Our first weekend there was spent at the annual Christmas friend dinner with Katherine, Dana, and Lauri and their families. As usual, our visit was way too short. Us girls managed to escape to the local DQ for diet Cokes and blizzards while the daddies watched the kiddos. Our family spent the night at Katherine's, and, sadly, that night, Alex got sick. Poor little guy. He was sick all night long. We got up and left first thing the next morning. Thankfully, everyone else was spared and no one in any of the other families got sick. For us, the worst was yet to come.
Two days later, Roo got sick. He had the worst end of the deal. The first day he was sick, he threw up 17 times in four hours. It was absolutely heart-breaking to watch. We ended up in the ER that night. Thankfully the triage nurse gave him some anti-nausea medicine that helped him sleep through the night. But the vomiting continued for five more days. And then a fever for three days after that. All the while, it traveled through the rest of our crew. Mom. Me. Jerry. Pop Pop. And our family friend, Kathy. It was a potent bug.
We had to quarantine ourselves while we were sick, but after that, we took advantage of every moment to spend time with other family and friends.
We made a day-trip to Dallas to see our friend Barbara and have lunch with her before going to a family photoshoot. After the photoshoot was done, we raced up to see Dana and Laine's new house and then raced over to see one of Jerry's long-time friends from work. I hadn't seen Jerry's friends in years, and it was so good to catch up, even if only for an hour or so.
With Jerry's family, we went to downtown Longview to see the courthouse lights and enjoy bounce houses and man-made snow slides and mini train rides and hot dogs and cocoa and write letters to Santa. The event was fantastic and so well done. And the best part of all – it was all FREE! We all had a blast. I think the highlight of the night was when Roo and I and Jerry and Alex tubed down the snow slide together. SO MUCH FUN!
With Greg and Janna (Pops and Nana), we went to see the Marshall lights. My brother, Zack, and his family came, too, and Alex and Roo sure enjoyed playing with their girls. We ate at the Candy Cane Cafe and took a double-decker bus ride around the town to see the lights. Oh, and more bounce houses and inflatable slides. Alex cannot get enough of those things! He was in good company with Zack's girls. And we also got to do a little mini train ride around the courthouse there. Another WONDERFUL NIGHT!
With Noni and Pop Pop, we had a day of candy making and a trip to a drive-thru light park called Santaland. As far as candy-making goes, Audra (my step sister) and her family were on "Team Martha Washington Balls." Zack and his family were on "Team Orange Balls." And our family was on "Team Fudge." (Somehow, "our family" ended up being me. LOL! Roo was the official taste-tester, and was a big fan of the Martha Washington Ball.) These were many of the candies we grew up eating. It was fun to begin the tradition of "passing the torch." And our trip to Santaland? Let's just say we did it in true Griswold fashion. Pop Pop put two bales of hay in the back of his truck, and we piled in. Two in the front, 13 in the back. It was crazy fun, and the kids LOVED IT! Adults, too, I might add! Couldn't really distinguish between the two that night!
Leading up to Christmas, we would continually "quiz" Alex about the true meaning of Christmas. Who's birthday are we celebrating? Who were Jesus' mommy and daddy? Where was Jesus born? (He would always answer, "A stable.") What town was Jesus born in? Who were the first people who came to see Jesus? Who else came to see Jesus after he was born? What gifts did the three wise men bring? Eventually he got it all down. We made sure we had Jesus' birthday cake as a part of our Christmas day celebration.
Roo-bear really seemed to be into the Christmas carols. His favorite? The Little Drummer Boy. He loved the "pa-rum-pum-pum-pum" part. He had that part down! So cute to see him sing and dance.
The boys had fun prepping for Santa. We had breakfast with him, and had a surprise visit from him one day at the Chick-fil-A at the mall. He came over and talked to the boys, and they weren't too sure what to think but did well. On Christmas Eve, the boys put out candy and milk for Santa. They also made reindeer food and sprinkled it out on the lawn. Surprising to me, Roo was really into the reindeer food – both the making and the sprinkling. I just kind of figured that he was too young to care, but he got right in there alongside Alex and got after it. Both boys enjoyed a little taste-testing, too. ;-) Santa did not let the boys down – they had a fun Christmas morning.
As if our Christmas weren't magical enough getting to spend time with those we love most, we got to enjoy a white Christmas, too! It was spectacular, and the boys were in heaven. It makes me hope that we get some more here in Virginia before the winter is through.
We are settling back in now, and kicking off the New Year with hearts of gratitude for all that we have been given in the gifts of family and friends. We are so very blessed.
