If you try to make everyone happy...

nobody will be happy! That was the huge lesson learned on Elias' first Christmas. It was technically supposed to be a "Begnaud" Christmas which originally was going to be in Houston. Things changed last Spring and it was moved to Lafayette. "Cool!", I thought. Now I can be with my family too on Elias' first Christmas. I hadn't thought about it much until Thanksgiving. Usually Lafayette is the neutral city where we share holiday time. But since it was supposed to be a Begnaud Christmas, it was a little confusing. So, for Christmas Eve, at about noon, we headed over to Ma-Ma's house where Dallas grandmother, Dallas' parents, sister, brother-in-law, and 6 month old niece were. We had our bags packed to spend the night in the 1 bathroom house. That was okay because it is quite fun squeezing into a house for the sake of Christmas cheer. We spent the entire evening and night with the Begnaud fam. In the middle of the night, it was clear it was just way too cold for Elias to be sleeping on the floor, so I moved him on the sleeper sofa mattress with us. Dallas started having acid reflux and ended up the rest of the night on the recliner. Each time I touched Elias' hands, they were like ice cubes. In the morning, we woke up knowing we had to start opening gifts by 8. We finished around 9:45 and quickly bundled up and headed to my parents house where children and adult alike were waiting to open presents. We finished there around 11:45. Crap. We had to be at the next Begnaud event, i.e., lunch, at noon. I quickly got in the shower and we manage to make it there at 1. At this point, Elias' cold had returned, we are guessing from his freezing night before. We eat lunch with Dallas' family. I look at the clock and it is 2:50. My family's get together starts at 3. We head out and eat and hang out with my family until around 6. At this point we head back over to Ma-Ma's to hang out with his family. We decide NOT to spend the night there for Elias' sake. We head back to the Langford's around 8:30, where we put Elias to bed and nearly crash right behind him. And that was how we spent Elias' first Christmas. Not really celebrating or enjoying either family, but in the car most of the day, exhausted. We learned a valuable lesson. When it is one family's turn for the holiday, we spend the entire time with that family. I just wanted Elias' Christmas to be special and it totally sucked. Hopefully, he won't remember it. I hope everyone else had a happy Christmas that was truly enjoyable.

Wash Me!

Why do people continue to write this on the back of dirty car windows? Isn't the joke old? Maybe it is a junior high thing that you think is hilarious and you must write on the back of your mom's Expedition. I remember writing it on my mom's van. But still...I can't believe it is still happening. Come on kids, think of something else!

Arkansas is NOT filled with hicks!

Dallas, Elias, and I recently flew up to NW Arkansas to visit some friends. The MAN gave us free tickets to anywhere in the Continental US before Christmas. The problem was, Dallas only has 1 vacation day this year, so it had to be close and over a weekend. It was also Tiny's first flight. He slept the whole way there because Dallas was holding him like he was in his car seat and the airplane was like being in a car times a thousand. Anyway, back to Arkansas. First, we got off of the plane and were hit with cold air. It was crisp and awesome, just like winters should be. I really miss having a "real" winter.

Come to find out, NW Arkansas is the name given to several smaller cities that are close together...Bentonville (yes, Walmart headquarters), Rogers, Fayetteville, and like 2 more. The area was hilly and gorgeous and I wanted to stay outside all day on Saturday because the beautiful blue sky was neverending with hills and trees painted all over it. Interesting tidbit about Bentonville...1,000 people move there every month. So I really had the wrong impression of Arkansas. I guess just like people stereotype South Louisiana. No, we didn't ride to school in a canoe (but I have eaten Nutria rat).

Saturday night we went to Fayetteville's town square which looked like someone hosed about a million Christmas lights all over it. It was really pretty, but I LOVE Christmas time, unlike my Grinchy husband. It was so cold...Dallas had Elias in the Maya Wrap. Elias was bundled up in cords, a sweater, socks and shoes, a big hat, and a blanket. He didn't move the entire time we were outside. A merry time was had by all.

We got back on the plane Sunday night and when we stepped outside in Houston, a wave of humid sticky air hit us. Home sweet home.