WARNING: Due to massive amounts of slacking and laziness over the past few weeks this post is going to be extremely long and full of way too many pictures. Be prepared to be completely sick of the Kopp family and everything they have been up to when you are done....that is if you even make it to the end.
1. After 10 years of traveling and going away for Christmas, Derek and I decided to give staying home a try. It was amazing, super low-key and exactly what we needed. On Christmas Eve we had Grandma and Grandpa Lasley, Rob, Melissa, Maddie, Jude, and Ella over for dinner. We opened presents and the kids treated us to a puppet show nativity. As always, everyone got new pj's (except for daddy.)
2. Christmas day was full of presents, puzzles and movies. Everybody loved their presents and as usual we ended up buried in wrapping paper. I choose the official Christmas puzzle and I got repeatedly cussed by everyone for picking such a HORRIBLE puzzle. We worked on it for 2 full days, did not finish it and as soon as it was put away in the box, it was thrown in the garbage. In the picture it doesn't look like we had very much left when we quit, but it had look exactly like that for over a day and a half. Popcorn puzzles are nasty nasty things.
3. We trekked to Tremonton the weekend before Christmas for the Lasley family party. We spent the weekend playing in the snow, making cupcakes, playing silly games and eating tons of food.
4. After repeatedly telling the girls there was NO WAY they would be staying up until midnight on New Years Eve, they ended up running and yelling up and down the street at midnight with their friends anyway. It was fun ringing in the new year with friends. Our bellies were full of Brick Oven pizza and we didn't stop laughing the entire night.
5. After staying up so late, going to breakfast with friends on New Year's morning seemed like a crazy idea, but Mimi's Cafe is always worth sacrificing sleep for. It was fun spending the morning with the Hulls and it was a perfect day for sledding.
6. Abby's dreams came true this winter when we signed her up for snowboarding lessons. She has begged and pleaded for several years and this year we finally caved. She is in heaven. We have a helmet and gloves and goggles, but she doesn't seem to understand why we won't buy her her own snowboard. She is signed up for a 5 day class and Derek loves that he gets to take her every week.
This week, on the final run of the day, she caught her heel edge and went down hard, catching herself with her hands. When all the snow had settled, she was crying really hard and complaining about her wrist. To make a long story short, she got her first set of x-rays taken, but luckily nothing was broken. She is still sore and wearing a brace, but exciting to get to go on the big lift next week.
7. While Derek was trying to break our daughter's arm last weekend, Syd and I decided to head south to St. George. My cousin was being sealed to his wife and daughter in the temple and it was the perfect excuse to escape the freezing cold. It was a fun little road trip with my mom and dad and Shayna. We all rode together and spent the weekend shopping, swimming and going to the movies. I'm so glad I was able to attend the sealing. It was such a special experience and I will never forget the feeling in the room when they brought in Gracie, their 18 month old daughter.
8. Yesterday was Derek's birthday. He turned the big 33. The girls and I took him out for dinner at PF Chang's to get his absolute favorite food: crab wontons with plum sauce. Derek and I loved the food and the girls ate a lot of rice and chocolate cake.
9. In honor of Derek's birthday and the inauguration of President Obama they had cake at Rivetal today. But it wasn't any ordinary cake. It was an amazing, handmade Obama cake. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it. It must have taken hours and hours. Derek said they took a picture and pixelized it and then divided it into a gird and then transfered the grid onto the cake........or something like that. It is way cooler then any cake I have or ever will make.
Thanks Elsha for working so hard. You totally made Derek's day.
10. And last, but not least, the most important info of all......in the words of Sydney: "There is a baby in my mommy's belly!" That's right. We are going to be adding a new little Kopp to our family this summer. I know there are a lot of you who thought this would never happen (my mother included) but we are so excited. The 6 1/2 year break is kind of like starting over, but this time I'll have 2 extra helpers. I'm doing great and feeling well. The baby is also great and growing bigger and bigger everyday.
