How Sweet It Is!!!

December was a total blur. We had so much fun and managed to be off and running for a majority of the month. Here's a run down of our December and into January a little!

The month started off with the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). The rodeo started on the 4th, but our tickets go the last seven days, so we took off on the 7th. Our time in Vegas is spent shopping at Cowboy Christmas, Ariat Country Christmas and the Cowboy Marketplace. Needless to say there's plenty of shopping and we love it! We usually go the Outside the Barrel with Flint show that is at the Cowboy Christmas. It is always a good show with plenty of entertainment. Some of the people on the show this year, other then all the different rodeo contestants where Larry the Cable Guy, Jewel, Baxter Black and a bunch of different musical groups. We always manage to eat really well while we are in Vegas. And then of course every night we go to the rodeo!!! If I could go to a rodeo like that every night of the year I would be in heaven! After the rodeo we head over to the Gold Coast for the National Finals Tonight show. This year Willie and the Wild West performed after the National Finals Tonight and Mom and Dad would dance until they couldn't dance anymore. We had a very enjoyable time, and even got to cheer on Cody Wright from Utah to the saddle bronc riding championship!! Way to go Cody!! Here's a few pictures from our time in Vegas!

Mom and Dad waiting for the rodeo to start.

Me

Mom and Dad outside the Thomas and Mack - aka Cowboy Town

Mom and Dad

National Finals Tonight Show - Dan Miller, Donnie Gay, Lewis Feild, Kaycee Field, and Joe Beaver

Flint Rasmussen - Outside the Barrel with Flint

Baxter Black, Ty Murray, Jewel and Flint

Mom and Dad dancin' at the Gold Coast

We were blessed and had decent roads to travel on. They weren't the best, but they could have been much worse. We got back home from Vegas on the 14th.

The 17th was my work Christmas Dinner. This year they had it at Five Alls! I was pretty excited since I hadn't eaten there for a long time, and it was every bit as good and it was the last time!! Work sure did a good job on that one!!!

The rest of the week was spent trying to get ready for Christmas. When you are gone for the first part of December it sure makes Christmas come real fast.

I didn't have to work on Christmas Eve, so Mom and I finished off the Christmas shopping, and made it back home just in time to change and head down to Temple Square with Paul's family to check out the lights. As always the lights are so impressive and the temple looked as beautiful as it always does.

Pauls' Family

Good thing they have lots of workers to put up all the lights.

The crew - except me - someone has to take the pictures!

I handed the camera off - needed proof that I really was there.

The Temple

After we got done looking at the lights and the kids were froze we headed back home for Christmas Eve dinner. Mark and Jessica joined us for dinner. Somehow I managed not to take any pictures, but beleive me dinner was amazing. We had prime rib, shrimp, cheesy potatoes, layered jello and rolls. Mmmm!! With the roads in not great condition everyone headed out shortly after dinner in order to get home in time for Santa to come.

Mom, Dad and I in my car and Mark and Jessica in his Jeep all headed up to Paul's for Christmas morning. We told the kids we'd be there by 8 so they wouldn't have to wait to open their presents. Well the weather and road conditions where not in our favor at all. As soon as we went past the Kimball Junction exit it was total white out with snow covered roads. We finally made it up to Paul's around 8:45. But thankfully we all made it safe and sound. After the presents were opened, breakfast was eaten and a few games were played on the new wii it was time to head back home. Mom, Dad and I stopped in at Grandpa's for a couple hours and then made the long drive back home. No, the roads weren't any better going home.

Paul and family Christmas Tree

We stopped to feed the horses on the way back home and the snow had been blowing like crazy and so it was really deep.

On Saturday the 27th we headed back up to Woodland for the annual Bisel Family Christmas Party. As always it was a great party. We went on a wagon ride, sledding, put luminaries around Grandma's grave, had dinner and the talent show. Most of my pictures are from sledding. We had so much fun! I have a ton more pictures, but I tried to narrow it down a little.



It then came time to get ready to leave town again. I was pretty excited for a number of reasons. One was that I hadn't flown since I was a year old, so I was excited just to be able to fly some where. Have you guessed what is coming up next? You haven't, okay I'll just tell you. We took off for New Orleans, LA for the Sugar Bowl to watch Utah play! We had such a GOOD TIME!!! We toured around and checked out as much as possible. We ate wonderful seafood every day. Friday was the big game!! I was so excited!! And just what happened...that's right Utah beat Alabama 31-17!! It was AWESOME!!! After we finally left the Superdome we headed back over to the French Quarters and partied until we had to catch the cab at 3:30 A.M. to head back home. It was such an amazing trip!!



Well that does it!! Hope you made it through, we barely did!! Can't wait for the next adventure!!