California

Elaina, Erin and I were able to visit Mike's family after Christmas for a week. We had such a great time with them! Mike had his prelim exams the second week of January, so felt like he should stay home and study instead. And he passed the test!!

Everyone was able to be there except Mike, Tim (who had to work in Utah that week), and Daniel (who is on his mission). I need to be better at remembering to take pictures! I hardly got any pictures just around the house and with family (I did get lots at Disneyland though!), but we did have a great time, even if I didn't document it with photos very well. I feel so lucky to have such wonderful in-laws and that our kids have so many people on both sides of our family who love them so much.

Elaina, Opa, and Aunt Staci

Erin & Uncle Jonny

I have my own little strategy when I fly with the kids: F-O-O-D! It works great. Whenever they get loud, I bribe them: "If you're quiet, you can have a cracker." Or if Erin wants to escape, and run up and down the aisles: "If you stay in your seat, the pretzels will keep coming." Here's the thing though: kids are smart and over time, they'll get sick of the food you're giving them, so there's an order to the food, and the order is very important: start with the healthy stuff (cut up apples), and gradually work your way up to the junk food: apples...cheese strings...pretzels...animal crackers/goldfish...candy (and a variety of it!). Jelly beans are good because you can give it to them one at a time and so it lasts (and isn't messy!). Chocolate, lolipops, and anything sticky and messy are bad, bad, bad.

This Christmas, Santa left a stocking for the girls in California, and the life-saver gummies were truly a life saver (for me!) on the trip home. I showed the girls how to put them on their fingers, like rings, and it provided a good half hour of entertainment. My other life saver: the portable DVD player: Never fly without one!