Christmas Travels Part 1

Our 2015 Christmas travels started with happy hearts and eagerness to be with lots of people we love.  Here's the gang, loaded and ready for the journey - 

Our first stop was at the Fishers, where we enjoyed playing, catching up, and s'mores in the fireplace.  This family is precious to us and so easy to be with!  The kids all had a great time other than Lucy feeling a little sad/scared when I tucked her in on the floor of our room.  She told me she was "just a little bit scared" and that she just "felt like there was a wolf in there."  Eventually, she was convinced there was not a wolf prowling through Evelyn's room, and we all got a good night's sleep before we hit the road early the next morning for Colorado Springs. 

The day after arriving at 2107, we were able to take a hike at Garden of the Gods.  This ended up being a blessing in that we all enjoyed being out and it was the only time we were all healthy!

Immediately after the hike and snowball fight (mostly Isaiah and Granddad), we stopped for lunch.  I set Lucy down in the parking lot and she was fussing about not feeling good.  I assumed she was a little carsick or hungry.  When I picked her up and looked into her face, she surprised us all with a huge projectile vomit into my face.  I held her out and set her down as she continued to puke down my whole body.  It was pretty hilarious and I'm thankful the humor trumped the gross-out factor for me!  I'm convinced we would have one some good money on AFV had we been recording it.  

That was the beginning of our sick week.  Cass got sick (maybe sickness plus early pregnancy).  Isaiah came down with a high, steady fever, which ended him up in Urgent care and on antibiotics, Noelle had a sore throat and another round of antibiotics, and Elliot had a bit of a stomach bug, too.  We were so glad for our one morning out and for plenty of moments of everyone feeling mostly ok for Christmas festivities.

Lots of games as we rotated through whoever was feeling well.  The hand sanitizer was flowing!

Our artists-in-residence created an art show and sold some of their original pieces to willing customers. 

Roxanne planned some fun treats! 

Everyone felt good enough for Christmas celebration! 

Noelle, Noah, and Lucy got these little mice.  HUGE hit!  They would have been totally satisfied if "Blueberry", "Rosetta", and "Bubblegum" were the only gifts for the year.   

We got to sneak away for a coffee date and walk as a little 13th anniversary treat.  Thankful for marriage that gets sweeter with time! 

Noelle was a fan of the icing and sprinkles!  She couldn't actually eat this once she's piled so much sugar on it.  Fun, though! 

Jack and Roxanne got a karaoke machine to play with, and everyone enjoyed it.  Our favorite moment was listening to Elliot sing into the mic.  Sweet boy doesn't need a mic!   

Maybe my favorite pic of the whole trip was this one with Lucy and Grandma.  She thought Apples to Apples was so fun and hilarious!  

By the time we headed north, we had a fever, antibiotics, and sweet memories of another Tallon family Christmas -