Home for Christmas.

'Twas the week before Christmas...

and we were headed to Eugene for our first "whipple" christmas.

this was our first christmas that we actually got to stay at my parents.

we always lived in town. so we would just head over whenever "christmas" began. 

it was a fun experience that you think about and wonder what it will be like...

ya know, the experience when you come home with your husband for the holidays 

and stay in your old bedroom and he laughs at all your middle school photo books.

i told mr. he was in for a real treat.

he tried to think of what he didn't know about my family. 

i said well you have never experienced the waking up to dads foot steps coming up the stairs waking you up to do yard work or when you make it downstairs for breakfast for mom's "eggie sandwiches"  AND then the best part is when dad comes up and wants all the details of the day 

and what "the plan" is. 

it was fun to officially be a "guest" in my home.

i finally got to meet my new niece ruby. ^^
she's penny jr.

ruby is one loved baby. big sista penny treats her like her very own little baby doll. it's adorbs. penny seriously cried when we went to a movie and ruby left. she cried out "don't take my ruby!"
we were pulling out of the drive way and andrew said "i swear i just heard penny screaming."

i'm loving gel nails right now ^^ and not loving the dentist.
so i had some teeth issues and needed those issues taken care of while i was home...
two visits & two numb faces later i was in the clear.

mr. thought it was sooooooo funny how i could drink or eat or smile...that's what happens when half your face feels like jello. he hadddddd to go to papa pizza lunch buffet right after my mouth got drilled down to no man's land. 

i couldn't eat a whole lot that day so the next morning i made up for those lost calories with a huge delicious maple donut from my favvvvv bakery. gosh i just wish there was a PC Market bakery everywhere on this planet because almost everyone on this plant deserves the goodness that comes out of that kitchen.

we didn't forget to hit up our fav sushi place in eugene. we love the fact that all the rolls are half off between 4-6pm and not to mention it's bomb and modern.

after satifying our sushi cravings we got lucky with some tickets to duck vs. byu basketball game!
it was an amazzzzzzing game, not just because we won but because it was one of those really really intense overtime games where you can't even contain yourself. 
thanks alison! your the greatest for inviting us!
(sorry we ate all your popcorn & andrew's teasing personality)  ...    ;)

 sunday dinner was always a family tradish when we lived in eugene. that tradish is still going strong. just in case you were wondering:

aren't those the cutest nephews you ever did see?! ^^

i was wondering where mr. went off to, so naturally i headed up stairs to find him
and to my surprise, actually i take that back, the nieces were dressing my husband up head to toe.
he is little red riding hood.  duh.

also the two amigos ^^ still wear matching clothes and have heart to hearts on the daily. bff's

pretty sure cash ate the entire plate of chocolate cookies. ^^

 after leaving my sister's house at a hour that was clearly early enough for one game of scrabble.
i went upstairs to take a shower and to get ready for bed. i wondered why mr. hasn't come up stairs yet from eating a snack (he gets hungry right before bed) well wonder no more...this is what his appetite whipped up:
a nice game of scrabble with a couple of really cool 56ish something and 60ish something parents of mine.

one night penny stayed the night at gigi's.
we ate chips in bed and watched Angelina Nutcracker Ballerina on netflix...until the clock struck midnight. 

 

in the morning we made penny's favorite cookies, which happen to be my favorite too!
we both were two crazy curly bedhead bakers.

baking is tiring. hot tub dip was required.
with some "brown soda" in hand.
how hilar are these two:

oh how i missed cafe yumm...i always miss it. ^^

penny did a terrific job taking her first iphone photo. ^^

my younger / youngest sister, sarah, and i headed to the mall for some last minute christmas gifts.
we went to jc's aka jcpenny.
*okay that place is the only place that has slim fit suits that i could fine that weren't a zillion dollars.
we had this hilar sales associate help us. he was a great help. we won't ever forget him and his customer service. there is a lol story that goes with the photo below.

okay side note. mom loves hockey puck cookies. no fluff for my mom.
likes them like rocks.
burnt to a crisp.
she always screams as she pulls them out of the oven and yells at herself for not using a timer.

it was a foggy week. i loved it. and then i was over it after 10 days and wanted some sun.

 papa pizza buffet round dose.

mr. makin lots of friends at the pizza parlor.  

look at that little ruby finger:

we did some tj shopping and got the steal of the century in the parking lot when we spotted our little stella (pippa's real blood bully sister).
i wish pippa could have been there to learn a lesson or two from her sister who waited quietly and patiently for her mom to be done with her errand.
pippa without a doubt will chew your water bottle or whatever else you decide to leave in the car.

while shopping mr. had a friend who got pooped or maybe even more pooped out from shopping than himself. that friend would be my mom. she said i "kidnapped" her because i took to long shopping. then spend $15 at the $1 massage chairs. they were one of those people.

 

 we went to some great movies. well actually only one great movie because i fell asleep in Anchorman.   
Saving Mr. Banks wins best holiday movie.
notice mr.'s cute kate spade bag he got me.

after church (on our way home) we made my dad pull over and take a pic of us at the place... where we first met.
dad struggled seeing / knowing if the iphone took the photos.
such a hoot when my parents try and take photos. 

if only those 10 days could have slowed down and lasted 20 days.
before we knew it we were back in the cloudy oregon sky and headed to vegas for NYE.
thanks to my iphone for never letting me down for some quick snaps.