It all started when I got the news of my grandpa's passing on a Wednesday evening. I talked with family and it was decided Thursday that we would find a way to make it to his funeral in Plentywood, MT. We checked airline tickets, and holy cow those things are expensive during the holidays!! So we did what any other insane person would do and packed up our family of five (IN ONE DAY!) and hit the road early, early on Saturday morning! I think I can officially claim to be an expert packer, seriously, it's going on my resume! Last summer I spent a whole three months making lists, preparing and prepping like a mad woman for our three week road trip, but this unexpected trip gave me no time for that business, I made mental lists while I nursed and checked off that list during naps/mealtimes...it was crazy! Who knew you could pack practically nothing for a newborn and they survive?!?! I remember packing for my first big trip with Selah when she was around 5 months and I brought everything but the kitchen sink!! I packed baby towels and baby bowls, because, obviously babies can't be dried off with regular adult towels or eat from regular bowls! Oh dear, such a novice I was, but now I'm a seasoned expert and I'm here to tell you that no, you don't need to bring your own bottle scrubby brush, people tend to already have them, and if they don't, you can buy one! So, if you are planning a trip with young children, I'm your gal!
Here's another tip: When traveling with an infant who wakes up throughout the night, get a second room for the driver, totally worth the extra expense!!! In Blake's defense, he did amazing for a 5 week old, he only got up once and hardly made a fuss, just ate and went right back to sleep, and that's after sleeping practically the entire car ride! He loves us :)
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| My hotel roomies |
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| Daniel's hotel roomie (yes, he is naked, because that's what guys do apparently?) |
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| Hooray!!! Only eight more hours to go!! Say what?!? |
We finally made it to Billings on Sunday and were greeted with the warmest welcome! My family is seriously the best, they just know how to pour on the love!! My aunt immediately got busy getting us settled in, helping kids find fun games and toys, and planning out our stay with fun activities, a woman after my own heart (or the woman my own heart is after? something like that! I love a good plan!).
The first couple days were spent doing what I normally do (try to survive while attempting to keep three kids 5 and under alive and well), while also preparing for Thanksgiving and my grandpa's service. I wasn't necessarily any help in these areas, if anything I prevented productivity, but I like to think our presence added a bit of...something, I don't know.
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| Thank heaven for little girls, their giggles make everything better! |
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| Luckily for Selah, one of my cousins has two sweet girls Selah's age, so she had a BLAST playing with them, here they are "sewing"! |
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| Lookin' all cute, hamming it up for the fam |
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| For real, the GIGGLES!! |
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No
playmates for Owen, but boy did he love these
And
apparently he's still loving this whole naked thing... little Legos!! |
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| Look at that SNOW!! |
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All bundled up and ready for some sledding!
I have such fun memories of sledding growing up,
and I'm so thankful my kids got to experience it!
and I'm so thankful my kids got to experience it!
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| One night Daniel took Owen out (in -10*weather!!) and he shoveled and shoveled, fell down and couldn't get up, and then shoveled some more for like an hour! He would wake up in the middle of the night talking about shoveling...the kid needs to be a professional shoveler!!! |
One night we had dinner at
my other Aunt and Uncle's place, and my cousins were in town from college.
It was SO great to see them again and introduce them to Blake! Fun
memories were made! The kids had a blast running from one side of the room to the
other and wrestling with Uncle Mike and being tickled by Aunt Janet, these two
so need grandchildren! ;)
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My sweet cousin
holding Blake
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My magician of a
cousin doing some incredible card tricks for the kiddos,
Selah would turn around with her jaws open wide in wonder, and I'm not gonna lie, I was in wonder myself...he's good! |
Then Thanksgiving rolled
around, and it was pretty much just perfect, if there had been a couple other
people present it would for sure have been perfect!
For as long as I can
remember I have always loved the idea of having a big family (I used to claim
the #7, but that's currently up for debate) so we could have lots of family and
friends fill our home during the holidays. I cherish the memories I have
of our holidays growing up with our family of four, but the holidays where a
bunch of people gathered in one place with laughing children running around and
adults engaged in lively conversations...those were the BEST!! And this year
was the best of the best! So many people, so many games, so many things to talk
about with so many different people, so much FUN!!!
Also, if you want to make a
room full of people who are practically strangers feel welcome and awkward all
at the same time, play this ice-breaker game at dinner, guaranteed to
make things interesting! My aunt and uncle made name plates for everyone and on
the inside of a folded piece of paper had a task for each person to do/say and
you had to keep doing/saying it until someone guessed what it was that was
written on your paper...for instance, my task was to announce enthusiastically
that I really wished I was pregnant again anytime my cousin's wife
(cousin-in-law?) talked about her own pregnancy, boy, you should have seen the
confused and worried looks on the faces of those around me after that
announcement! Daniel had to talk about how much he wished we could move to
Montana, another had to stand up and make a speech/toast every time a certain
person took a drink, and another person had to stand and say "Here,
here!" after the toast was made. Seriously so fun, I mean, a little bit
awkward for a shy person like myself, but such a creative way to add a little
entertainment to our dinner!
The beautiful table
where delicious food was consumed!
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The
"kids" table, except not really because Selah and Owen
were the only kids at this table (other kids came later!) |
Selah eager to help
put the veggie tray together
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Happy 1st
Thanksgiving little guy!!
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So, so, so very
thankful for this sweet bunch!
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And this guy, so
incredibly beyond thankful for this guy,
I don't know how I got so lucky!! |
Snuggle time with the
cousins!
Selah loved
watching Uncle Casey play
this very intense game |
And these guys
loved the Legos
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More intense game
play...
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And Owen found a
box, and another two year old friend!
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Ending the evening
with...PIE!!!!
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The day after Thanksgiving we packed up again and drove to Plentywood where my Grandpa's funeral service was being held. Owen and Daniel stayed behind because, well, the thought of being in the car for another 5 hours seemed daunting and unfair to all involved. My cousin drove and my brother tagged along as well. Neither has children of their own yet, so they got to experience traveling with a five-year-old and 6-week old first hand, I think it was eye opening and possibly prevented future nieces and nephews and cousins...nah, it wasn't that bad, just an emergency potty break under the highway in a snow drift in the dark in below zero weather and a solid 20 minute screaming episode from poor Mr. Blake, oh, and the frequent stops to feed, but other than that both kids really did an amazing job. Once we got home I ended up finding a recording Selah had made on my phone during this mini trip to Plentywood talking about her great-grandpa and her thoughts on our road trip of which she ended, "I LOVE it!" I like her perspective! I love it too, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with family I hardly ever get to see.
Selah ADORES her
Aunt Janet, she just giggled
and laughed and played all night long! |
My Grandma got in
some snuggles too
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Love that she got
to meet and hold Blake while he
was still so little and new, very special |
Turkey butt hangin'
out on our bed for the night,
also notice my grandma's handmade quilt...gorgeous! |
My grandpa's service was so nice. He was such a quiet man with a
gentle spirit, he was always quick to ask about my life and check in on the
kids anytime I called. Most of my memories of him involve farm machinery
or cards, my latest memory of him was when we played a game of Rummikub on our
trip to Plentywood last summer...he beat me, of course, that man was sharp for
86! It was wonderful to hear all the memories people had of him and see how
respected he was as a farmer, he was a DIY kinna guy long before Pinterest...he
built his own house for Pete's sake! He was an honest, hard-working man full of
integrity who liked to throw in a "Gee Wizz" from time to time, and
I'm so very grateful to have been able to make this trip to remember and honor his
life, a life well lived.
After we got back from Plentywood we had a whole week of
memory-makin' to do!
The kids played with all the fun new toys/books/puzzles/games my
aunt has stored away, Selah watched Donut Man and Preschool Power and home
videos to her heart's content, Owen shoveled more snow, we all ate lefse
(lefsa?), we took a personality quiz (I thrive in a structured environment and
enjoy security, in case you're wondering) Daniel and I went on a double date
with my cousin and her special man, Selah got to ride on a huge ferris wheel,
we got to hear my uncle preach at a church service, and, my favorite part,
always, are all the times we stay up late (way too late for a mama of a
newborn, but oh, so worth it!) playing games and chit chatting, I love it, love
it, love it!
These noodles kept
Owen occupied for the longest time
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Selah listened to
Soupy Sails on a {new} old school recorder
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| Selah had her first sleepover!! Pizza making, cookie decorating, camping out in sleeping bags watching a Christmas movie...I mean, does life get any better for a five year old?! |
They built
snowpeople
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And there was
absolutely no lack of snuggle time!
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Eventually,
tearfully, we had to say goodbye and head home to our life back in Texas.
Some of the best people you'll ever meet!
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Our trip home was pretty much uneventful until the last couple
hours, and those last couple hours were pure torture...BUT, we made it, all in
one piece, just a little weary.
This is NOT what
the last couple hours looked like,
but it is how I hope to remember it, and how I hope my kids remember it |
And we came home with this chunky, smiley baby!
It's amazing the difference two weeks can make!
And now, since it has taken me practically a month to get this
written, Christmas season is in full swing and we are enjoying all the holiday
festivities and celebrating the ultimate gift of Jesus! Can't wait to share a
bit of that in a future post!
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