after a wonderful christmas, we had a wonderful rest-of-winter-break! on boxing day, after some relaxing at home, we went to my parents’ house in park city to party with extended family. everyone had a great time playing in the snow, doing the treasure chest with grandfather, puzzling and playing games, feasting and sharing memories.

we got to sleep over, then play in the snow more the next morning, and then head to experience some festive stuff in salt lake city. we love the holiday windows and huge gingerbread house at the grand america hotel! we went from there further north to my sister saren’s house in ogden where we had some dinner and read some christmas books, then went to the ogden christmas village which is such a fun display, especially for the kids!

we moved around the kids’ rooms – got rid of the toddler beds and switched who shared a room with who (now it’s gabriel/eve and moses/august!). evie got to go to her big cousin zara’s twelfth birthday party, which made her feel so special! we met up with cousins skiing at sundance, the boys got really into a new game uncle nathan gave our family for christmas, and gabriel got to do a special date with his two cousins close in age and his aunt julie.

taking down the christmas tree is always so bittersweet and this year i asked a kid to take a photo of me in front of it before i took it all down! i also had to snap a photo of this sweetest ever ornament that gabriel made in kindergarten.

my parents hosted a party for all the adults in the family at their apartment building’s social room – they called it the “eyre golden christmas” party. eli and julie went all out in getting dressed up for the party which was so fun. we had food, a sibling gift exchange and then mom and dad gave us really special presents. i was bummed that ian couldn’t come that night, but it was a really great evening with all my siblings that were in town.

on new year’s eve, we went to the torchlight parade and fireworks at alta! i’d been wanting to check this out the past few years and it was so fun! it was also so cold!! even with the spectacle of skiers coming down the mountain with torches + fireworks the kids were spent before it was over because they were frozen. moses and evie lasted a little longer with me while ian went to get the car. it was a really magical new year’s experience!

we got home and burned our christmas tree in the driveway, as per wright family tradition 🙂 we had some leftover fireworks that we lit and then we had a back deck fire with the color changing packets the kids had given ian for christmas.

we had another ski day with cousin dean, and i got to go to my parents’ in park city for a gathering with my cousins which was so fun. eve rocked the purple hair santa put in her stocking, we read a lot of books cozied up on the couch, moses did a harry potter movie marathon (all eight movies!) with his cousins, and he and i had a mommy date to go see wicked in the movie theater. evie wore a dress to church that used to be mine when i was her age!

after deciding to get year-long passes, we took two trips to the aquarium – one with just the three younger kids while mo was doing his harry potter movie marathon, and again a few days later with all four. it was exciting to discover all the different animals and play areas, and of course the shop (took some photos of things to save up money for!).

then it was back to school in 2025!