Whew!! We had a great Christmas break…family time in Missouri, a football game in Nashville, and back home in time to countdown to the New Year with friends. We’ve been busy! We traveled to Missouri on the 22nd and were there until the 27th.
On road trips I always think I deserve to eat junk food. Why oh why?!! I’m not doing anything, but sitting and riding. ha! Anyway, this is the first trip in the history of Erika Road Trips where I actually purchased something healthy at the gas station. Jalapeno Cheetos and Reese’s Fast Breaks are my go-tos, but this time I had a banana. And we were in the car for nine hours so I made a graphic. 🙂
On Wednesday evening, we met up with some friends to have dinner at a local barbecue restaurant. Ironically, the wife was in the education department with me at college so we had a couple classes together and the husband went to high school with Tab. SMALL WORLD! We met up with them last year and really had a great time. This year we brought kids and the crazy.
If you’re from Missouri, we went to Hickory Log for dinner. I don’t know what it is about that place…the ribs, the gaudy Christmas decor, or the cinnamon apples on every plate, but it puts me right in the Christmas spirit.
Bowen missed the first picture and this is what he thought about being in the next one. I absolutely LOVE this picture!!
The Slaughters and the Tarbuttons….we had the best time with those four.
Christmas Eve morning we headed to town (my parents live in the country) to pick up a couple things. These three hit up the play area to burn off some of that energy.
We let the kids open one present (which all happened to be games) and Tab and I battled it out playing several rounds of Battle Ship. I ALWAYS won!! #onlygameIcanbeathimat
We left cookies and milk for Santa and then hit the sack!
These three crazies were so excited they could hardly sleep!!
I’m sure my mom will be glad this one’s blurry. haha!! But I love that I caught Ebby Lee’s reaction to Santa’s goodies. We had a great Christmas morning! Santa was good to us all.
We headed to my grandparents’ house to see the rest of the family. Nixon is all about sports these days. Any time it wasn’t running and remotely warm enough to be outside, you could find him outside with a ball. Lots of people got in on a little game of football. 🙂
Check him out….he is one tough little guy!
The football crew 🙂
There are seven grandchildren (I’m the oldest) on my mom’s side. We try our best to all get together around Christmastime. Now there are eight great-grandchildren so the party is getting even bigger-and CRAZIER!
Check out our CRAZY! 🙂
Bowen’s really shy…can you tell??
Bowen and my grandpa 🙂
The “younger folks” ate downstairs and played a game after dinner.
This is my brother, Jared, his wife, Kelly, and their two boys…Camden and Paxton. I’m so thankful Jared met Kelly. I love love love this girl and am so happy to have her in our family!
Seriously….this boy gets around.
Before we left, I snapped a few selfies….my cousin, Tarah, and her new baby (who’s almost one), Asa.
He knows how to work the ladies…hahahaha! Trust me!
These three are fabulous!! Absolutely fabulous!
Awwww!!!! Lindsey! I don’t get to see this girl enough!
Best of four….three girls smiling is a success!!
The entire crew at the end of the night….a fabulous Christmas sharing the day with these people.
Please notice Nixon and Camden’s pose….hahahaha! #thecoolguys
We spent the next day with my parents and my brother’s family opening presents. Then the rest of the crew arrived that afternoon and we had our annual “Reindeer Games”.
We forgot to take a family of five picture on Christmas Day so Sunday after church…we snapped one! #SundaySelfie success!!
Be still my heart!
Hope you had a fabulous Christmas week as well!!
I’m going to share our Reindeer Games in a separate post later this week. 🙂
So many good pictures! I love how you have so many of your entire family! Now, I'm craving BBQ and a good game of touch football out in the yard :). What a great Christmas!
Thank you!!
I'm curious as to how you travel with presents in tow. Do you ship a lot of them to your parents house?
Oh girl…we CRAM them everywhere! Haha! We have a little cargo thing that hooks up to our car. We put suitcases back there and then all of my kids sit side by side in the middle so we had the entire back. But with that said, we had to leave 75 percent of their Christmas presents in Missouri because they just wouldn't fit. It's gonna work out well though because Christmas goodies will be spaced out. 🙂
Too funny! You just be super secretive that your kiddos don't notice 😊. Loved your post!
So glad you had a great Christmas!!!Super sweet picture of your family!! 🙂
Beautiful
Looks like so much fun!!!
Do you have another "Christmas morning" when you get back home (with all the other presents)?
No, we take it all to Missouri and Santa comes there. 🙂
What a wonderful Christmas!! I love the kid's Christmas pajamas!!
I was trying to figure out how you, Katy, and Tarbutton knew each other from college! They are the best! Looks like you had a great time with family!
Love this! What a fun Christmas week!!!!! xx
Looks like y'all had the best time! Glad you're home though. I'm ready to see your face! 🙂
What a wonderful holiday I give you credit,,,I would be a mess traveling, bringing Santana gifts, ….you're a rock star! Have a great week !!!
So much fun! We don't travel for Christmas but when I was a little girl we used to! So many memories! Glad you guys had a great trip!! 🙂
So fun!!!! And when did Bowen get soooo big???
Looks like so much fun!! Can't wait to read about your time in Nashville!
What sweet pictures! I love how your family does games…I need to implement that with mine but I feel like it would be so chaotic with the little ones around. I was reading this with B next to me and now he's coloring a picture for Bowen 🙂 It's Paw Patrol…lol
Looks like an amazing Christmas! You are blessed!
Random question, do you know the manufacturer for your Mom's sofa?! I have been searching for one with the nailheads and a smiliar color for awhile now and haven't found one! I would be so appreciative if your mom would share where she bought it and who makes it!
Thanks so much!
I'm so glad your Christmas was wonderful. Happy new year.
I love you too! Your the best sister a girl could ask for!!!