Thanksgiving to Christmas

Thanksgiving was a month ago. We are almost back to our normal routine. Any trip throws me off my groove, but post-trip chores accompanied with Christmas shopping threw me for a loop this year. My poor children have been lugged around everywhere and our usual mornings dedicated to do something fun hasn't happened for awhile.  There was awhile when I felt up to my ears in things to do that never seemed to get done. But I'm back to normal. My new mantra has helped: don't be lazy. I repeat it in my head often some days.

This year we made the 2-day, 16-hour drive from Lubbock to Norco to spend Thanksgiving with Brendon's family. Have I ever mentioned that I love road trips? Especially with Brendon. Nothing to do but sit, talk, and enjoy each other's company (when the kids comply); no to-do lists, no computers, and no internet access. Our rule is that the passenger keeps conversation going when the driver needs stimulation. On our drive home, Brendon (who drives most of the time) requested conversation and I told him I had nothing left to say to him. We had been driving for a total of four days by then. I couldn't think of anything to talk about...maybe I should put a conversation starter together for our next trip.

Our week spent with family was too short, as is often the case. We did a lot with family while we were there: Henry went to Disneyland with Aunt Randi, all the cousins went to Pretend City, we went shopping a few times, Brendon and I got together with old friends, Grandma Sheryl hosted several dinners with six of the eight siblings and their families, Brendon and I were both able to exercise (separately) and without kids, we played games with family, talked, got our family pictures taken, and we had a big Thanksgiving celebration with the Pitt family. It was perfect and, aside from a lack of sleep due to my children, I was not ready to come home.

{Pretend City}

{Thanksgiving Fun}

We love hanging out with the Holmes family and wish we could do it more often. (Have I mentioned that already?) It is always fun when my children get to play with their cousins, but living far from family always helps me cherish time when my children see their grandparents. There simply is no replacement for grandparents who love your children the way they do.

Miss Maggie was introduced to many of the Holmes family for the first time, just short of her first birthday (we see them much less often than is preferred). We celebrated her birthday a few day early with the family, just the way we like to celebrate birthdays: we had a big family dinner with everyone and she ate her first piece of cake. She was a champion cupcake eater, just like any child of mine should be, and was a happy camper with sugar on her plate.

As for an update since our trip, this month has been filled with hustle and bustle, excitement for Christmas, a lot of playing in our basement--with a recent favorite of "Dinosaur Train" (playing trains while singing "Dinosaur Train"), moments of feeling overwhelmed, reminders to slow down, times of frustration and impatience, reminders to cherish my children, a sense of joy with the developments in words from Maggie and improved behavior from Henry, thoughts about other people, gratitude for life, sorrow for those who have lost loved ones, gratitude for the gospel, and moments of feeling peace, comfort, and love from the Savior.