Traveling near and far
For Christmas we did quite a bit of traveling. While going to see both sides of our family in Stockton and the Bay Area, Ian also flew to Philadelphia for a conference. By the time we came home on New Years Day we were exhausted. Here's what our time away looked like:
The Monday morning before Christmas, we packed the rest of our gear (honestly, most of it being clothes and things for the girls) into our car. We weren't sure what we were going to do once we had presents from Christmas, because we thought that our car was seriously full. Then we drove to Stockton. We hit a bunch of traffic because of horrible mis-communication and a lot of assuming on my part. Then we had to unpack most of the car along with our overtired kids.
Tuesday was a very low key day as we basically just hung out at G&G's (Grandma LaVeda and Grandpa Jim's) place. Ian did some work and we tried to keep the girls on their routine. That night we went over to Ian's mom's house for dinner.
Wednesday, we had some running to the store and a lot of napping, diaper changing and feeding before Christmas Eve dinner (where we celebrated with Ian's family as everyone was going to be in different places Christmas Day). The dinner was late and poor E, although excited about opening presents and seeing all the family, ended up crashing in tears (when I wouldn't let her fully open all her presents - taking them out of their packaging). We left at about 10 or 10:30pm.
Thursday, it was Christmas! We had a quick breakfast, opened a few more presents (well, E did) and then repacked our car to head to the Bay Area. We had planned to leave a few of the bigger gifts at G&G's house, but E had a fit when we tried to leave her new trike. So we had to put it in the front seat, resting partially on the airbag. Not something we'd want to repeat. Then when we got to the Yee (my family) house, we again did more presents (yes, that's three times so far). E got by far more gifts than anyone else. We (Ian and I) instead got some very useful stuff, like new tires for our car (very much needed) and money (also very much needed). This day was pretty low key and nice, because we were already feeling stretched thin from the traveling. The girls had slept basically okay up to this night.
Friday, Ian was going to fly out to Philadelphia. My sister took him to the airport on her way home. I don't remember doing anything of importance this day other than finish getting Ian packed up and maybe running to the store for something we had left at G&G's house.
Saturday until New Year's Eve, the girls and I just stayed at my mom's. E often was taken out by my mom to the park, to go shopping or to go for a walk. I basically tried to keep R on a good schedule and get lots of sleep. Keeping the girls taking good naps and night time routines was the hardest thing about being at my mom's house and having Ian gone. As much help as my family was in watching the girls, the naps and night was something I did all by myself. Oh, and did I mention that E learned how to climb out of her pack and play... yep, always an adventure.
The only other thing I did when at my parents was that I tackled cleaning out boxes from when my mom had moved and basically thrown all the random stuff from my sister's and my room (none of us were living there at the time) into boxes. I think I had at least a garbage bag full of trash, another huge pile to recycle and a box and a half of empty picture frames. My mom was amazed at what I found in the closest, including random wedding gifts we had gotten that we were never going to use - that were given to my mom to be regifted. Now, we know how much we have stored at their house (for when we eventually move).
And then New Years Day, after Ian had gotten back from his conference (no interviews... but more on that in another post), we repacked our car... full to the brim again (even after we had my brother take several big boxes and a huge bag of laundry up to Davis on his way up to the snow earlier in the week) and came home. We got home in the afternoon and after only unloading half our car... we then had to make a trip to the store - uh, because we had no food in our house. And then the day was done and we were super kaput.
We were glad to be home and glad to have been able to see both sides of our family, especially since we don't know where we'll be in the future. We just hope not to have to repeat this whirlwind traveling often and instead be able to have just our family time and share with E the true meaning of Jesus - not just presents, eating and family hanging out time.
The Monday morning before Christmas, we packed the rest of our gear (honestly, most of it being clothes and things for the girls) into our car. We weren't sure what we were going to do once we had presents from Christmas, because we thought that our car was seriously full. Then we drove to Stockton. We hit a bunch of traffic because of horrible mis-communication and a lot of assuming on my part. Then we had to unpack most of the car along with our overtired kids.
Tuesday was a very low key day as we basically just hung out at G&G's (Grandma LaVeda and Grandpa Jim's) place. Ian did some work and we tried to keep the girls on their routine. That night we went over to Ian's mom's house for dinner.
Wednesday, we had some running to the store and a lot of napping, diaper changing and feeding before Christmas Eve dinner (where we celebrated with Ian's family as everyone was going to be in different places Christmas Day). The dinner was late and poor E, although excited about opening presents and seeing all the family, ended up crashing in tears (when I wouldn't let her fully open all her presents - taking them out of their packaging). We left at about 10 or 10:30pm.
Thursday, it was Christmas! We had a quick breakfast, opened a few more presents (well, E did) and then repacked our car to head to the Bay Area. We had planned to leave a few of the bigger gifts at G&G's house, but E had a fit when we tried to leave her new trike. So we had to put it in the front seat, resting partially on the airbag. Not something we'd want to repeat. Then when we got to the Yee (my family) house, we again did more presents (yes, that's three times so far). E got by far more gifts than anyone else. We (Ian and I) instead got some very useful stuff, like new tires for our car (very much needed) and money (also very much needed). This day was pretty low key and nice, because we were already feeling stretched thin from the traveling. The girls had slept basically okay up to this night.
Friday, Ian was going to fly out to Philadelphia. My sister took him to the airport on her way home. I don't remember doing anything of importance this day other than finish getting Ian packed up and maybe running to the store for something we had left at G&G's house.
Saturday until New Year's Eve, the girls and I just stayed at my mom's. E often was taken out by my mom to the park, to go shopping or to go for a walk. I basically tried to keep R on a good schedule and get lots of sleep. Keeping the girls taking good naps and night time routines was the hardest thing about being at my mom's house and having Ian gone. As much help as my family was in watching the girls, the naps and night was something I did all by myself. Oh, and did I mention that E learned how to climb out of her pack and play... yep, always an adventure.
The only other thing I did when at my parents was that I tackled cleaning out boxes from when my mom had moved and basically thrown all the random stuff from my sister's and my room (none of us were living there at the time) into boxes. I think I had at least a garbage bag full of trash, another huge pile to recycle and a box and a half of empty picture frames. My mom was amazed at what I found in the closest, including random wedding gifts we had gotten that we were never going to use - that were given to my mom to be regifted. Now, we know how much we have stored at their house (for when we eventually move).
And then New Years Day, after Ian had gotten back from his conference (no interviews... but more on that in another post), we repacked our car... full to the brim again (even after we had my brother take several big boxes and a huge bag of laundry up to Davis on his way up to the snow earlier in the week) and came home. We got home in the afternoon and after only unloading half our car... we then had to make a trip to the store - uh, because we had no food in our house. And then the day was done and we were super kaput.
We were glad to be home and glad to have been able to see both sides of our family, especially since we don't know where we'll be in the future. We just hope not to have to repeat this whirlwind traveling often and instead be able to have just our family time and share with E the true meaning of Jesus - not just presents, eating and family hanging out time.
1 comment:
it was good seeing you!!
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