Happy New Year!!!!
Welcome to our final installment of our 2009 review. I think it's obvious that November and December were all about the holidays (and that bad bought of strep throat), right?
Since we haven't blogged about our Christmas trip yet, I guess now is as good a time as any. We left on Wednesday morning, trying to leave by 9:30 but you know what they say about the best laid plans.... We left around 10 but only made it until about 12 and had to stop for Lydia so we stopped for lunch, too which equaled 1 hour. Only made it until about 5 and then stopped for a break. Took only $4 in to the truck stop for the kids to get a snack. Major drama which didn't involve my kids, just the idiotic cash register workers at the truck stop. FINALLY arrived at my aunt's house around 6. We were hoping to have arrived around 4 and gone to the house we were staying at to settle in for a while before going to my aunt's but oh well.... Around 8:30, we left my aunt's house after an AMAZING dinner (it always is with Nannie!) and took the kids to the Bristol Speedway for their light show. Thought we were going to run out of gas while driving back through the drag strip and the surrounding property -- and finally the race track itself -- and Timothy cried most the entire way. [Notes to self -- 1, do NOT plan on going to the speedway lights the same night you travel; the kids will be exhausted (and always check your gas gauge before you get there!!) 2, allow Jonathan to drive through the actual race track. You get freaked out when you feel like you're driving on your side and feel like the van is going to flip over at any moment.] We finally made it to where we were staying around 11. Christmas Eve, we went to the mall and were surprised to find Elizabeth & John wanted to see Santa. We don't do Santa in our house and have explained to our kids that he's just pretend so that's why we were surprised (and don't knock us for not doing Santa unless you plan on contributing to the extra set of gifts next year). Anyway, met up with my parents around 2 and headed to one of my favorite places to eat -- Taco Johns. YUMMY! Then we eventually got the kiddos to bed, wrapped the presents, and stuffed the stockings. Friday morning was lovely! We totally pulled one over on Nathan, getting him a cell phone he's been begging forever to have! We had told him he had to wait a year or two. So far, so good with that! Then my brother and his girls came and we had lunch. Then we went back to my aunt's house for more food and more gifts. Saturday we pulled out around 11. Around 1, somewhere on the highway in West Virginia, some of the stuff flew off our roof rack and scattered all around the interstate. Nearly everything was salvaged save a lego set and a sippy cup although some things did end up with tire tracks on them. That was not fun but we thank God for his protection not only for Jonathan as he dashed across the highway to recover our luggage but also for the other drivers around us.
Today, we're getting ready for breakfast and then taking the kids to see "Alvin and the Chipmunks". We pray a blessed New Year for you and yours!!
Important days in November:
*2 family birthdays on the 30th -- Jonathan's brother-in-law and sister-in-law
Important days in December:
*Caleb turned 7 on the 2nd
*Timothy turned 2 on the 6th
Picture to share from November -- me & Timothy on Thanksgiving Day
Pictures to share from December will have to wait for me to upload the trip pictures!
Since we haven't blogged about our Christmas trip yet, I guess now is as good a time as any. We left on Wednesday morning, trying to leave by 9:30 but you know what they say about the best laid plans.... We left around 10 but only made it until about 12 and had to stop for Lydia so we stopped for lunch, too which equaled 1 hour. Only made it until about 5 and then stopped for a break. Took only $4 in to the truck stop for the kids to get a snack. Major drama which didn't involve my kids, just the idiotic cash register workers at the truck stop. FINALLY arrived at my aunt's house around 6. We were hoping to have arrived around 4 and gone to the house we were staying at to settle in for a while before going to my aunt's but oh well.... Around 8:30, we left my aunt's house after an AMAZING dinner (it always is with Nannie!) and took the kids to the Bristol Speedway for their light show. Thought we were going to run out of gas while driving back through the drag strip and the surrounding property -- and finally the race track itself -- and Timothy cried most the entire way. [Notes to self -- 1, do NOT plan on going to the speedway lights the same night you travel; the kids will be exhausted (and always check your gas gauge before you get there!!) 2, allow Jonathan to drive through the actual race track. You get freaked out when you feel like you're driving on your side and feel like the van is going to flip over at any moment.] We finally made it to where we were staying around 11. Christmas Eve, we went to the mall and were surprised to find Elizabeth & John wanted to see Santa. We don't do Santa in our house and have explained to our kids that he's just pretend so that's why we were surprised (and don't knock us for not doing Santa unless you plan on contributing to the extra set of gifts next year). Anyway, met up with my parents around 2 and headed to one of my favorite places to eat -- Taco Johns. YUMMY! Then we eventually got the kiddos to bed, wrapped the presents, and stuffed the stockings. Friday morning was lovely! We totally pulled one over on Nathan, getting him a cell phone he's been begging forever to have! We had told him he had to wait a year or two. So far, so good with that! Then my brother and his girls came and we had lunch. Then we went back to my aunt's house for more food and more gifts. Saturday we pulled out around 11. Around 1, somewhere on the highway in West Virginia, some of the stuff flew off our roof rack and scattered all around the interstate. Nearly everything was salvaged save a lego set and a sippy cup although some things did end up with tire tracks on them. That was not fun but we thank God for his protection not only for Jonathan as he dashed across the highway to recover our luggage but also for the other drivers around us.
Today, we're getting ready for breakfast and then taking the kids to see "Alvin and the Chipmunks". We pray a blessed New Year for you and yours!!
Important days in November:
*2 family birthdays on the 30th -- Jonathan's brother-in-law and sister-in-law
Important days in December:
*Caleb turned 7 on the 2nd
*Timothy turned 2 on the 6th
Picture to share from November -- me & Timothy on Thanksgiving Day
Pictures to share from December will have to wait for me to upload the trip pictures!
2 comments:
Nice blog!I wish you a Happy New Year!
My goodness, what a trip! Glad you all made it home safely!
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