The desert meets paradise: Home for the Holidays

Karen Carpenter couldn't have said it any better, "Oh there's no place like home for the holidays." Since the day we drove from Palo Alto to Evanston I couldn't wait to go back. Not that I wasn't looking forward to a new adventure, but more so from the fact that this was the first time in my life that I was really going out on my own. 2,167 miles away from not only the place I grew up, but the place I met my husband and started my own family.

When I went off to BYU I had my two older sisters there, several of my Palo Alto friends, and my grandma that lived in Salt Lake. Plus I was able to come home for Thanksgiving, Christmas and during the summers. Looking back I realize how truly lucky I am to have had family so close to me throughout my entire life.

Westin had three weeks off for the holiday break. He finished finals on the 12th of December and we flew out to the Bay Area the next day. For the first week he worked on internship applications while Morgan and I enjoyed sleeping in. Truly there is nothing like sleeping in your childhood bed. One morning both of us slept in until 10am, it was glorious!

We spent our days going on our favorite running trails (the dish, the baylands), visiting with friends, going to our favorite eating spots (Plutos, The Creamery, Mandarin Gourmet), eating holiday snacks/treats (Popcorn Factory popcorn tin, Owens fudge, The Ords Stollen bread, Pearsons muffins/cookies), and going to the movies (The Hobbit in IMAX 3D, James Bond Skyfall).

Storytime with Auntie Anne and Mumcie before going to bed.

Cuddle time with Grandpa.

Practicing the piano with dad.

Westin with Lauren and Morgan. Almost as cute as my dad and Addison .

Morgan getting some cuddle time with Mumcie, Addi and Auntie Jenna.

Every night Carson and Westin sat down to a glass of egg nog. Yuck!

An annual tradition my family has had at Christmas is a holiday dinner with our good friends the Pearson's. As the years have gone on we included more friends: The Sayer-Reams, Carolyn Carnifex and Owen McQueen. Dinner is followed by celebrating with Holiday Poppers and singing Christmas carols. At one point and time we used to act out the nativity scene, but as years have gone on that tradition has fallen by the way side.

A new tradition my parents have started is going to midnight mass at the First Congregational Church in Palo Alto on Christmas eve. When we got home from the performance Santas workshop was in full swing as we got things ready for Christmas morning. Having three children under the age of four was a new experience for our family, but one that was welcomed. My mom made a delicious brunch with an egg casserole, grapefruit and frozen hot chocolate.

Morgans favorite thing for her first Christmas was the tree.

I made Morgan these pajama pants for her first Christmas. They turned out to be a bit tight, I didn't factor in the diaper taking up so much space.

Santas workshop at 2am, need I say more?

This was the Hatch family chair. Both Westin and Morgan got new stockings from Santa to match the one Rachel was given 26 years ago.

Dad helping Morgan open her first present from Santa - the book "Goodnight Chicago"

She loved her new shoes!

Family picture before Christmas day dinner. I love Addi sneaking the candle in the back, how did she not burn her hand??

Mumcie helping me work on my crawling skills.

Uncle Carson loved balancing toys on my head, this one was perfect for the job!

Helping Grandpa and Uncle Carson open the candy canes for Hamilton Peppermint Hot Cocoa. I think she got her first taste of sugar after she sucked her way through the plastic wrap.

Bath-time with Auntie Anne. This was the same "tub" I bathed in as a baby too!

Before I knew it the three weeks had passed us by. Jenna, Drew and the girls left for Utah, the Christmas music was no longer playing on the radio and we made our last few trips to visit Grandma Lattin at her care facility in Los Altos.

I cried multiple times before leaving. Partly because I loved seeing Morgan spend time with my family and wished she could always have that interaction. Partly because I enjoyed spending time with my friends in our favorite places. Most of all, I think it was because I felt like I belonged somewhere. A year from June I hope I feel the same way about Evanston, in due time.