Christmas Trip

After getting the thumbs up from my doctors on Monday and Tuesday, we took off early Wednesday for what will likely be our last big roadtrip before the twins are born...or for a while after it, most likely.  We were worried that the doctors' orders to stop every hour and a half would make for really slow progress but we actually made great time--I think when we stop so often, our stops are shorter.  The 900+ miles we've traveled so far didn't seem too bad; I'm thankful once again that our kids are pretty happy in the car.  But we are so glad to be here! Christmas with family is just wonderful.

Before you travel, of course you have to
pack.  I let Austin pack his own little
backpack.  And then I packed a separate
container of things I thought he would
actually play with. :)

We took a break at a mall in suburban Indianapolis.
We managed to take a few cute pictures before a
member of mall management came and told us it
was against mall policy to take photographs in the mall.
Sad world we live in, when you get scolded for taking
pictures of your own kids.

Fellow Cake Wrecks fans, we have a carrot jockey!

Sleepy Esther...

...aaaaand sleeping Esther.

Austin loves this Bible puzzle book.  I only had to pick it up
off the floor four or five times.

Chillin' in the Terre Haute hotel.  Check out
her pants: that's what happens when everything you
feed her (which you thoughtfully picked out
to be non-messy) gets spit out, half-eaten, and ends
up on her clothes and carseat.

More chillin'.  Hey, we're a family without cable or satellite TV.
When we encounter an HD TV with the Disney Channel, it
tends to capture our attention.

Day 2 in the car: The Foot Book buys us some serious miles.

As does a video or two. 

We arrive at last!  And Grandma immediately
puts Austin to work helping with the cinnamon rolls.

We were worried that Esther might have a "warming up" period
with my parents, but Grandpa came in the door from work and she
ran right over and asked to be picked up. So sweet!  I think this
little girl knows that her time as the baby of the family is running out.