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The Return of The Paul Family

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After enjoying a wonderful visit with my friend, Stacy, and her kids, Reese and Quinn, last summer, we were thrilled to welcome them back this winter for some fun in the snow! It was also a treat to have Stacy’s husband, Danny, along on this trip. 
How cute is this little family?!
Stacy is an outstanding photographer (stacypaulphotography.com) and you know I love taking pictures, so this post will be chock full of pictures. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
James absolutely loves having Reese and Quinn to play with and they seem to have such a great time together. They’re just too cute! 
Wrestling in the backyard
They’re either making snow angels or playing dead… not sure which.
Sand toys become snow toys in the winter (courtesy Stacy Paul)
There is a great place to go snow tubing in Heber Valley called Soldier Hollow, so we bundled everyone up and headed there for a couple hours of tubing fun.
Let’s do this thing!
Reese and James about to head down together
It’s fun for adults, too! Don’t I look
like I’m having fun?! (courtesy Stacy Paul)
Selfie with James before we head down the hill
There was a really neat attraction nearby, Ice Castles of Midway, so we headed there after our tubing fun. It was like walking around in icicles. They also had an ice slide which the kids loved!
James and I at the entrance (courtesy Stacy Paul)
Reese, James, and Quinn just hanging out
On Saturday, we headed up into the canyon just to play in some serious snow since warmer weather in the valley was melting the snow in our yard. It was snowing pretty heavily up there and we all had a great time just being silly together. 
Winter wonderland
The winter version of Stacy and Danny
Snowball fight! (courtesy Stacy Paul)
Chris throwing a snowball at me. True love.
In my pursuit of awesome pictures, I wandered into an area where I sunk
down to my thighs in snow. It was cold. And deep. And cold.
(courtesy Stacy Paul)
This is our snowman, Snowvador Dalí.
The amazing view from where we were playing in the snow.
While we were up in the mountains, Stacy was nice enough to take some family pictures of us. Since we weren’t wearing our snow gear for the pictures, she only had about five minutes before we started turning blue. This is the amazing awesomeness she got in no time flat. 
I suppose that James face is better than when he fake smiles at us…
I admit to liking this face the best. He’s so cute!
Love my boys!
How sweet is this?! What a great shot!
Of course, playing in the snow is exhausting! We had some pretty pooped kids on the drive home.
They are so cute!!! (courtesy Stacy Paul)
On Sunday, James had his final ski lesson at Brighton, and the Pauls came along to cheer him on, and so Quinn could play in more snow. We had an awesome breakfast at the Silver Fork Lodge and then went back to watch his race. It was a super snowy day!
Look at him go!
On their last full day here, we decided to take in the Natural History Museum of Utah. It is such a great museum with tons of fossils and interesting interactive exhibits for kids of all ages. The kids had a blast! There also happened to be a chocolate exhibit going on, which was awesome for Stacy and I. Souvenirs were purchased. Chocolate souvenirs.
James and Quinn holding hands on the way in. How cute is that?!
Stacy and I in front of a wall of chocolate we wished were real.
We always have such a great time with the Paul family and are so thrilled they come out to visit us! I would also like to say a great big “Thank you!” to Bronze and Symoni for letting us use their SUV so we could all fit in one car. You guys are the definition of great friends and neighbors. Thanks!!
Leo went into a depression when they left.