The holiday season and weekend getaways

The last few days have been such fun! Well, at least Saturday and Sunday have been.... Friday was just bad. Very bad. Mental patient bad. I could have used a Whiskey I.V.


Buuuuuut, Saturday I woke up excited because Kevin and I were going to the Coast for his work Christmas party. I was viewing it as a Romantic Getaway of sorts (with our 2 month old). Hey! At least I didn't have to argue, barter and finangle my way through another weekend with my 2 year old; he was staying at home with Grammy & Papa. Oh joy!

(note: I missed the hell out of my youngster despite all the hoops he makes me jump through on a daily basis)

We had a hotel room at The Grand so we loaded up our mini van and a Uhaul for one night away with ourselves and our 2month old baby. Just kidding, of course, about the Uhaul but our mini van was packed full of crap. Why do kids require so much stuff when traveling?? I guess it's more me than anything. I like to be prepared for any situation.

Anyway, we checked in and got situated and it was so......quiet. I mean we were staying in a casino hotel but I mean it was quiet; in a way only a mother of two who left the older chatterbox at home, could understand. :) I could actually hear my baby coo gently and Kevin and I could hold a conversation from beginning to end. It was weird.
We got ready to go to the party and headed out. I had bought a pair of larger dress pants on the way down because I was unwilling to wear maternity clothes but I opted not to get a new shirt. I figured my red sweater would be stretchy enough to fit, and it was....but it fit a little too well, if ya know what I mean. Unfortunately I spent most of the evening self consciously tugging at the form fitting waist of the shirt trying to pull it down over my odd shaped belly and camel humps. Ah well. I got through it.
So we are dressed nicely (Kevin was quiet dapper) and we are toting our 2 month old along. He was so amazingly good. I nursed him at 6:30 or 7:00 and put him in the stroller with a little blanket tent and he was good to go. (note: he ended up sleeping until 3:30 that morning, even with being transferred to carseat and then to bassinet in hotel room) During the Christmas party I got the mix of looks and comments from people ranging from Why would she bring her baby to a party?! to Ahhh, I wish I brought my little one along.... I can't please everybody but survival is key and I neeeeeed to be able to hang out at social functions now and again. I just do what I have to do.
Mommy got to have a couple of cocktails (yum) and didn't even need to use the back-up breast milk. Yeah!
After a lovely night sleeping in the most comfortable bed in the world and not getting kicked in the head, we went to the breakfast buffet. It was relaxed and fun and it totally recharged me. Mother's guilt set in sometime between the walk from the room and my made-to-order omelette. Sigh. So we stopped off at the overpriced gift shop for a Pwesent for Carter. I knew since I said I'd bring him one that he would remember. The days of him forgetting things like that are long gone. He has a memory like an elephant and he'll call you out on things you tell/promise him. It was an agonizing decision, "Hmmm, 20 dollar penguin or 20 dollar alligator....". :) The alligator won out and has since never left his side. He was pleased. I live to serve.
After we got home and attacked our youngster with kisses like we had been gone for weeks, we lazed about all day until dusk when we all loaded in the car again and headed out to see some awesome Christmas lights.
For all of you non-locals, the Lewis Lights are THE place to get some Christmas cheer. This family out in bfe starts decorating in October and by December 1st they are on from 5:30 until 9:00pm every night until New Years. They are amazing. You walk along a path that is strung back and forth across their property and covered with some 15,000 lights (I think that is what they said...is that alot? I dunno). Plus, it's free. Free fits our budget very well, I might add. They take donations to cover the exorbitant electric bill, though.
I'm so glad there is something like this for the little ones especially. Carter absolutely loves it and we try to go a few times each season. This time he grabbed the camera and took a picture of every display. I will have to post some of them because I was pretty surprised how well he did lining them up in the frame and all....maybe he will be a famous photographer. Look out Ansel Adams!
Check some of these out, and keep in mind, he's two...... and we are obnoxiously proud parents... and this is my blog and I can post whatever I want. :)

Well that was our weekend.

Last night I got to the Wrapping of the Presents. *sigh* I never thought I would get sick of seeing the same wrapping paper. Remind me next year to buy more of a variety....and to organize all of my wrapping supplies. Egads! It's a mess.
Christmas is fast approaching! What happened to December being soooooo long that it was actually painful. I remember thinking that Christmas would never come. Haha. Time flies when you get old.

(I have no idea why blogger won't let me alter this last paragraph so it's not right on top of those pictures but whatever....looks sloppy. stupid.)