Utah and the Ex-Utahans

Daddy helping Joshua open birthday presents.  Joshua is sporting his Hungarian hat that Auntie Joy brought back from her mission.

Joshua and Kyle Gardner (cousin) at the bonfire.  Would you believe Joshua is 7 months older than Kyle?!  He is a shrimp, but a cute one.

Bonfire!!!

Great-Grandpa Ed's work horses.  Don't quote me on this, but I think they are Perchin.

Genevra with her first Teddy.  Can't get enough of her fat face;)

Grandpa John with Genevra at Joshua's birthday party.

Grandpa DeGraffenried taking Joshua for a horse ride.

Not the greatest of pictures, but I love it.  Daddy and Joshua at the pool, playing basketball.

These are my treasures.  And they seem to love each other, even though Genevra looks a bit skeptical about the situation.

University of Kansas was kind to us (and everyone else) this year, and gave us a 5 week break in between fall and spring semesters, which was more than a little deserved.  Our travel log follows this brief side note:  I won't throw the pity party I want to, whining about how this semester, I felt like divorced marriage with visitation rights.  Josh would pop in on the weekends to play dad and husband for Saturday morning and all Sunday, and then it was back to the grindstone.  It goes without saying that we are thrilled to have a summer and fall semester down!
Around 4 p.m., right after Josh's last final, we made our exodus back to Zion (Utah).  Although the longer I live away from Utah, the more both Josh and I agree that Zion is not a place, but more a state of being.  Anyway, we were making great time until about soon after Denver.  From there, it was downhill.  We ended up having to pull over around 4 a.m. for Josh to catch a few Zs, hoping all the while that the snowplows would make an appearance.  We didn't make it to one of my best friend and cousin, Pam DeGraffenried's, wedding in the Salt Lake City Temple.  BUT I will never forget the surge of gratitude for our safety and such an amazing friend when she walked through the temple doors and I was there to give her a hug;).
Our visit home was very eventful and grand.  We paraded around with our two screaming (for lack of sleep) babies, gracing everyone with our presence.  The Tippetts Christmas party was nice with good food and great people.  Josh's aunt Sharron and her hubby were able to visit Josh's parents from California while we were there, and as well as his sister, Julie and her friend.  After 2 long years of working on the Fort Lauterdale, FL temple on a mission, my DeGraffenried Grandparents came home.  Grandpa gave all of his grandkids a hay ride out to Blackrock in Kanosh, where we warmed up to a bonfire.  We spent New Year's Eve with Pammy and her new husband, Daniel.  Josh and I caught up on a semester's worth of missed dates, soaking in the plethora of free sitters.  My family went horseback riding in the mountains with Josh and Joshua, and then headed to Gunnison for swimming.  (You'd think it was summer with all the sporting events, but it was actually pretty dang cold).  We watched my brother Eddy wrestle in Juab, not to mention spending many a great day with Grandma and Grandpa Kirkman on the 4-wheeler and eating junk food.
Joshua turned TWO on January 5th!  We had a party for him at my parent's, and I really think the highlight of it for him was ripping off the wrapping paper.  I can't believe my baby boy is a full-blown toddler, complete with catch phrases like, "NO!" and "Why?"  One of Josh's favorite things to say is, "If that boy weren't so cute, I would paddle his butt."  I doubt he really would do any butt paddling, but I concur.  Joshua is my little man and my favorite mess maker (Genevra isn't making messes yet and Josh is a neat freak).  He lights up my world in a way that only he can.  I read somewhere once that the Lord sends certain spirits to certain parents for a reason.  They are the parents who can raise and handle those children in a special way that no one else could.  I am a firm believer in this principle.
While we were home, Genevra was nick-named "Tender".  My sister insists that it is her fluffy, fat rolls that somehow link her to this name; although my mom thinks of pink meat and I think of a weepy old lady when we hear this.  Either way, she has the sure foundation of a Wal-Mart Super Center supporting a chicken coop.  AKA- She is rolly polly fat on her bottom and thighs without nearly as much chub up top.
We had a blast at home, surrounded by tons of family and friends.  But it's SO good to be back, living our own lives and sleeping in our own beds.
P.S.  Josh got a portable DVD system for Christmas, making the drive home a breeze.  Not including from Grand Junction to Denver--that seems to be our Achilles Heel on our drives to and from Utah.