Friday, December 26, 2014

home for christmas ::: 2014

christmas is extra special when you get
to come home to celebrate. it makes it
feel like even more of a special occasion,
and we look so forward to it! this year
was a little different with my parents 
being in south africa, but we loved our
time with my siblings + chase's family
and all of our good friends...and, i get
to visit my parents in a few weeks, so
christmas will just extend until then! :)
we're tired after going from event to event
and seeing so many people, but we loved
every second. the best part is, we even
got a magical white christmas! nothing
better. it's so true what they say :: 
there really is no place like home.
^^ after a crazy rainy day in san francisco and some 
canceled flights, we made it to salt lake city at 1 AM. 
even though it was late we stayed up and talked to 
chase's mom for hours that first night. we had to!
^^ the drive up to my parents house will
never get old to me. i mean, look at it!
my christmas eve salad ^^
dunn christmas sledding tradition in neff's canyon ^^
market street brunch on christmas eve 
with chase's cute parents. yum! ^^
^^ i missed my mom's eggs benedict + homemade 
sweet rolls, but i loved getting it at market street.

the temple square lights will never get old ^^

sugar cookie goodness + the perfect 
gift from the sweetest friend ^^

loved spending time with my cute gram. 
just look at her christmas tree pin! ^^

^^ a fun night the christmas village with chase's
family riding the festive {but freezing} train around.

thank goodness for fire pits all along the 
path for us freezing californians ^^
rigby fam ^^
^^ we had our tempest-dunn annual dinner which 
felt like the closest thing to being with my mom
since ann is her twin / best friend and she made us
chicken madeira! // also: look at those tree napkins!

^^ we had to make it to penny ann's cafe 
for their famous fluffy pancakes one morning.

christmas gifts to remember -- i'm most excited to take
chase to see newsies when it comes to SF soon! it's his 
favorite and i saw it in NYC without him, so i had to
surprise him with tickets. it will be so fun. 

^^ chase tracked down my favorite candy we found
in canada this fall and had it imported as a surprise
for one of my gifts...haha love his creativity, and now
i have a few pounds of this to eat so help me!
// also fittingly, my aunt gave me jim gaffigan's new
book that i can't wait to read because he's hilarious.

on christmas eve chase's cute mom set up a service
project at primary children's hospital where we
crafted little santa paper plates for kiddos that
had to spend the holidays in the hospital.  ^^

it was a different christmas eve, but really so sweet.
it's one i will remember and it made us so grateful. ^^

^^ i fell in love with my dream house in salt lake city, 
and chase knocked on the door to meet the owners
since it's not for sell...maybe it will be in a few years
if we end up moving back :) // also, we bought this
couch here to store! it was a great christmas gift :)

^^ real temple // gingerbread temple

neff's sledding followed by our FAVORITE 
lunch at citris grill {new location!!} ^^
chase's cute mom collects nativity sets, so we hunted
one down in india {painted on a leaf}. she is the cutest! ^^
dunn fam, minus my parents! 
we facetimed lots this week ^^
pretty hike before the snowfall on christmas...
now this same view is blanketed in white! ^^
love these people ^^
and these people! we did a fun dinner at sawadee,
went to the movies to see unbroken, (amazing)
and ended with shakes at hires. fun fun!

a last breakfast at brady & mindy's cute house ^^
and...we about died over this license plate.
maybe this is a sign for us to come back one day? :)
^^ one last play in the snow before heading to
the airport and being stuck on the tarmac in
that snow for a few hours on the way back to SF 
speaking of SF- my favorite gift 
from chase this year ^^
and, a blurry picture to end with.

salt lake, you gave us quite the christmas break.
we may be away next year, so we really soaked
it up this year. we don't know when we'll be back
next, but we love you home sweet home!

xo

see our fun time spent with friends here!

15 comments:

  1. NEWSIES! (insert fist bump emoji)

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    1. haha ALL THANKS to you for the heads up!!!!!

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  2. I don't know why this didn't show up on bloglovin for me till today, but it looks like you had an amazing christmas! I'm glad Utah cooperated and gave us a white one! :)

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  3. your christmas sounds so fun & you're going to south africa! how cool! i went a few years ago & loved it, you will too! your new couch is so adorable, & the map of sf picture! so cool, where did he get it?!

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    1. he got the map on minted.com! i am obsessed with it :)
      i need to hear about your trip to SA!

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  4. AH! Where is the new Citrus Grill?! I grew up right up the street from the old one in Draper years and years ago but still can remember how amazing it was. Please do share!
    P.S. Looks like you guys had a blast while you two were here. Family time is just the best and with that and all of the amazing snow we have had- magical!

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    1. hi! it is right in olympus hills mall by the dans there!
      rocky mountain pizza used to be there, and now citris moved from 3300 south to there. it's my FAVORITE!! xo

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  5. Such gorgeous pictures! Since we didn't get any snow for Christmas, I'm living vicariously through your pictures! I absolutely loved Unbroken! Such an amazing story.

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    1. haha i know - the snow made it so much better! glad you loved unbroken too. i cried!!!

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  6. i know one of the cast members in newsies! it's going to be a great show :) also, you have great ponytail hair. jealous. :)

    xo, pocketofblossoms.com

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    1. you do??! that's amazing! i hope we go the same night :)
      and my hair probably is just so used to being in a ponytail that it cooperates! haha xo

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  7. SF to SLC-pretty great statement. Thanks for capturing all the memories. It helps me feel like I was there....and thanks to all the FTing we were.
    Love you!

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  8. Um OK, that map is amazing and I'm off to find a Seattle version now! Gold + maps = winning!

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  9. you're seriously stunning girl!! looks like the best break for you! excited you get to see your parents soon!

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