Christmas #1
In the wee small hours of Saturday morning, we are loading up and heading out to Atlanta. My family is doing their Christmas together at my sister’s house this weekend. I am super excited. This kicks off a two week Christmas celebration for me and I am definitely looking forward to a little down time. I have been so tired lately! I’m to that point of exhaustion that I was starting to think I was getting sick, but then I realized that I’m just freaking tired!
This weekend we are going to be in Atlanta, then next week I’ll be home with the kiddos doing some last minute Christmas shopping and baking, and the following week we’ll be in Pensacola with Chris’s family for Christmas. As busy as that sounds, it’s really a lot of getting somewhere and then sitting for a while. I’m really looking forward to it. I have been trying to finish the last Harry Potter book for a month now and I just started reading “Little Bee,” so I’m ready for some sittin’, eatin’, and readin’.
But before any of that can happen, we have to make it from here to Atlanta. We learned our lesson last time and so we aren’t trying to drive Friday after work again. We’re leaving early Saturday morning and driving during the day. Hopefully, we’ll get there in much better moods this time. It’s not the getting there that’s got me worried though. It’s the packing of the car.
I swear, two kids require at least four carloads full of stuff in order to survive a three day weekend. For three days, this is what we have to fit into our car:
– A medium sized suitcase for the kids’ clothes
– A small duffel for Gracie’s bottles and formula and snacks and juice for Bean
– A large sized suitcase for me and Chris
– 4,000 Christmas presents (wrapped, so the bows can’t be smashed)
– 2 plates of Christmas cookies
– A pack ‘n play
– Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Lightning McQueen, and Mr. Bear (both of them)
We sometimes try to take the stroller, but we’re going to leave it this time and take the Baby Bjorn instead. It’s easier to travel with and the chances that my sister or my mom are going to ever put Gracie down anyway are slim to none.
So, if you see a Nissan Altima that is bulging with luggage, presents, and small children driving down 75N on Saturday, honk and wave.
IT’S CHRISTMASTIME, YA’LL!
18 Comments
RJ (Kids and Cast Iron)
Have a wonderful and safe trip. I swear kids bring more on vacations then adults do.
Rebecca @ The Reluctant Housewife
I would tell you to have a great time, but I already know that you’re going to! I hope you get lots of reading done on the drive up there {that’s my favorite thing to do on a road trip}, and I hope the little kiddos do great on the drive! Merry Christmas a couple weeks early =)
Ashley @ A Recipe for Sanity
Have a safe trip and enjoy yourselves! I can’t wait to hear about it afterwards!
Alaina
Safe travels and have an amazing time with your family!
Jen @ Caved In
You wouldn’t think packing for 2 little people would be so difficult but it’s crazy how much stuff they have. Hope you guys have a safe and wonderful trip!
melissa
dear katie,
i loved little bee. that book was amazing and changed my life. i hope you enjoy it.
love, melissa
Christina @ Marriage from Scratch
Bahahhaah that picture makes me laugh. What a good daddy Chris is- carrying beans stuffed animal :). Have fun!
Sarah@Crazy Love Gamble-Style
I don’t know I feel like you are packing light! We seem to bring a crazy amount of things, I swear even my husband comes up with reasons to bring 3 pairs of shoes for a short weekend. Have a wonderful holiday with your family! Enjoy, let the festivities begin!
Monique
Have a safe trip and a very merry christmas, Katie!! Thanks for letting us pekk into your family’s life again this year!
jenny-bird
And I always thought packing for two and one small dog required a lot of extra “stuff.” An early Merry Christmas to you! I hope you have a safe and happy holiday. P.S. Do you keep extra food, water, diapers, TP, etc as an emergency kit in your car? Six hour traffic delays can strike anytime. Your mom’s birthday dessert…er your Christmas cookies might not make the trip home. (Sorry Mom!)
Kat
Good luck! I hope this daytime drive goes better. Jon and I actually pack a bag with bows separately now and put them on when we arrive at our destination – this is a result of a lot of smashed bows.
Suz McA
Little Bee is SO good. Enjoy!
Megan
I’ve been reading your blog for about a year now, and wanted to say hi! My hubby and I are doing the “multiple” Christmases too (split between NJ and Boston), and I feel your anxiety about how much there is to do and how much to pack. Have a safe trip and enjoy all of your holiday time! 🙂
Mindee@ourfrontdoor
Sigh. The packing was on the long list of reasons why we finally put on our big girl/boy panties and told our families that we would no longer travel for Christmas. They were welcome to come to us or we would arrange visits at another time but no. more. traveling.
We’ve had Christmas in our own house ever since and once the grandmas got done pouting about it, it’s been blissful.
Ann G-B
Can you add the boys when you get there? I know you and your family are big elaborate bow people! Or maybe you can keep the pack and play open and store the gifts inside of it!?!?
JenMarie
I feel your pain! I have 3 teenagers and an 8 year old to travel with! Yipes!
Have fun in P’cola. I lived there for about 13 years. I miss it! Napoleons downtown. *sigh*
Lydia
Have a safe and beautiful Christmas! We are doing the same thing. We are traveling from Ohio to Pennsylvania for a couple of days and then traveling to Queens, NY for another couple of days and then coming all the way back to OH. Lots of driving….With all the packing we have to do, we don’t know how we are going to fit all the gifts from the grandparents in the car on the way home. That’s our problem. Good luck!:)
Liz
Haha! That picture looks like a paparazzi shot of your family. 🙂