Our Kickoff to Christmas Vacation

We started Winter Break by hopping on a plane ASAP. We were excited for some festive weather to get us in the Christmas spirt and Utah delivered! We were also excited to see family and friends.  

The kids hadn't been on a plane since before the pandemic and they did great! They are old pros when it comes to flying. They are so easy these days. 

A highlight of the trip and something we did multiple times was sledding. It was the kids first time and Nathan and I even got in on the action. There is a park not too far from Nathan's mom with perfectly sized hills for our beginners. The kids quickly grew courage to do a few jumps and ramps. 

Going to Park City at night has been a bucket list item for us for a while, and we finally did it this time. We had a nice time, but it was so cold! I haven't been in weather that cold since the winter semester(s) I spent in Idaho. We got pizza and a little restaurant called Pizza & Noodles; however, we weren't terribly impressed. The pizza was good, but we got some spaghetti and it was awful. It was like spaghetti soup. I was about to grab a straw and sip the sauce up it was so watery. So if you end up going there, skip the noodles and stick to the pizza. Before we headed out, we grabbed some chocolatey treats for the candy shop. 

Being able to spend time with Nana is always a treat, and the kids helped her make her famous chocolate letters. Hudson was quite fascinated by the process and acted as her assistant. 

Nathan found this farm called Cross E. Ranch that put on a live nativity and has a petting zoo and other festivities. We loved this little experience. The kids got to feed the goats, see llama, pet a camel, and enjoy some tasty treats. It was so perfect with so many places for cute photos. The ranch was in the country and the fog swept in on our way out. I have never seen such thick fog before. It was crazy!

The rest of the trip consisted of hang outs with cousins, snowy walks, seeing Spider-Man No Way Home, and "Christmas" night with Nana were the kids got matching PJs, made gingerbread houses, opened activity bags, and received their stockings. It was the perfect way to kick off our holiday.