Hello! We're just arriving back from another whirlwind trip to Northern California to visit my family. We left Friday morning, and Marshall did really well on the drive (except for the 90 minutes or so of crying, but we'll ignore that part). The weekend was packed with visits and food and presents, and I'm completely exhausted. Still, I wanted to document a few fun moments we caught on camera.
Marshall loves his Uncle Chris (and I think the feeling is mutual).
Friday night was delightfully mellow. Marshall went to sleep really easily, and we had short ribs, roasted vegetables, and some farmer's market ravioli for dinner.
Saturday morning Ashley had to work, and Mom kicked the rest of us out of the house so she could get the house ready for the party later in the afternoon. Dad took us to a bagel shop, where Marshall just could not stop staring at the ceiling fan.
Upon arriving home, Terry and I headed out with Marshall and Chris and Ashley's dogs for a long walk. When we got home, we had some fun visitors: my aunt and uncle and cousins!
(That's Chase holding Marshall; she's a freshman at Wisconsin this year!)
And then the festivities started! My parents hosted a little housewarming party/open house/Christmas gathering at their new house. And they opened an Imperial bottle ( = 8 bottles of wine) of Sawyer Merlot to celebrate the occasion. Marshall thought it was for him!
We had a lovely time visiting with lots of folks at the party, some of whom I haven't seen since I was a little girl. Of course, Terry spent much of the party rocking our little guy to sleep and then holding him while he slept (no way he was going to nap in a crib in a strange place during a loud party). But the food and conversation were excellent, of course.
Sunday morning was our Christmas celebration with my family. We did a quick gift exchange next to my parents' gigantic tree (I'm upset because I didn't get a photo! But it's 13 and a half feet this year--crazy big!).
Selfies! (I cannot explain what I'm doing in the background. I can only tell you for certain that I am awkward and amazing.)
We were so grateful for my family's generosity, as always. Marshall got lots of new toys and clothes--perfect for our growing boy.
We also stopped at our friends' house because they heard Terry has been wanting some Pliny the Elder. Look at this happy dude.
And Sunday evening we drove up to Chris and Ashley's for a relaxing dinner and more presents. We opted for leftovers (pizza, pulled pork, roasted veggies), which was perfect.
In the background of this photo you can see Chris and Ashley's huge tree! (It's a thing with my family.)
Terry got more Pliny from Chris and Ashley!
Marshall got completely spoiled by his aunt and uncle. Including this hat.
We had so much fun celebrating. I am already missing that crew!
This morning Terry had to work for a few hours before we hit the road, so PopPop and JanJan watched Marshall while I headed out for a solo run. I actually thoroughly enjoyed the thirty minutes or so jogging by myself. I don't spend much time on my own now, which I don't really mind (or even notice), but it felt great to have a little break from...well, everything. I ran in silence and barely saw even a car while I was out. The weather was perfect for running, too--about 55 degrees, misty, cloudy--and I ran almost the entire 2.5 miles. It was a nice way to start the morning.
Then we rushed around packing, finishing laundry, loading the car, feeding Marshall, and saying goodbye to my parents before hitting the road. The drive back drained us all, and I'm looking forward to a good night of sleep for everyone.
I have more to share (primarily a photo session with Marshall and the two dogs), but my computer is dying and I have no idea where the charger is buried in all our luggage. I'll be back tomorrow!
Have you already started celebrating the holidays? I hope you're having a wonderful time with your loved ones!
Marshall and the Sawyer! And the hat! Too cute!! Looks like a very happy Christmas :)
ReplyDelete