to grandmother's house we go

Last month, Husband and I pondered back and forth about our Christmas travel.  We're on the "switcheroo" holiday plan - one year with his family, one year with mine.  It has worked out well so far, though throwing in a (not so little anymore) bambina makes travel "challenging."  And challenging is the nice word for it.

My parents moved to Georgia a couple of months ago, and they are no longer within a direct flight route from NYC.  After much back and forth, we decided to drive.  We got a lot of strange looks when we shared this decision.  No less than 10 people uttered the words "portable DVD player" and promised to pray we would still be talking to each other upon our arrival.  Such a vote of confidence!  The truth is, we really enjoy being behind the wheel, though that's probably because we only drive a handful of times a year.  We are always ready to turn the car in by the end of the trip (being stuck in traffic is MADDENING!!) but there is something romantic to me about setting out in a car, with adventure just around the corner.  Must admit our Chrysler Sebring wasn't SO romantic, I was thinking more of a vintage convertible on a sunny day, but you get the idea... 

I'm happy to report we survived our "jaunt" down I-95, though we couldn't have done it without the help of some very important people and F&B institutions: Thanks to overnight stays with friends in NC on the way down and VA on the way home.  Being able to break up the trip kept us sane.  Thanks to Chick-Fil-A... words can't describe how I love you.  To the 7-11 Big Gulp, your caffeine helped me stay focused on the drive and to Starbucks, who knew I could even find you connected to a gas station.  To the Cracker Barrel gift shop, thank you for keeping my child entertained on a breakfast pit stop.  And speaking of Baby S, she was a rock star in the car.  Sure, she had her moments, but overall she did really well, especially since she'd never been in a car for more than 2 hours at a time (and yes, we were taking a bit of a gamble by embarking on this trip)!

Our Christmas was lots of fun and it was wonderful being with family.  I got to meet my niece for the first time, so that was definitely the highlight.  Baby S checked her out a few times but was more interested in my parents' dogs and their wagging tails than a baby in a bouncy seat.  Maybe next time.  All in all, it was a great visit, and my parents were thrilled to have both grandchildren under one roof.

Though I was not in the house or town I grew up in, the old adage is true:

Home is where the heart is.  And the heart of home is family. 

I hope your holiday was as merry, and I wish you all a FABULOUS 2011!!