Holiday Vacation: Part #10 (MESA again)

We arrived back in Mesa on Wednesday night to see my brother Shawn, his wife Ashley & their little boy Cooper. Their flight didn't get in until late, so we put Kylee to bed & then woke her up when they got to my parents' house. This was Linc's first time meeting Cooper.

Kylee was pretty jealous that Cooper was stealing Linc's attention...

But she is honestly obsessed with Cooper, so it didn't take Kylee long to get over it...

I knew Shawn & Ashley would make cute kids! Coop is seriously ADORABLE!!!

Cuddling with Uncle Shawn & Cooper...

Showing Coop the show Caillou on the iPad...

My mom finished her baskets that night. She worked SO hard this year. Seriously, she hardly sat down for over a month! Her baskets turned out beautiful, as usual. I especially loved these ones in the little sleighs...

(Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Rods, Brownie Balls, Loaf Cakes, Chocolate Caramel Apples & White Chocolate Chex Mix...my mouth waters just thinking about all of the yummy stuff that she makes!)

Poor Linc got sick that night & had a fever most of the next day. Thursday (Dec. 22nd) was the only day that the whole family (besides Aaron who is on his mission) would be together, since Melissa & I were spending Christmas with our families at our in-laws this year. We had a big breakfast of French toast with buttermilk syrup. This is a family favorite!

My mom even bought a whole gallon of eggnog in my honor!

After breakfast, we all hung out...

And opened our Christmas presents from each other...

Kylee got lots of fun things including another Barbie, books, candy, puzzles & Play-Do! Cooper got this adorable Santa outfit...

After we opened gifts, we got ready for family pictures. We haven't had a family picture with my family since Lincoln & I were dating. That was 8 years ago, so this was our first time getting a family picture taken since marriages & kids. Luckily, Linc was feeling somewhat better by the time we had our family photo shoot. I can't wait to see how the pictures turned out!

I bribed Kylee during pictures with a donut from QT if she would smile for the photographer. It worked! We headed to QT right after & let her choose whatever donut she wanted. She picked chocolate, of course...

(I forgot how good QT donuts are! I ate way too many on this trip.)

My parents took all of us to dinner at White Chocolate Grill. That place is SO good. I got their chicken crepes & Linc ordered ribs...

Kylee enjoyed rubbing Ranch dressing all over her hands...

And showing Uncle Shawn how much her coloring skills have improved since she last saw him...

And of course she had to stick a crayon in her ear to see what it felt like...

(She has developed an interest in her ears & nostrils lately. Only one thing has gotten stuck so far. Let's hope this little stage doesn't last long!)

Lincoln went golfing with my dad, Shawn, & our cousin Stetson the next morning. I didn't feel well at all the next day. I stayed in bed while my mom & Ashley hung out. :( I did feel better in time to go the Cooper Christmas Party that night though!