Visiting Ryan's dad
We started out the Christmas season by going to San Diego and visiting Ryan's dad. We got there at like 5 on Friday. We ate pizza and visited with his dad and Dawn. The next day we went to the San Diego Zoo. This is the first time we had been there. (If I have been there I don't remember.) It was quite cold in San Diego that weekend so we had to bundle up. There were a lot of active animals though. It was really fun. Then we went to Outback Steakhouse! YUM! The next day we went Christmas shopping with them and then we went to Seaport Village. In San Diego they do a Christmas light parade with boats on the water. It was really cold and I completely forgot to bring a blanket. So it was quite cold. However, it was really cool to see all the lights on the boats. There were also people canoeing. They also had lights on their canoes. It was fun. The next morning we left to go home. This is the adventure began.
This weekend was the weekend that the whole US was getting hit with winter storms. It was raining so hard in California. The was standing water all over the freeway. I saw more wrecks while driving in California than I have ever seen in one day. We actually were following a car and it started hydroplaning and flew across the freeway and bounced off the middle barrier and then luckily slid to the side and landed right side up. That was just in California.
As we got closer to home it did not get an better. We went through St. George and there was snow! It was crazy. Then we got to the worst spot of all, in between St. George and Cedar City. It was snowing so bad and the worst part about it was we were in a rear wheel drive car. Basically, it was awful. Remaining in control of the car and keeping up enough speed, but not too much was tricky. Luckily Ryan is the best driver ever! We were planning on just staying in Cedar City that night and just wait out the storm. When we got to Cedar City we asked a few people about what the storm was supposed to do. Everyone told us that it was supposed to get worse and that we more than likely already went through the worst. So we headed out again. There were a few really bad spots again, but we made it. We did not get home until 3:30 in the morning. It was a very long day for us.
Steinfeldt Family Cabin and Anderson Christmas Party
The following weekend we went to my family's cabin. Ryan went sledding with all the guys and my sister braved the cold. I was being a sissy. I liked being warm in the cabin. We played games and just relaxed. On Saturday we all got our presents from grandma and Santa came. It is so fun seeing all the kids get so excited to see Santa. I just love it. That night we went to bed and our family is getting really big so there are not a lot of room for people to sleep. Therefore we went to sleep on an air mattress. By 2 am we were in a V with our heads high, our bums on the floor, and our feet high. It was awful. It was a very long night. So at like 4 in the morning we let all the air out and slept on the floor. We looked at the bright side of things and realized that we did not have to put down our bed in the morning.
Every year on the Sunday we are up at the cabin every family puts together an ornament that reflects that year. It is quite fun to see what everyone comes up with. This year my mom's side of the family had their Christmas party that same Sunday. So we had to leave kind of early to get to that party on time. It was a lot of fun. We played a candy bar game where you pick a candy bar, but it can be stolen from you. Ryan and I ended up doing pretty well. We make such a great team.
San Diego, Cabin, Anderson Christmas Party, and Christmas Eve Pictures
Christmas
We had a great first Christmas as a married couple. It was very busy though, but a ton of fun. On Christmas Eve we went to Ryan's grandma and grandpa's house. We had a wonderful dinner and then Aunt Kim did a little performance to the tune of a country song, but put her own words to it about family traditions. It was so fun. Then the kids did their gift exchange. I love watching kids open gifts. They get so excited. Then the kids went and played with their toys and the parents played a game of White Elephant. It was very exciting. Ryan ended up with a $25 gift card to Home Depot. He was very excited. I got a door gym and an exercise ball with a DVD. I have no excuse for not being in shape now. After all that it was time to go. We went up to my parents real quick to open our Christmas pajamas. We do it every year. This year was a little different because they were from my Grandma and Grandpa Anderson, instead of from mom and dad. Then we went back home.
Ryan's mom always opened presents on Christmas Eve. Both of her parents are German and in Germany Saint Nick comes around on Christmas Eve and gives the gifts to the kids right then and there, instead of leaving them under the tree after they went to bed. So Ryan's family did that when they all grew up. (Of course when they were kids Santa would come during the middle of the night and they would open the presents on Christmas.) So we decided that we would continue that tradition on. While we don't have kids we will open presents on Christmas Eve, then when we have kids Santa will come! We did not go to bed until about 12:30 or 1. It was a long night, but extremely fun!
The next morning we got up at like 8:30 and went to my parents house. We opened presents with my family. It was quite funny because all of the kids bought my mom a digital picture frame and I really wanted one. Well my parents got me one. I was so excited. (Actually I got one from Ryan's dad also. The one he gave me is littler so I am going to bring that to work and leave the other one at home!) Every year on Christmas my family has omelets so of course we had omelets. We just relaxed until we went on base with Ryan's family and had a delicious Christmas lunch. We spent Christmas evening hanging out and relaxing at my parents house.
New Years
On New Years Eve we went to my family's house. We played air hockey, darts, fuss ball, and "Would You Rather?". Would You Rather is pretty funny! Alex (my sister's boyfriend) won. Ryan, Alex, and my dad had to do pretty funny challenges. I took quite of few pictures of them doing the challenges. Ryan's nephew came over also. He liked playing the Wii the best. At midnight we of course gave each other a New Year's kiss.
Christmas and New Year's Eve Pictures
