There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays

I had such a wonderful Christmas in Idaho.  Nick and I spent the weekend of December 16th - 17th in Lewiston where we spent time with my grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousin.  My mom and the twins were visiting there as well, so we got to hang out with them before our week long break in Boise.  When Nick and I left Catherine told me, "I'll miss you for a day." 

We flew into Boise on Monday, December 19th and that evening went to a BSU basketball game with my dad.  BSU played Fresno State and it was an exciting game with BSU pulling out with the win. 

The blue & orange crowd cheering on the Broncos

My dad and Nick

Tuesday we spent some time hanging out with my dad during the day then had dinner at a nice new restaurant, The Brickyard. 

On Wednesday Nick and I drove out to the Snake River Wine Region, just outside of Caldwell, Idaho. 

Nick and I tasting at Ste. Chapelle Winery

It's the off season for wine tasting, so there definitely weren't any crowds, but we weren't the only ones out tasting either.  Ste. Chapelle had a few wines we really liked including a couple unique wines; a "soft white" and a "soft red."  Our pourer called them "Adult Hawaiian Punch."  We had six bottles shipped back home and they threw in free shipping for us.  We had a great experience there!

Nick at Ste. Chapelle

Our next stop was Williamson Orchards & Vinyards.  This place place had a real "down home" feel.  This picture of the offices/store/tasting room captures it perfectly:

It's so perfect with the dog out in front!

There was only one woman working there and she came down and opened the tasting room for us.  We tried all their wines and Nick and I bought a bottle of their most popular wine, the Windmill Red

Once we'd finished our tastings we had lunch out in Caldwell at The Orchard House, then headed back to Boise to visit with my Aunt Katie and my second cousins who she watches during the day while my cousins are at work and school.

Nick with my second cousin Landon

We chatted and played with the babies, then my dad and aunt started making their grandmother's fudge.  My cousins came by and we visited with them.  It was so nice to see everyone!

rolling the football back and forth

My cousin Sara, me, Aunt Katie, and Sara's son Benny

Cousin Katie with her son Landon and Nana Katie

My mom's Christmas tree, decorated by the twins

We had dinner at the 13th Street Bar and Grill on Wednesday (Catherine, my mom, Aunt Kerry, and James)

Thursday during the day was low-key, so much so that I don't really remember what we actually did.  We went over to my dad's house in the early evening to watch the beginning of the BSU bowl game with him and my grandpa. 

We met up with my high school friend Joanna and her husband Mike for dinner at Bardenay and had a great time hanging out with them.  Nick and I agreed we wished they lived in the same town as us because they are a really fun couple. 

My sister and Anthony got in around midnight so Nick and I went with my dad to greet them at the airport. 

The next day we had coffee in the morning with my Aunt Kerry, then met up with my Aunt Teri for pho for lunch.  We relaxed in the afternoon, had dinner out at The 36th St Bistro & Garden Center, then went to my dad's to hang out at his house. 

You may be noticing a trend that we didn't really eat in during this trip.  It was pretty funny because a few times my mom planned to cook, then she'd be like, "Why don't we just go out somewhere?"  My mom is a really good cook, but she just prefers restaurants to the kitchen. ;)

Nick and Anthony hanging out at my dad's

Anthony and my dad - this was the second picture taken. In the first picture my dad was at the opposite end of the couch. Nick said, "Why don't we take another one without the big homophobic gap between the two of you?"

Nick and me - James took this picture of us. :)

Last year my dad gave the twins this pottery set as a Christmas gift and they hadn't gotten a chance to play with it because my mom hid it from them so they wouldn't make a mess.  Megan brought it over to my dad's so the twins could make some pottery. 

Megan, James, and Cat molding the clay

On Christmas Eve morning Nick and I took James and Cat bowling.  Last time we took them bowling Catherine would pout whenever she didn't do well.  She told us she would try to not pout this time around.  She needed to try harder. ;)  James entertained us with his dancing moves:

We had some snacks at my mom's house and visited with everyone, then Nick and I went down to my dad's to watch the Seahawk game with him, then we came back up to my mom's house for a prime rib and crab dinner. 

Catherine and my mom on Christmas Eve

Catherine (with an outfit change) and Nick

An open-early present

After dinner we went over to my grandpa's house and visited with him, his wife, and my dad.  Then we came back to my mom's house and were serenaded with a Christmas Carol clarinet trio. 

We were woken bright and early Christmas morning!

"Look James, I got a giant Ipad!"

James on Christmas morning

Catherine's number one gift she wanted was a Kindle. She downloaded free songs and books on Christmas and the next day Jim said he had 60 emails from Amazon!

James' number one gift was a bit more...unusual. Well, first he told my mom he wanted to be shipwrecked for Christmas, then he said he wanted to hunt Sasquatch.  Finally my mom told him it had to be something you could purchase at a store.  He replied, "White pants, white shirt, white vest, white hat, white everything."  Hahaha!  I thought it was so funny when I heard about it.  When my mom asked him why he wanted all white clothing he said, "I saw it in a magazine and it looked cool." 

James opening his white clothes

Mr. Personality has style too!

Alright, so the twins are obviously very spoiled.  They're not bratty and they're grounded, well-behaved sweet kids, so I don't think there's anything wrong with a little gift over-indulgence for the kids.  But what was funny was that James' favorite gift (besides the white clothes) was this $20 remote control car from Target that Nick and I got him.

James was playing with this car right away and the following day too!

When my sister was little she got this creepy looking Christmas Rat from our great aunt.  My mom has re-gifted it to my sister almost every year since. 

I promised Megan I would not post bad pictures of her. Hopefully this is acceptable editing.

Nick and me looking sleepy on Christmas morning

James got a Garmin for use on his hunting trips

my mom and Catherine opening a present

James unwrapping a new toy

James in his white clothing

We headed over to my dad's in the early afternoon and had our second Christmas.  We took turns unwrapping gifts and enjoyed some Irish coffees. 

my dad opening up a present

While we were out with my dad on Tuesday, my dad spotted these walnut hand carved basketballs and footballs.  My dad thought they were so cool, so Nick and decided to get one for him when we made a trip to Costco later in the week. 

This picture is totally overexposed, but still wanted to post it

After we were finished exchanging gifts we watched the movie, "Four Christmases" and laughed at the hilarious families. 



We made a trip back to my mom's house before dinner and visited with her and the twins, then we headed back to my dad's house for a delicious dinner. 

We made some drinks with this Vodka in a Skull - Crystal Head Vodka

James and Cat watching his remote control car

Nick and I headed back to University Place on Monday, the day after Christmas.  I had such a great time in Boise I was sad to leave.  It was a very Merry Christmas!