Kaley & Mommy's weekend to Southern Utah

Kaley & I decided we needed to have a fun weekend together, so that we could go see my cousin, Emily, dance in her Christmas performance (finally...I always wanted to, just never made it down yet!). And since good friend, Maryann, just bought a new home in Toquerville that we hadn't seen yet...it seemed like even a better excuse! :}

Kaley had her going right from the get-go!

They have a beautiful home, and she has that nice touch to decorating her home, that just gave it a nice comfortable feel!

Kaley (and I) was loving the bathtub. She was looking forward to "spa day" in it! :}

Kaley directed the night with "girl time", which of course included painting our nails! (Maryann was a great sport in letting Kaley do her nails! :})
She was LOVING the animals! (maybe too much...here's the cats trying to escape! :})
She was excited to get to help Maryann make pancakes in the morning too!

"Ummmm......delicious!"

Teasing the dog with her food & telling him he couldn't have any! (for rude! :})
Ohhhh, poor Roper! :}
It was no surprise that she had to give us her own little performance (that's Kaley for you!)

Yea, I'm thinking I'd like this, the Hurricane Mesa, as my back yard too!

Though this big drop off in between is a bit scary!

Chillin' on the patio

After we got some final Christmas shopping in (Or in my case, most of it! How's that?!...all in a matter of just a couple of hours! :}), we got to see other good friend, Melissa, who was also down there visiting her Mom & Dad.
Alex was not up to me taking any pictures this day; but, I got her anyway! Looks like all she wants for Christmas is her two front teeth! :}

Cute girls! :}

I just love her Mom, Cheryl (and Dad, Tom). They're just awesome & a great example of a couple who can be in love for many years & still seem like newlyweds together! :}

Glad to see my Lissa! (sad that I had to drive 300 miles to do so, since we are both so busy at home; but, hey, whatever it takes!)

Silly Kaley!

Seriously...I want to have this view from my yard! :}

Saying goodbye to Maryann, for now, as we head over to the Tate Family's home

Fortunately, they only live 15 or so min. away in the next town, Hurricane. Let me tell you, this is an awesome family! Just something about them...truly good people all around! They all have a such a good spirit about them & a zest for life, an love for music, that you've just got to love & admire. Proud to call them my family! :} (Good thing my sister, Cathy, set up Uncle Dave & Aunt Mimi many years ago! :}). It was also nice to get the chance to meet Christine's new fiance, Sean, too.

Finally, it was time for the main event, 'The Spirit of Christmas', which was just awesome! Emily is an incredible dancer, I'm so proud of her! :} Kaley was loving it & would proudly tell the people sitting next to her that was her cousin (well, officially she's mine; but, ok...2nd cousins, close enough! :}) every time she came out. Too cute! Plus, she even got picked to come up on stage with some other kids that were randomly chosen in the audience (which Emily was on the other side, so she couldn't get her; but, glad she still got to go up! :}). They got to dance with the elves & even Santa! Too fun!! What a thrill that was for her! (and I loved it, when I saw her pointing to the other side of the stage, to make sure that dancer knew Em was her cousin, again! :})

Getting time to congratulate the performers after the show.

And how fun to meet her boyfriend, Alex, who was the other star of the show! He is also very talented. I think these two are going to go a long way in their dance careers!

My adorable cousins: Christine, Emily, Rebecca & Daniel (and Kaley, of course). The only sibling missing was Dave, who was currently traveling in Sweden with his wife, Victoria, visiting her family. How fun for them! :}

We enjoyed just hanging out after, catching up on life (and getting a sneak peak of Sean's Christmas present...a photo book Christine made for him). We stayed up for hours talking away, which was a great conversation. We hardly get the chance to talk much when we do see each other since it usually involves a whole lot of extended family at once!

Kaley was thrilled that Uncle Dave wanted her to help make Hoot N' Nanny's the next morning (or mountain pancakes as they call them :})...which is also a special treat for us at Christmas Time! :}

Once Kaley got a hold of the camera, there were many pictures to be had! (Hummmm, I wonder where she gets it from?! :}) She said she just wanted to make sure to" capture the memories of this special weekend!" Oh, she is precious! :}

Can't forget Sunny! :}

She loved their huge Nutcracker too! :}

"And this is where Daniel taught me to play Jingle Bells on the piano!" :}

On the way home, we got to make a pit stop to buy some time, since Doug was finishing up the surprise project. We got to see my dear friend from Fidelity, "Mama Marie", who I haven't seen since Kaley was born. She is such an awesome lady, I've really missed her & so glad we got to stop for a visit!

I finally got to meet her husband, Craig. They reunited many years later after being high school sweethearts! So glad to see her so happy & doing well....she deserves it! :} So, once again, she got a hold of the camera. I picked out a few of the MANY pictures she decided to take at Marie's house of "all the Christmas things she just loved!" :}

(This is her pretending to be scared of the Elk on the wall :})

And, she had to get some of each of us (and fortunately, since I'm in charge here, we don't need to see the lovely ones she took of me. Advice...never take pictures of someone looking up at them! And, close ups don't always make for good pictures!:})

(except of silly Craig! :})

Or her own cute self! (though I believe we got about 50 self poses...oh oh! :})

The best part...coming home to Kaley's big surprise while we were gone, which was Daddy & the boys painting & decorating her room for her (that's she's been begging for & didn't think was happening anytime real soon! :})
Capturing the precious moment of thanking Daddy, "She loves it OH SO MUCH!" :}
All ready busy with her new white board (which she loves, since one of her favorite things to do is play teacher! :})

Her & her new prized possesion she bought all by herself in St. George, her walking stick! "And she even got money AND A RECIEPT back too!" (yea, I wish it was that exciting to get a reciept! :})

What a wonderful weekend! Which, normally, would have been stressful doing the hustle & bustle that comes with the weekend before Christmas; but, it was just the opposite. Being able to surround ourselves with such awesome people of course helped! :} I believe the mission of creating special memories for Kaley (and myself) was certainly accomplished!