Christmas in Goshen

Christmas has come and gone. I am always amazed at how much thought and preparation goes into the holidays and then the time passes by so quickly that I have to really conscious of enjoying each moment.

This year we went to Goshen, so triple the preparation time with packing, thinking through air travel with two kids, rental car, etc.

What time of day should we fly? Should we stay in Chicago overnight or just keep driving to Goshen? Do you think Greta would like this for Christmas? How are we going to deal with all of our luggage in the airport? Can we get by with only checking one bag? What documentation do our kids need to travel? Maybe we should get this for your grandma? Can't forget the monitor. Do we need the noise machine for Norah? How many diapers does Macy need for the travel day? Should that be packed in the diaper bag, carry on, or checked bag? What activities does Norah need for the plane?

And on, and on, and on.

All of these questions, and many more, were running through my head the months and weeks leading up to our trip in between other holiday festivities, work, and every day life.

It's a lot of work to get a family of four ready for a trip.

But it's worth it for what is on the other end! We had a great time relaxing at grandma and grandma Kauffman's. Greta and Katie were there for most of the time we were as well, so it was fun to have the whole family together. We spent time with great grandma Alderfer and great grandma and great grandpa Garber. We caught great aunt Von and great uncle Dave for a few hours during their short stint in town. Great aunt Kathy and Mary joined us for Christmas lunch. And Seth and I also squeezed in some time with college friends (including Aunt Annie, who Norah was very excited to see).

We spent a lot of time relaxing, chatting and catching up. Everyone had multiple chances to play with matchbox cars with Norah. Grandma read to Norah for many of her naps and bedtime. Grandpa took Norah on a walk to the park. Macy was held a lot and flashed a lot of smiles, despite being a little sick. We had many yummy meals, though most of them were disruptive for Seth and I between the two kids (Macy always seemed to get fussy at mealtime). We played with play dough. Norah showed grandma and grandpa how to draw on the iPad. We woke up one morning to a layer of snow on the ground and more flakes falling. Norah and Greta built a "snow-Norah" and a "snow-Macy", and Seth pulled Norah in the sled.

Yep, it was worth it.

Now we're at the lake celebrating Christmas with my family in 70 degree weather with a sunny blue sky. More to come on that into the new year, but first, here are some pictures from our Goshen trip.

As a side note, when Macy started really smiling Seth said that all he could think of when he saw it was Leonard (my grandpa Garber). I'm pretty sure I see the resemblance!