddy...

Once we got home we had a yummy breakfast then all got ready to go see Moana in the theater!  In the evening we went to see the temple lights then to CPK for dinner yummmm.  After we got home we watched the movie Storks which was definitely my family's sense of humor...we were all dying.  Fun day!

Saturday was Christmas Eve!  Mom and I went for a run, then we had a yummy breakfast of beniets!  They were really fun to try!  The rest of the day was spent cooking for dinner!  We had a super yummy Christmas Eve dinner then had a little program reading Luke 2, the Cajun Night Before Christmas, then watched It's a Wonderful Life.

Christmas was on a Sunday this year so we got up early and checked out what Santa got us in our stockings, then ate cinnamon rolls (tradition!) then had to get ready for church.  The church program was mostly music which was incredible, my parent's ward is famous for their music.  Once we got home we opened presents and enjoyed a lazy rest of the day.  Such an awesome Christmas!

The only picture I have from Christmas, I got a super cute little romper from my mom from my cousin Kim's shop

Monday we met up with Jen and Brandon and little Lillian for breakfast on our way to Grandma and Grandpa Sutherland's house.  So fun reconnecting with them as well as lots of cousins at G&G's.  We left around 2 from G&G's to get back to Arizona.

Once we got back to Arizona, Jenny and Jason and kiddos were there!  Yay!  I got to have a fun few days with them!  Poor Billy had to work.  Tuesday we went to Creekside Tacos with them which was super fun because we just walked there and back.  That evening we went to Joe's BBQ for dinner and lots of the Barnes aunts and uncles and cousins came to hang out with Jenny and the kids.  Wednesday we headed to the Natural History Museum in Mesa!

I had to go to work strait from the museum, boo.  Thursday Jenny and Jason went to a wedding so Karen and I got to hang out with the kids.  Once they got back they all had to hit the road :( so sad!  We had the best time hanging out with them!  I'm surprised at the lack of pictures I have from their visit...oops.  Oh and one night we went to see the temple lights with them, I love this picture of Sierra and Grammy :)

Saturday was New Years Eve and it may have been the most anti-climactic New Years of my life.  We spent some time blowing up our gingerbread houses with fire crackers which was exciting, then had dinner and were going to try and play a game but everyone was too tired so we watched some shows and everyone fell asleep except me!  I was pretty bummed, I always like a good celebration.  So this was the first year we rung in the new year from bed.  Ha!

Blown up gingerbread house

 And that wraps up 2016!  When 2016 started, I was sooo excited because I knew it was going to be an awesome year.  Derek and Mariah were getting married, Billy was graduating, we were going to Korea, and we were going to start a new adventure with a new job and a new place to live!  It really was an awesome year, we had a lot of fun traveling, but it was also one of the hardest years ever.  We had a miscarriage, Billy couldn't find a job, we had to move in with the in-laws, so we moved far from our friends and ward that we loved so much, so our faith was tried more than it ever has been.  Because of that, however, I think Billy and I grew closer than ever and we were still hopeful for the future.  As 2017 has started, we are excited and optimistic for what's to come.  Billy found a job working at American Express which isn't his dream job but he is liking it and working hard to move up quickly in the company.  I am pregnant and due April 25th which is so exciting!  We still live with the in-laws but it has been awesome to save money and spend time with them and hopefully be able to buy a house rather than having to go back to apartment living.  It's interesting how life works, sometimes it's super annoying haha but we are excited to see how this year goes.