I’m sitting here in Nashville, in a quiet hotel room as my husband and kids sleep. We drove down to Nashville on Christmas day and have enjoyed spending time with all of Neal’s family. This holiday season has been really wonderful and I’m sad to see it pass. The holidays coming to an end also marks the end of my maternity leave, so I’m feeling a variety of emotions with that.
After Neal’s birthday earlier this month Kinnick and I traveled to San Antonio for a long weekend. It was really fun introducing Kinnick to my brother, spending time with my parents, and seeing my dear friend Stephanie. It was a very short trip, but it was so good seeing everyone!
The days leading up to Christmas were busy, through no fault but my own. Every year I have this plan to get ahead of the holidays, but without fail I’m scrambling up until Christmas Eve. I will say, Amazon was my best friend this year! Gotta love 2 day shipping and being able to buy anything and everything from one site.
Christmas morning was magical and I will forever treasure these mornings with my family. We slept in our Christmas PJ’s, both kids slept until 7:30AM, and then we made our way downstairs. Magnolia saw her new rain boots right away and wore them all morning.
We talked to family, opened presents slowly, and I made from scratch cinnamon rolls. I’ve tried a different recipe each year and this year’s was by far my favorite! The fact that I made them from scratch Christmas morning and didn’t have to wait for them to rise… win, win!
After nap time Christmas day we loaded up the car and drove down to Nashville. The drive was super easy, though Magnolia hardly slept. Kinnick was a champ though! Magnolia made up for it once we made it to our hotel, knocking out while watching her new Amazon Fire (one of her Christmas presents).
The time here in Nashville has been really chill and a lot of fun! It has also given me some much needed time away from work and DC before the new year starts. I’ve needed the time to think, to talk to Neal, and to plan for 2018. I also got to visit the Franklin, TN OrangeTheory, which was really fun!
I’m really sad to lose the days at home with Kinnick starting January 8, but I’m also looking forward to settling into our new routine. It’ll be good to have Magnolia and Kinnick in school, that way I can drive back into work full time and then get back to leaving work at work. I have plenty to share as we move into the new year about having 2 kids, navigating a career while caring for a family, the work I’m putting in to lose weight, and making yourself a priority when time seems so scarce.
2017 was a wonderful whirlwind, but I am so thankful for the blessings 2017 gave us! I am really, really looking forward to 2018, to the new year, and to a new beginning.
