Christmas 2012 {Part 2}

After Christmas celebration with my family we hit the road headed to my mother- and father-in-law’s house in Sturgeon, Missouri. This was our first trip to visit Deanna (Nana) since she married Leonard (PopPop) and moved to Missouri last October. They have visited us several times but this was the first chance we have had to go up there. We were pulling out of Mena at 6 pm for the 8-hour drive. We took Baxter with us – the first time we’ve taken him EVER on a road trip. He did great! Stephen and I took turns driving and we would stop every few hours to top off on gas/use the restroom/let Bax pee/etc. I was initially nervous that no gas stations would be open and we would be stranded with no gas, but apparently that was a stupid fear because gas stations were open everywhere! We pulled into Nana and PopPops driveway at about 2:15am. Christopher had fallen asleep around 7pm and slept the entire way until just about 30-40 minutes from Nana’s house. We had stopped to switch drivers and Stephen needed to use the restroom, and Christopher woke up and needed to use the restroom as well, and he ended up staying awake for the rest of the drive – just about a half hour or so. We told him we were almost to Nana’s house and he was so excited!

Nana was waiting on us when we got there, and while Stephen and I were carrying things in from the car, PopPop woke up from all the commotion and Christopher was REALLY excited to see him! He was seriously acting crazy and running in circles like it was mid-day. Stephen and I were afraid that he would never fall back asleep! I think we finally fell into bed around 3:15 or so that night. (Morning? Ha.) We were both exhausted after the long trip, but I’m glad that we did at night because neither of us are morning people and I’m not sure our original plan to leave at 4am would have worked out for us.

We had a very relaxed, low-key Christmas Day at Leonard and Deanna’s house. I didn’t get out of my PJs all day long! It was wonderful. Stephen and I both got a wonderful present from them and Christopher received several fun things, as well.

Again, no actual pictures of the gift-opening process. I enjoy it so much that I don’t really want to take pictures, because I just want to enjoy them moment, ya know? But then I regret that decisions afterwards.

We were at Deanna and Leonard’s from Christmas Day, Tuesday, thru Saturday morning. We had such a GREAT visit with them and I’m so glad that we were able to make them trip up there for Christmas. I’m doing the rest of the trip in a separate post.