Christmas Vacation Part 4 - Back to Laramie

Now, for the conclusion of our Christmas vacation.

We drove up to Laramie the evening of December 21st. We spent the next couple days making cookies, wrapping presents, playing games, and just enjoying being together (we also found some time for a few rounds of Guitar Hero, of which Miley desperately wished she could be a part!).

We spent Christmas Eve relaxing, and driving around and looking at lights. Miley also got to open her Christmas Eve present...new pajamas!




Christmas morning, Miley woke up bright and early, after a couple weeks of sleeping in (by her standards anyway!). She woke Cameron and me up at 6:30, so she must have known something exciting was going on! :) She was actually much more into the whole present thing than I thought she was going to be...she could hardly wait for her turn each time, and was going around trying to rip the paper off any presents she could get her hands on, whether they were for her or not!

Miley and Bode checking out their loot...

Miley with the shopping cart Santa brought her! :)

"Hey, Bode, mind if I jump in and we play a duet??"

"Why did you make me wear this new hat that is in my eyes?!"

Opening a present...

Say cheese!

We definitely had a good Christmas...that is, the flash on our camera broke! Therefore, we didn't get too many pictures the last couple days we were in Laramie...but we were able to get these gems on Christmas night...

We are so glad that we were able to go home and see so many people! Thanks to all, who made our vacation and Christmas wonderful!

Christmas Vacation Part 3 - Colorado

*Picture overload...this is your warning!*

Cameron flew into Denver on Thursday night, December 17th. I drove down the next morning to meet him there and to spend some time with his family and friends.

Friday night we spent the evening at his brother, Bryson's, house with his family. His wife, Heather, and I got to have some girl time while they guys watched the kiddos, and we of course headed to the closest mall. :) When we got back, we had pizza for dinner, and then played games with the kids. After the kids went to bed, we got to play some more games with just the adults, and spend time catching up.

The next day was the Clark family Christmas dinner...it was a few days early, but we were doing it since we were in town. Bryson and Heather and their boys came over, as well as Cameron's other brother Shayne and his wife Jacintha. It was a BE-YOUUU-TIFUL day outside, so we played some football, and ran around enjoying the gorgeous weather. We also played some fun board games, let the boys open some presents, and visited. I was also playing around with my new camera, with my sister-in-law, Jacintha, and Cameron's dad was teaching us some things about outdoor shooting. Unfortunately, most the outside pictures are done with one of his lenses, not mine. :)

Cameron's dad was also taking pictures throughout the day with my camera, but with his portrait lens...one of those bad boys is now on the top of my wish list...it makes such a big difference!

Miley helping decorate the little Christmas tree.

Our little cowgirl in training...chewing on some straw.

Sunday, we went to church, and then got to see Cameron's friends, Bill and Susan. We love going to see them, and Cameron and Bill love getting together to talk about anything football! Sunday evening, Shayne and Jacintha (some of the pictures on this blog are actually ones she took...hopefully she doesn't mind!) came back over for dinner and games. Saturday and Sunday, we also got to see Cameron's best friend and his wife, Chris and Heather. It was so fun chatching up with them, especially because we haven't seen them since they got married in August of 2008! We talked about everything under the sun, and had a couple really late nights, that I think I am still recuperating from!!

We just kind of hung around Monday, and then took off Monday evening to head back up to Laramie for Christmas. We had so much fun getting to see so many people, and catching up with everyone!


Now, I am just going to leave you with some pictures of Miley running around outside and chasing the barn cats (which is what we spent most of our free time doing, when not seeing people)...I can't believe how nice it was outside for December!

Christmas Vacation Part 2 - Laramie

On December 12, my sister and her family and I headed up to Laramie to spend a few days with my parents. It was nice and relaxing to be there, and to get to play games and get last minute Christmas stuff done.

I didn't get many exciting pictures...mostly I was just taking pictures of this girl, to practice using one of my Christmas presents-my new Canon Rebel T1i!!! I think I am in love with this camera...

We got to celebrate Gelsey's birthday on the 15th, and were surpirsed by this guy in a red suit at the end of the night (otherwise known as Kipp...no pictures of Miley with him...she was scared out of her skin and wanted nothing to do with him!)!

While I was in Laramie for these few days, I also chopped about 7 inches off my hair! Here is the before picture...and for some reason, I am always REALLY good at taking the before picture but not the after picture. So look for the new shorter hair in future posts!!

I love that I got to spend some extra time with my family before Cameron came out, but needless to say i was very excited to see my husband after nine days without him!

Next up...Pre-Christmas in Colorado!

Christmas Vacation Part 1 - Fort Collins

We made it! After only a three hour delay in the Minneapolis airport (during which, I might add, Miley was on her absolute worst behavior), we finally got on our plane headed for Denver. After chasing a crabby, tired, bored Miley around the airport for three hours, I thought the flight was going to be a nightmare. I was pleasantly surprised when she turned out to be REALLY good on the plane. Thanks goodness. :)

For the first few days of our vacation, Miley and I spent time with my sister, Gelsey, and her family in Fort Collins, Colorado. It was nice just being there to get some Christmas shopping done, let our kiddos get familiar with each other again, and have plenty of girl time, thanks to my bro-in-law Kipp who watched the kiddos during many of these times!

Our time in Fort Collins was filled with plenty of picnics....


...dancing....

...and loving on this little fella (Miley's new best friend...only I don't think Dozer feels the same way!).

My sister and I got to go shopping, out to eat, and to see New Moon...all WITHOUT kids which is hard to come by these days. :) I didn't take any pictures, but hopefully I can steal some from her if she posts them (hint, hint, Gels!).

After my time in Fort Collins, we headed up to Laramie with these two tired kiddos.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of the Clark family Christmas vacation!

I'll Be Home For Christmas...

...but not only in my dreams...TODAY!



*I just have to get through that tenny tiny little thing called a flight with a one and a half year old first. Ugh. Wish me luck!*



*Oh...and I also have bad weather on both ends...wish me double luck! Good thing it is so awesome and so worth it to go home. :)*

Big Shoes To Fill?

Yesterday, we got to go to the Timberwolves vs. the Utah Jazz game. It was so much fun, and we were in box seats with Cameron's brother, Don, and his team from work.

The Timberwolves ended up winning (which is a miracle, considering this is only the third game they have one, and they are the second to worst team in the NBA), so that made it even better.

Can you believe the size of these guys shoes?? I loved getting to compare my feet to theirs.

We are really going to miss some of these perks that we get from Target, but hopefully General Mills will have some fun incentives as well! :) Let's just say, that General Mills is going to have some big shoes to fill... :)