2010 Christmas in AZ

Brent and I had always planned on going to AZ for Christmas this year but when we made plans to go to Minnesota just days before we decided that two trips in one week might be a little much for us…and instead we would head to AZ to celebrate the New Year. Gav and Sav would be in SLC for Christmas but would be home for New Years. It seemed like a good plan.
On Wednesday before Christmas we received a call from one of the Ellsworths informing us that Tara (Brent’s oldest sister) and her family would be coming for Christmas breakfast. We haven’t seen Tara in a while so Brent and I made the split second decision that Arizona was where we needed to be this year for Christmas.

I finished up all the laundry from our Minnesota trip…we put it all back into our suitcases and early Friday morning we loaded the Crown Vic and took off toward Gilbert.

We arrived Christmas Eve afternoon, picked up Brian, JoLynn and the kids and went to lunch at Paradise Bakery. I love that place…I wish we had one in St George…actually I take that back…my butt can’t afford for us to have one in St George...I will stick to visiting and sharing ONE cookie with my Baby!

I was excited to be in AZ this year. Since Brent and I have been married we have spent every Thanksgiving with his family and each Christmas with mine…so I was thrilled to get to be a part of the Ellsworth Family Christmas and see all the fun traditions they have. It is an Ellsworth family tradition to go to dinner Christmas Eve night so that evening we met everyone at The Olive Garden for soup, salad, bread sticks, a little Calamari, some raw meat and tough jerky…Right Morty?? It was fun and delicious! Thank you Jerry and Nancy!

Christmas morning we woke up at 6:00 to open presents despite the fact that we had no kids this Christmas. Some of the family…Brian…were not so excited to be up at 6:00…only the Ellsworth's Christmas morning consists of swearing and a little “Toasting to all the Douchebags”!

Dick and Sherri, Grandpa Jerry and Grandma Nancy came over to help us celebrate. The kids…Blake, Conner and Brilynn were really blessed this year and received MANY wonderful gifts.

After presents we went over to Dick and Sherri’s for breakfast. If I haven’t said it before…Dick is an AMAZING cook…I look forward to eating ANYTHING he makes. He spoils me often and makes cookies and treats just for me…I LOVE him for that. Breakfast was NO different…eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, french toast to die for with yummy homemade syrup (made by JoLynn). It was so tasty and filling.


Soon after all of us had eaten, Tara and her family arrived. Tara recently got married so this was the first time any of us had met Tyson, her new husband. He jumped right in and fit perfectly. The kids have grown up fast, are as beautiful as I remember and too, jumped right back into the teasing, name calling and sarcasm that we call HOME! It was such a blessing to get to see them and spend some of our Christmas with them. It made this Christmas feel complete. We hope to see more of them and share in the making of many precious memories as a family.

It really was a wonderful Christmas. I am so glad that we made the decision to go. I only wish that Gavin and Savanna could have been there to take part in the festivities and share in the memories that were made Christmas of 2010!

We hope each of you had a VERY Merry Christmas!