Two of Three

For our second Christmas of the year, we were at my parent’s house.  My sister and her family also came into town for it.  It was the first time we had all been together for Christmas since 2005. 

Before we could celebrate though, we had to make it there.  We chose to drive again, and it didn’t go quite as planned.  In the first five hours of driving we stopped five times.  By the end of the first day, Malia had a blow out diaper, severe constipation that resulted in a massive dirty diaper that had to be changed in the car, and projectile vomit (tinted blue from juice) that had to be cleaned up on the side of the interstate.  It was not her day.   We also got stuck in traffic an hour from our destination, the portable DVD player broke, and Malia’s brand new Leap Pad broke too.  It wasn’t really anyone’s day.  Day two was slightly better with only car trouble.

Eventually though, we made it.  We had a few days before Christmas to do some of the usual Illinois things.  The girls played with and were spoiled by family, we visited Donavan’s farm where the girls got to drive the tractor, and we visited a small arcade. 

She never takes naps, but when I went to check on her this is what I found.  She must have laid down for a minute and then fell asleep.  Too much fun.

The new way to play

Baking pies with Grandma

Taking hay to the cows

On Christmas Eve, we prepared for Santa’s arrival.  My sister and I helped the kids bake cookies, we sprinkled reindeer food in the front yard, and the kids all got to open one gift. 

Making cookies

Sprinkling reindeer food

Opening one gift on Christmas Eve

Getting cookies for Santa

All ready for Santa

The next morning, everyone was up bright and early.  Everyone had gone overboard this year since we were all together.  We started with our stockings from Santa and then dove under the tree.  The rest of the morning was spent playing with toys and packing up to head to Gideon’s family’s house for our third Christmas.

Santa came