And We're Back

After many days away and many miles on the road, we arrived back in Dallas on Monday evening in time to spend New Year's Eve unpacking and chilling at home. Our Christmas travels began the Saturday before last (Dec. 22nd) with a drive to the in-law's house in northeastern OK.

Straight from bed to the car and ready to go!

Helping Gramma and Grampa decorate their Christmas tree

By Sunday morning Will was not eating and acting lethargic. After getting back from church he started vomiting and running fever. Fortunately after about 24 hours he was back to his old self. Unfortunately, about that time Cate caught it (although a slightly different version of it) and was sick for about three days...ugh! No one likes to be sick during the Christmas holidays, especially when you're away from home.

Modeling Mommy's shoes for Aunt Paige before getting sick

Despite illness, Cate was game for making Christmas cutout cookies (she got her own cookie sheet and supplies to try and prevent spreading the illness)

Will was VERY into decorating cookies. Grampa would roll out the dough, Will would cut out some of them, then he and Uncle Ben would get busy decorating. At one point he was even double fisting the sprinkles.

Our best attempt at a picture before Mass on Christmas morning

After Mass we exchanged gifts before heading to Gramma Stoia's house

Checking out Chutes and Ladders

Investigating a little more

Another hour in the car and we were in Bartlesville (almost to the Oklahoma/Kansas border)

Cate eating in the highchair her Great Papa used as a boy (right before she got sick, AGAIN)

And opening gifts again...

While we were in OK, we unfortunately missed all of the snow in Dallas and got none in Claremore--major bummer! On Wednesday the road conditions in southeastern OK were pretty poor so we headed back through Oklahoma City. It added a good chunk of time to our drive back, but we were able to have lunch and exchange gifts with Billy's Grandmom so it was well worth it.

By this point everyone was pretty exhausted and ready to be back home.

On Thursday and Friday Billy went into the office while the kids and I unpacked, washed lots of laundry, and packed us back up to leave on Saturday morning to head south. Pictures from our Christmas fun in El Campo to come.