I'll be home for Christmas...

After 37 years in the same house in St. Louis (Kirkwood), my parents moved to Colorado. They've only been there for 2 months. Boxes are still unpacked, crowding hallways and rooms while waiting for shelving units and storage spaces to be installed. My parents graciously invited Brandon and me to spend Christmas with them. I was so excited to go home for Christmas, but it was strange going to a new home. A place that doesn't have memories yet. No familiar smells or sounds. No nooks, crannies, and details that brought back childhood memories. No neighbors that come in the back door without knocking to bring us a giant jug of homemade eggnog. No evidence that I roamed those halls and touched those walls as a kid. A place that was more like a vacation rental with my parents things in it than what my mind cherished as "home".

Turns out my parents felt the same way. It was a teary Christmas morning. My sister sent us a DVD of pictures she took while saying goodbye to our old house. She did an amazing job picking out all the funny little memory things as well as recording all the big spaces and putting it to music. There were a lot of St. Louis related gifts given too. Brandon gave me a framed picture of my house. We were a MESS. It was awesome! I'm so thankful for loving, thoughtful parents who gave us a childhood we treasure and love to remember.

My parents spent many hours serving in the St. Louis temple

My house

BUT...new memories are already being made in the new home. And to be honest, just my parents' presence made that house a home. After a few days there with them I can already call it home. It was a one of the most memorable Christmases so far. Skype made it possible to spend time with Brandon's family and all my siblings that morning. So mom, I know you are crying reading this (that's why I purposefully left out a picture of Judy and Phil), but just look at the below pictures and remember that as much as we all cherish the past, we are so excited for the future and the memory making that has already started...

Prepping Christmas Eve dinner in the new kitchen

View of the back of the house from our walk. Beautiful country

Reading AND a foot rub (he was watching ESPN). I'm so spoiled

Mom cooks it up right

I hate these kinds of scrappy purse dogs...but it was so cute

My mom wants one

Skype = "All the joy of family without the chaos" (Dad)

Brandon's family

I love this picture

Casey's fam. (I didn't get a picture of Adam and his fam)

April's fam + Baylee

I love, love long socks. One of the bonuses of winter.

Salt water taffy. Dad's favorite. We found it in bulk so only got the flavors he likes. He'll still have some left this time next year. Notice the shades. They don't have curtains in their living room yet. It was SO bright in there.

My parents saw a marshmallow shooter in the store and thought of Brandon...wonder why?

B opening the 'real' gift from my parents. He was so surprised he closed it back up after he saw it. My dad picked this out for him.

Mellow Johnny's kit. Brandon never thought he'd ever want spandex for Christmas and my dad never thought he'd buy spandex for Christmas

Cinnamon french toast with a brown sugar/pecan topping

Skate skiing

My cats love to sit in inconvenient places

He jumped up there then made himself compfy when I bent down to coax him off

Snowmass

Maroon Bells in the background

well, they're not bike helmets but they're just as sexy

I guess Elk heard sightings are common in my parent's new hometown.

Historical Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs. They deck it out so we had to go see it.

My fun mom. She's up for trying anything.