California trip - Hunter's wedding!

On Christmas day we flew down to San Diego! My brother Hunter's wedding reception was on December 27th, and it was WAY cheaper to fly on Christmas Day.  So we snagged the tickets up and off we went to celebrate Hunter and Emily getting married! We decided since we were going so far, we would spend some extra time there as well, so 9 days later…we actually survived! The highlights, for sure, were going to Hunter and Emily's wedding reception, which was incredible, as well as meeting Emily for the first time.  She is BEAUTIFUL in every way and we are so happy to have in her in our family! Solana kept calling her a princess, and at the end of the night Emily gave Solana her bridal bouquet! Solana was glowing, and she held on to it the whole way home and even the next day. She was one lucky girl.  I'm pretty sure it was her highlight of the trip!
Also, it was great to have some of my family finally meet Boston for the first time, including my Dad. Another highlight of the trip was staying in San Juan Capistrano and being able to see so much of where I spent my childhood and teenage years. I was also able to see old friends which was so fun.
It was a great trip and so much fun hanging out with family and having Solana and Boston play with cousins.
A couple of downsides were, Adam getting sick with the stomach flu, the time change was hard on all of us, never getting any sleep at night (our kids do not do well out of the routine) and having troubles on the flights both there and back.  (Our 11pm return flight was weather delayed until 2am(!), if you can believe that with kids, and we agreed that our final landing in Virginia was so windy and bumpy that it was our scariest landing in our whole lives!) But we survived and even though right now we hope will never travel around Christmas again, it was so great to have had so much fun and get the whole family together. The new family total is 18! Here are the highlights from the trip. Enjoy!

Yay! We finally got a picture in front of the temple where we got married!  (When we got married here, on July 18, 2008, we took so many group and candid photos that we never posed, just the two of us, in front!)  So glad we got it!

Now, we're plus 2! (Except that Boston was jet-lagged and sleeping in the car.)

Cousins playing dress up.  Seriously, Alec has every princess dress possible, which made it especially convenient for all of them taking turns and dressing up - they have unlimited options :)

Gigi is always game to play with her grandkids. 

Hunter's wedding reception. 

Darling and getting so grown up.

Seriously, so beautiful! Great picture taking Britt!

I love my sister Britt, and she always looks incredible!!

Addie is quite the monkey bar girl, and she is really good for being so young!

Solana wanting to be like her cousin of course. 

Playing at the park never gets old

Boston survived his first big slide by himself! Love the action shot. 

He was a champ at the park, especially since we was recovering from throwing up repeatedly with the stomach flu from the night before. 

Friends from high school! Lisa, Michelle, and Lauren. It was so great to see them again, it has been over 12 years! 

Finally made it down the beach even though it was cold.

Boston seeing the ocean for the first time. 

On News Year's Eve we all went to the Safari Animal Park and had so much fun. Solana has been waiting a long time to see some of her favorite animals.

Bostie on his "Safari" adventure

Party time on New Year's Eve!

All these lovelies couldn't be any more beautiful. Love them!

Karaoke time at Fred and Brittanys place! Everyone did great and it was so entertaining to watch. I wish I had more energy to actually party, but New Year's Eve welcomed a very tired and overwhelmed CheyAnn into 2014. 

Brooke and Dan are always a great singing pair. 

Even Solana got really into it. She and the rest of the girls were so adorable singing. 

Heres to a happy new year!!