4 days, 1400 miles, 16 inches of snow, 14 relatives

We were to kick off our holiday with a trip to see the Bowmans in Lynchburg on the Saturday before Christmas. And then there was a snow storm. A serious snowstorm with closed roads and stranded motorists. So our travel plans were delayed until Monday.



We left early Monday morning and safely arrived in Lynchburg just before dark. After unloading the car, eating some tacos, and getting comfy, there was a little impromptu snowman creating on the deck.




Tuesday morning we enjoyed a little shopping. Grandma always wants to buy a few clothes for Luke. We lucked out and found Mario pajamas just like Luke's friend Andrew wore to school on Polar Express day. Our local Penney's was sold out. Luke is requesting a repeat pajama day so he and Andrew can match.



And then Tuesday afternoon, the highlight of Luke's week and likely month, Maddie and her family arrived. Luke's love for Maddie has not faded in the least. They had the best time ever. And he had a ball with Jonathan and Haley too. They are SO accommodating to him and play whatever he suggests. I just love seeing him enjoy his cousins. He doesn't even want Mom and Dad around and asks us to leave so he can play alone with them.



When they arrived, immediate snow play began. I could barely get Luke's coat and gloves on he was so anxious to get out there.




Love this photo, though it's a bit deceiving. I think most of the airborne snow was thrown by Jonathan toward one his beloved sisters. But it looks like Luke is attacking Jonathan.




Tasting the snow. I was so surprised he would do this. Maybe he was imitating a cousin. It's amazing how peer pressure helps with his texture issues.

Maddie, Luke and their snow creation.

Mean mom made these two go back out and stand by the finished product for a photo. I don't think they minded too much. I think they may have had a little adult assistance on the snowman's sculpted arms.

We sent Lamar out on the cold icy roads for marshmallows we needed for Rice Krispy Treats.

The grandkids always sleep on the floor in Grandma and Grandpa's room. But Luke has always wanted to sleep with us until this trip. It was a little emotional for me on different levels. So proud but sad that my baby isn't a baby. But I never want to hold him back. He's fought through so many things that hold him back.

On Wednesday we all piled in two vans and headed to see Lamar's younger sister in North Carolina. Some claimed this trip took three hours one way. 10 people making more than one pit stop each way, turned into about 8 hours on the road coming and going. I rode in the back of our van so Luke and Maddie could converse. Here was my view for a lot of hours:

When we arrived at our destination, Luke excitedly ran to the door with Maddie. I had warned him they had dogs and Maddie told him they might be loud. I knew what was going to happen, but all I could do was let it happen. It would have been pointless to try and convince him to wait behind with me. So as I walk into the house I hear excited dogs barking and Luke screaming, "I NEED MY MOMMY!!!!!" He came to me and repeatedly wailed, "I WANT TO GO TO OUR HOUSE!" After the dogs were put upstairs he calmed down. He even petted one of the them at some point during the visit. I'm thankful and a bit amazed how he can go from meltdown to calm really quickly.

The cousins exchanged gifts. Luke got a GameBoy from his Aunt Angie. He thought this was a DS and still refers to it as "my DS".

So proud.

Luke in so happy to be surrounded by cousins on the trampoline.

All the Bowman clan together. I do not know the last time this happened.

Thankfully Uncle Jason loaned us Up to watch on the way home. Such a nice change from the 4 hours of Scooby Doo on the way there. But I did not expect to burst into tears multiple times.

After we returned to Grandma's house (Luke refers to it as her house solely. Poor Grandpa.) Maddie showed Luke her DS. Since this training session, Luke has been asking for a DS like Maddie's. He's planning to use the $20 his great grandmother gave him for Christmas to buy one. He's counting on a good sale.

Wednesday evening we arrived back in Lynchburg just in time for church. So we all filed in just a wee bit late. The church is small and about 30-40 people had gathered in their fellowship area. As we came in someone joked that Lamar should preach. After a couple of songs Grandpa led the first prayer. Luke whispered to me, "I don't want to get up there." I told him he didn't have to. He asked if it was just for big kids. I said yes. I then realized he's never been to a small church having an impromptu service.

As we continued, Uncle John led a couple of songs. Luke again said, "I do not want to get up there." I again assured him he didn't have to and we reviewed only big kids would be leading the service.

A teenage boy gave a devotional talk at the end of the service. In quoting a scripture he said, "In Luke 5 . . . " Luke looked at me, red-faced with tears in his eyes and said, "I do not want to get up there!" I said, "Oh Luke, he was talking about Luke in the Bible, not you. You do not have to go up there." He's been talking a lot about being 5 soon. I see his confusion.

Then Christmas Eve we headed home. Another day of driving. It was exhausting but worth every minute.

More to come on Christmas with the Tryggs . . .

Antler Update, Actual Retail Price, School Party

I forgot I took this photo of Luke after he'd calmed down from the candy cane antler trauma on Tuesday. He'd actually been wearing antlers himself and had a red shiny nose when he came out of school. Maybe he was mad I upstaged his surprise.



I think the red shiny nose got rubbed off in all the crying.

And for the record Luke was having a rough morning on Wednesday and was not at all happy about leaving for speech. As we opened the garage door he started crying again about the antlers. Lamar promised he'd remove them when they got to speech. Lamar and I were talking as he backed out of the garage. He put the van window down and the candy cane antler shot off the window.

We recovered it and the car decorations were our white elephant gift at my work Christmas party.








And this is Luke showing me the actual retail price. Or it may have been the money in my case I was taking home "to spend on whatever you want".



Thursday was Polar Express Day at school. I'd explain, but I think every preschool in America has Polar Express Day. Luke insisted on sporting the Superman pajamas.

We decorated cookies. I wanted the kids to be able to paint cookies and finally got the icing consistency just right on my last batch. I probably should have made a practice batch before party day. But they are just preschoolers.





There's my first icing ever displayed on the plate to left. And there's Luke too.

Luke scores his book in the gift exchange.

The kids performed their Christmas songs. I learned some new verses to We Wish You a Merry Christmas. In this verse they are doing a little jumping to spread Christmas cheer. It is not surprising that Luke and his buddy Andrew were the first out of their seats for the jump fest.

Merry Christmas to all!

It's Christmas! Come on down!

Christmas is wearing us out. Christmas and game shows.

The game show obsession started at least a month ago. It began with the Deal or No Deal Wii game. Then anything that opened became a case to open. The other night at a birthday party the napkins were cases. I am frequently instructed to pretend to be Howie, our first contestant, or the ladies.

And the Price is Right. Yesterday while I was getting ready Luke was asking me to bid on something. I placed my bid and he pretended to pull something from his pocket and informed me "The actual retail price is 20 80 thousand dollars. Too bad Mommy. You lose."

Unfortunately we get the Game Show Network. And Luke can read a LOT of words these days. So he is always informing me when one of his favorites is on. And now he pretty much has the schedule committed to memory and informs me exactly how many Deals will be followed by how many Feuds.

I will not be sad to see this phase leave. I remember months ago when I was kind of ready for his passion for the Wii to calm. What I forget is as one phase leaves, we welcome a new one.

***

Each year our church has Breakfast with Santa. It's pretty crazy. About 600 people, most under the age of 6, excited to see Santa, or screaming because their parents are making them see Santa. We've been twice before when Luke was much younger.

I have our past Breakfast with Santa photos in frames I put out at Christmas. This year Luke was full of questions about the pictures and when exactly Santa was coming to church (understandably!). I was really reluctant to try it, mainly because it's kind of crazy and stressful for me.

Saturday we went and he did super.

Waiting for the photo op with Santa.



Photo with Santa. He was a little apprehensive when it was time. And he made sure I between Santa and him.

Luke and his buddies Will and Annie. He was very happy to do whatever Will and Annie were doing. That gave him some security for a while, but eventually did some things on his own too.

In the middle of the crowd and doing great.

A new tattoo! Thankfully it's not lasting as long as the last one did.

I was amazed how much he enjoyed the whole event.

Sunday afternoon we made gingerbread houses at church. It was our first time to participate in the annual event. Actually Luke's first time to ever make one.

I clearly hadn't prepped him for the occasion. As I was getting the graham crackers placed, Luke was chowing down on our bowl of decorations. We gathered more and created our masterpiece.

That evening we stayed at church for a choral concert. We sat in the lobby because Luke is terribly nervous about applause, particularly in church. (Maybe he's just looking for a reason to leave.) We stayed for a surprise party afterward. I warned Luke we'd be yelling "Surprise!" shortly and he asked to go into another room. I of course obliged, but he quickly decided he wanted to rejoin the party and help yell.

I was pretty much in awe of how easy our weekend was, despite all the big challenges.

Lately Luke and I have seen lots of cars with reindeer antlers and a red nose. Luke finds them hilarious and asks if we can get one. I'd had no luck finding any. I finally googled and saw a local store carried them. Well, they were out of the reindeer antlers, but had candy canes that attach to the windows, sort of like antlers, and a peppermint looking thing that goes on the front as sort of a nose, which pretty much doesn't make sense.

While Luke was at school today I attach the candy reindeer costume to the van and imagine how funny Luke will find it when I pick him up.

As he's walking to the car, I see he notices the candy canes and begins to smile. He runs to me saying, "Mommy, what'd you do to the car?" And then he lost it. He burst into tears, ran to the front of the car, and yanked the cloth peppermint-serving-as-a-nose-on-the-van with all this might.

I get him in the car and buckled in. Mrs. Jenny offers her condolences on my surprise gone all wrong. We drive home with my peppermint nose flapping in the breeze.

We get home and remove the car costume. We come inside, calm down, and talk about the bad choice. Then I ask Luke if he would like to help me put the decorations back on the car. He would. We do. The van is once again a candy reindeer.

So apparently surprise car costumes are a bad idea.