Auld lange syne.
Just to add to your post-holiday blues...here's a little recap of our festive trip back to the US! We spent a couple of weeks in KS and then a few days in Jersey. We came, we saw, we Christmased. The travel part was pretty easy. No delays, No Home Alone-style late wake-ups, No major toddler meltdowns ... it went pretty well!!
In true holiday fashion, we had a packed party schedule from the time we touched down in KC until we took off from Newark. I truly, honestly, genuinely had FUN at each and every event. But, I'll tell ya what...going from expat-hermit-lifestyle to busy-welcome-home-holiday-bonanza was kind of ... A LOT. You know I am a super social person, but I guess I am out of practice 😂.. And, there's also the whole jetlag thing to contend with... I was SO excited to see everyone and do everything. But maybe didn't take that part into consideration when adding to the google calendar. Oops. Not pictured: a work party, a 1st birthday party, a going away party, a Happy hour, a big Pi Kap dinner, all the tacos I ate, a bunch of appts and all the nights Asher got to spend with his grandparents because of those not-pictured events his parents attended!!
We kicked it all off with a dinner party that will go down as one of my favorite nights ever! Great food, even better friends and ended with acoustic sing-along with my seriously talented friends. Christmas magic was in full force.
So home for the holidays event #1 ✔️ ... To ALL of you that travel home for the holidays every year ... MORE POWER TO YA! It's a good thing our expat life is limited because this trip was enough to make me either move home or never come home! One of my best friends has an excel spreadsheet to manage her holiday trips home and I used to think it was just kind of something funny she did. BUT. I get it now. It's a balancing act. Balancing activities, families, lodging, babysitters, outifts (yes, outfits)... There are people we didn't see that we would have wanted to see. And people we wanted to see more of that we only saw briefly. But all in all, it was a warm, festive, wonderful trip home.
We stayed with a combo of family & friends that feel like family and know that we have it really really good. We honestly feel lucky and are so happy that Asher gets to grow up with such a warm hug of a group of people. One of my fav moments was getting Asher together with his cousin. Just 6 mos apart, these 2 dudes are about to give us a run for our money. It's a good thing there's wine.
Jason's cousin, are expecting their first child and we are BEYOND excited to add to the family baby count!! They also hosted Christmas Eve! Their house is beautiful and rustic and basically every perfect Christmas photo in the making!
It's my dream for every family Christmas to be big and loud with lots of littles running around the Christmas tree. We've got a great thing going with this Christmas Eve-nt because in-laws and extended families all are welcomed. So it's definitely big and loud and we're adding to the littles year by year!
We spent the first part of Christmas morning with my mom & brother and then got together with J's fam for a later brunch! We had an incredibly generous Christmas. When it came to gifts & the time we got to spend with our loved ones!
My adorable little nephew, Callan! 12.5 months old in the pic below :)
We snuck in a few playdates and then said our goodbyes as we headed to Jersey!
This part of our trip was pretty relaxing! My grandparents house is otherwise known as Grand Central Station! So it's the best place to be if you want to see everyone as often as possible. Asher is SO loved and it's always heart-warming to see all of my aunts and cousins and uncles and grandparents with him. Like, tears in my eyes as I write this, heart-warming.
Oh..... AND he got his FIRST HAIRCUT while we were there! By my cousin Jessica! Artist Stylist & Educator at Mania Hair Studio! // Mama-to-be of the next great grandchild in our fam. I'm gonna be a Cous-AUNT! And I am OVERJOYED.
Asher was ... apprehensive about the cut. At first. But a banana snack did the trick and he ended up relaxed and enjoying the process.
He had just barely enough hair for a cut, LOL! But, he looks so darn handsome now...
So there ya go! One fantastic Christmas season down. Thank you to everyone for hosting us, for welcoming us, for Christmas gifting us and for making this Christmas a really really awesome one.
WE LOVE YOU!
ever yours,
lindsey
