ChristmasTrip

I left for California on December 17th alone with Elizabeth & Rachel and they did really well for me on the 5-hour direct flight. Thank goodness for Skybus airlines and their direct flights from Columbus to Burbank! Our first stop in California was Disneyland and I put together a slideshow below of that very fun day at the happiest place on earth.

We visited some of my high school teachers at Royal High School and caught up with many members in our home ward, Simi 3rd. On Friday, we said goodbye to California and drove to Arizona with my parents. Most of my mom's family met together in Mesa for Christmas and Eric also flew in on Saturday. It was great fun to see everyone and have my siblings and cousins entertain Elizabeth and Rachel.

Proof we were in the desert.

Christmas Eve we took family pictures and in the evening celebrated Elizabeth's 4th birthday in style as she put on a Cinderella tiara and feather boa. I don't think we'll have as big of a crowd to sing to her next year.

Four Generations of Women

The very silly Bartholomew siblings--Trisha, me, Mark, Melissa, Theresa
Forget Pictures, we just want to explore.
Our Birthday Girl--Princess Elizabeth

Christmas Day was fun with opening presents and then meeting again with the whole family for cookie and gingerbread house decorating, a pinata, and of course a great dinner--this vacation was filled with yummy foods!

Rachel Opening Presents
Cookie Decorating and Eating
Pinata Fun

Other highlights of the trip: hiking up to Wind Cave, my first trip to Ikea--my sisters' favorite store, seeing the lights at the Mesa temple, just relaxing and watching movies with my family, and of course all the babysitters for my children! They absolutely loved being the center of attention as they were the only young children in the group.