Thanksgiving, Rigby Family Party, Aunt Abby's House and IKEA!

For Thanksgiving we traveled to Soda Springs and spent the day with Marsha, Lawrence, and Thayne and Angel's family. The Rigby family Christmas party was held over the next two days. The Rigby party is always fun. It consists of many family activities, good food, spirited political debate, noise, craziness, exhausted parents and grandparents, and lots and lots of love. This may be the St. John's Wort talking, but I thought this year's party was pretty fantastic! :)

Once again, Marsha outdid herself with great food and activities. We saw the lighting of the Christmas lights on Temple Square in SLC.  We went to the Nutcracker. The kids did a super cute craft. We had tons of good food. Grandma made her traditional ornaments and gifts for all the grandkids. It was all just awesome. Thanks so much Marsha and Lawrence! We are beyond blessed to have you for parents and grandparents. 

Here are some pics from the weekend. I have to say that if you ever get the chance during Christmas, you must visit Temple Square. It is so beautiful. 

After the party ended on Saturday, the girls and I traveled to Aunt Abby's to visit for a couple of days. They love their Aunt Abby and it was a great time. Abby and Lizette decorated a ginger bread house. Lizette went through all of Abby's yarn and picked her favorites. Lizette wants to learn to "Yarn" some more, which means learn to crochet. Abby spoils our girls with attention as well as lots of treats and they and I both love it!

Lastly, Abby was kind enough to travel an hour out of our way so that I could go to IKEA. This was a shopping trip I had been dreaming of for a while, and I made the most of it! I love that place.

Dear IKEA,

Please, please, please open a store in Boise or Meridian! We would support you I promise. I love your stylish, perfectly designed, yet inexpensive furniture, organizing tools, kitchen gadgets, bedding, rugs, curtains, and everything else.

Sincerely,

Jackie Rigby

Utah, Utah and Utah

I've made three trips to Utah (Salt Lake area) in the last couple of months.  That means three road trips with the girls!  I might just be crazy. 

Our first trip was to visit Aunt Abby in her beautiful, new apartment.  We went to help her get settled in her new place.  Well, I don't know how much help we were because my little girlies wanted non-stop attention.  Imagine!  But we did have fun.  Here are a few fun pics Abby snapped while we were there. 

Lizette was pretty enthusiastic about the unpacking.  :)  

Abby's new landlord just happens to paint faces.  Lizette was in heaven.  

 Loving that shower!  :)

Abby's new place is beautiful!  Lizette wants a shower just like Aunt Abby's now.  I do too.  It's huge!  I'm so glad she has found such a lovely place to live.


My next trip was a girls weekend.  Yes, you read it right.  I went on a girls weekend!  To Utah!  My first ever girls weekend since I've had kids.  I think I'll do it more often.  :)  I think we gave a new meaning to the phrase Shop 'til You Drop!  It was so fun.  We went to the Park City outlet mall which was fantastic shopping.  Tons of stores.  Great deals.  Awesome.  We also hit Tai Pan Trading, DownEast, Forever Young Shoes and probably some others I can't remember.  We ate at Cafe Rio twice.  Yum!  And discovered the goodness of the Sweet Tooth Fairy.  If you are ever in the Salt Lake area, look up Sweet Tooth Fairy on your GPS and drive there.  Buy at least a dozen cake bites and thank me later.  Best things in the world.  My favorite flavor is coconut.  I didn't take pictures because I was way too busy shopping and eating.

Next trip was to see Aunt Abby and my BFF for 25 years, Kim.  Lizette had a fun sleepover with Aunt Abby while Lexi and I went to visit Kim.  I had a few hours to myself on the way to Kim's so I stopped at IKEA in Draper.  Love it!  The place is overwhelming because it is so huge, but it is so fun to shop there.  I bought the girls new bedding for way cheap and tons of fun kitchen gadgets.  Kim and I had a fun visit and also ate at Cafe Rio.  (I'm so glad that my friends are on the same page as I am about Cafe Rio!)  Kim lives in Alpine which is beautiful.  She has a beautiful home and family and it was so fun to hang out.  I can't believe we've been friends since 8th grade.  So grateful to have a lifelong friend like her.

Lizette had tons of fun with Aunt Abby and Lexi did too.  Here are some fun pics of them playing ring around the rosey.  And Lexi let Aunt Abby hold her!  Big milestone for this little girl.  She's not exactly warm and snuggly with many people.

Thanks Aunt Abby!!


After leaving Utah, we drove to Pocatello so that I could go to Time Out for Women with Marsha (my mother-in-law) and Angel (my sister-in-law).  This is put on by Deseret Book each year.  They have come to Boise in the past and I've attended several.  This one was very good.  Jenny Oaks Baker, a violinist, performed and she was amazing.  I love violin music and to hear it live was such a treat.  The rest of the speakers and performers were great and I came away feeling very uplifted.  Again, didn't get any pictures!  It was a wonderful memory with some lovely ladies.  Thank you Marsha and Angel!