Home again, Home again. Jiggity Jig

Mar and I just got back last night from Texas. That's right, we had a REAL Texas Christmas. It was so great to be with my family and to just all get together. And of course to see Julie get married. I don't want to do a full time-line or day by day play back for you. It would just take too long. So here are some of the highlights:

* Santa found the house!! He came and brought presents to both Jeff & Tina's kids AND Sarah's kids. Christmas morning was so much fun and we had several beloved presents that classified as "room leavers" i.e. they made the kid so excited to open it he had to leave the room to show someone else in another room and/or put the beloved present in it's new home

*Even with all the pregnancy scares everyone was able to make it. We weren't sure Clarin would be there, her doctor might've grounded her. But she made it and it was a full belly bonanza. Seriously, so many pregnant woman. We were a sight walking down the streets of Six Flags. And so many ready to pop!! It made me realize how close these girls all are!!

* The gift exchange between siblings was so much fun. I don't think we'll ever do it again. Maybe we will. We'll have to see if we are all still into it. I got new luggage!! It was JUST what I needed and it was perfect. Marcelo got a video game. Great.

* Julie's wedding was beautiful and perfect and there was minimal mom/dad drama. The sealer said a great quote by President Hinckley that I cannot find. But he said that if we couldn't remember the quote (smart sealer, knowing we would forget almost all of the ceremony) we should remember these 1o short little words: If it is to be, it is up to me. Marcelo and I decided we want that phrase up somewhere in our house.

* Christmas day while we were eating and playing with our toys and did I mention eating? Well, while we were eating and playing and waiting for the rest of my family to arrive, my brother Jeff, My brother in law Chad and various random cousins decided to prepare and shoot off some rockets. They make them themselves and they usually have parachutes on them. They are just basically really cool. They took them over to the field next to their kids' elementary school. They set off the first rocket and they were looking at pictures on Jeff's camera and then Chad said, "do you smell burning?" Yup, they set a field on fire. They stamped it out and were THISCLOSE to calling the fire department. But they had enough people to stamp it out so they kept it under control. But many new shoes had to be bought.

* The day after Christmas (the day BEFORE the wedding) we all went to Six Flags together. The temperature was really good and we got really REALLY discounted tickets. It was NOT fun going with a baby. Don't try ever going with someone under 36 inches. There are absolutely NO "family" rides. But my sister (who is 6 weeks away from her due date) watched my baby so I could go on 2 rides with Marcelo. It wasn't SO devastating because more then half the rides were closed for the Christmas season. So of the few rides that were open, we went on the only 2 rides we wanted to go on anyway.

We did get to go on the Titan. This coaster climbs and climbs and climbs and then drops STRAIGHT down. As it just kept climbing and climbing, I thought to myself "I totally regret this decision". But it was really fun. Just so you know, Marcelo refused to go on it. He's such a scaredy cat.

* The wedding day went quite smoothly. We were there early, pictures were quick, and the torrential downpour that was taking place as we walked into the temple had cleared up by the time we left the temple. Almost like someone in the temple prayed for that to happen!!

* The night before the wedding my mom got sick. Up vomiting 6-8 times. Sarah was so apologetic because her kids had had it the week before. But my mom pushed through. The day of the wedding she was running on no sleep and no food. But she was such a trooper.

* It hit me the night of the wedding. I was 24 hours behind my mom but I had it all. The vomiting over and over again. Your body just wants EVERYTHING out. And it doesn't care if there is nothing in there, it will convulse until you get SOMETHING up, dang it! Well, remember how I sometimes pass out when I puke? At my 2:30 puke session, the last thing I remember is running to the toilet as fast as I could because the retching had already started. I think I collapsed when I was almost there, because I woke up with my back against the tub (which is next to the toilet) my head on the wall and vomit in my mouth. It was scary because my head was hanging back and the puke was still coming up even as I was passed out. I very quickly realized that I could've choked on it and died. There was puke all around me, on my clothes, on the wall, on the floor but not a drop in the toilet. No sir, that toilet was nice and clean.

And I think when I fell down was when I woke up my niece who was sleeping on just the other side of the door (it was a "Jack and Jill" style bathroom). Poor girl, I think I scared her. I know I scared myself!! I recuperated for the next 3 days and I was still puking the night before we flew home. It was a full 3 days of pukedom. Or as Kim refers to it "Puke Fest '08"

* Marcelo and I went to a nice Texas Steakhouse the night before we left. Sarah watched the Pesi and we had a good time. Well, he had a good time, but I was realizing that I most likely would be puking in a few hours time. My joy was a lot more muted. But the food was amazing. I'm definitely going back there the next time I'm in Texas. And this time I'm going to keep it down.

* And finally, did you know the tap water in Texas by my sister's house smells and tastes like dirt? I don't know how else to describe it. You smell it and it's very "earthy" and it smells just like damp earth. ("It has an oaky afterbirth." Ha!!) Kidding. But not all Texas water is this way. The farther south closer to Dallas you get the better it is. But her water is VERY strong. My mom was the biggest whiner about it. Most of us just drank the filtered Brita water, but mom went and bought big jugs of bottled water. I actually really appreciated it when I was sick. For some reason, while sick I had a really strong aversion to the water, even though I had been drinking it for the whole first part of the week with no problem. Strange.

I had a great time with my family and I wish that we could do this every year. I wish I had pictures to post here, but Marcelo left a bag at Sarah's house and it has our camera in it. I'll try to post some later, so please come back for pictures.

I've never been so happy to be back in Utah. I love being with my family, and I love traveling. But there is just something about being in your own space that makes you sane once again. Whenever I leave, I'm so thankful to be at home, wherever that home may be.