A few days too late....Happy New Year!

Oh wow....so much to post, so much to post. I wish that my brain were connected to this blog so that some of the thoughts that I think would just automatically load up here for you all to enjoy. My most amazing blog posts happen in the shower, in the middle of the night, while I am driving...well...you get the idea. So...with such pressure to post something, and worrying that I won't remember what I have thought in my head, I have avoided the task until now. Trust me....were you able to get the original version in my head, it would be much better....pee your pants funny. Instead....here we go! :) Brace yourself....this could be a long post....lots to cover.

Christmas:
Well.....where do I begin. It was different this year....in good ways and bad. Let me explain. It was so good to experience as a family of 3 and have Owen around in all the festivities. However that same sweet Owen made some traditions impossible. And that. was. hard. for. me. Even now I am tearing up a little bit as I write about this. I know what you all are thinking, "Just make new traditions with Owen!"....and trust me, we are. But some things are just so hard anyways about Christmas (mainly just being away from my family) that I think I was clinging to those traditions to keep some bit of 'home' with me and the way it used to be. I also want Owen to have the same sweet memories that I had. Oh well.... This year Mike was sick, and Owen was 8 months old, so we just spent time at home instead of doing the things we used to. We did make it to the Christmas Eve service at church, SUPER late, but we made it. Then ended up at Denny's for dinner as a family.....hopefully Denny's is not the beginning of a new tradition...but Mike and I had a good laugh at the thought! :)

All in all though we had a great time Christmas morning with each other, playing with Owen, and opening gifts. We then headed over to Mike's parents home to celebrate with his family and eat all kinds of yummies. Owen got a sweet wagon and was content most of the morning to just sit in it! It may become a permanent fixture in our living room? Think I could decorate around a large, plastic, red-flyer wagon? :)

Then, the adventure began.....

Because of the way Christmas and New Year's fell on the calendar....and because we wanted to spend as much time at home with the Hughes family.....we decided to drive up to Washington Christmas night. A bit crazy I know....but it worked out pretty well. Here are some highlights of the trip up.

-attempting to 'feed' Owen while driving....yeah...don't ask...didn't really work.
-finishing the 'feed' while parked in a cemetary. It was the only 'lit' place at the exit. That puts cemetary feeds for Owen at 2.
-Mike making the decision to 'go-for-it' (not stop where we had planned) while I was asleep. I woke up in Oregon & we continued to drive on through. :)
-breakfast at McDonald's....yes...a highlight...I LOVE breakfast at McDonald's! :)
-Owen got a new tooth on the drive....probably somewhere in Oregon. We got to Washington....and there it was, on top, all shiny and new!

Well, we got to Washington safe and sound....much earlier than planned which got my mom scrambling! Once we got there, Mike crashed and I just sat in the comfort of home. Now, Mike and I had GRAND plans while we were with my family. We were going to do things, anything, without sweet Owen. We had giftcards ready for dinner and coffee and wanted to catch a few movies. Once again.....those plans were thwarted. Mike got sick & his sugars were out of control. After a few phone calls to his diabetic doctor and primary doctor, he ended up in Urgent care to get checked out. So...we didn't go to coffee....or dinner.....or a movie.....

Now, I know, I sound a bit pathetic.....but the trip was still wonderful. We spent time at home with my family and got a few things done together as a family of 3. We ate TOO much, and laughed even more. I feel so blessed to have such a loving family.....even though they are too far away.....or should I say 'we are'. Here are a few highlights of our time up there

-playing Scrabble slam with the family and mom...yes dear M.O.M. spelled a VERY naughty word.....so naughty it can't be written.
-going to fantasy lights PACKED in the family van. Dad was driving and pointing out all the lights coming up....including the 'dancing girls'....which turned out to be Santa's reindeer. Then later on Jasmine had to point out the 'pole-dancer' to dad.
-Mike and I getting into the car without Owen and Mike commenting how nice it was to have family around and that he 'only had touched Owen once' that day....we are great parents....really we are.
-getting out to dinner with Brian and Rachel at the Spaghetti factory and getting to sit in the trolley for the first time ever!.....not as cool as I thought....that thing shakes every time someone picks up a fork.

Well, we had a wonderful Hughes family Christmas/New Year's Day and then did the crazy move we pulled on true Christmas. We loaded everything into the car (it was much more 'loaded' this time), and headed South. I will spare you the details/highlights of that trip. :) Let's just say we decided to stop for the night and divide the trip into 2.....BIG mistake. Owen does not and will not sleep in a hotel. We only got about 3-4 hours of interupted sleep and a very early start to the second part of the drive compliments of Owen. We stopped at a lot of weird places for food/fuel and happened to meet a LOT of weird people and hear a LOT of weird conversations. The crazies were out along I-5 that day for sure. :)....including us!

Well....sorry for the novel.....and not such a funny one at that. Now you are finally caught up with the Botts's family happenings over the holidays. :) Much funnier posts will follow....I promise....remember that tooth that Owen got on the drive North? :)