the Christmas tweet

if i was a tweeter....this is what i would have said during our 10 day trip to texas for Christmas.

December 25th.
7:00 am.
ben is running into the living room to see unwrapped presents from Santa for the first time.
i should make breakfast for my family....right? even though we are leaving for the airport in 45 minutes?
eggs. beans. rice. done.
10:00 am. at the airport.
with an expired drivers license. shoot fire (SF)
lyle asked to take his shoes off at security. seriously?!?!
ben declined my offer to let him sit with strangers on the plane.
brought 4 movies and apparently the dvd player on greg's computer doesn't work. SF.
asked been not to touch anything on the plane.
hour later. told ben he can touch anything as long as he doesn't touch me.
vegas airport. awesome Christmas day.
"awesome" is ALWAYS used as sarcasm on this blog.
6:00 pm. landed. san antonio.
both kids asleep in the car.
empty stomach.
already craving sonic!!!
jumping feet first into a house full of family
8:00 pm. ben eating a fist full of fudge. and pie. SF. no way he is going to sleep.
10:00 pm. ben trying to sleep in nana and pop t's room for the first time with all the cousins.
11:00 pm. ben found reading books in the bathroom all by himself.
12:00 am. ben in bed with me.
12:01 am. ben kicking. screaming. taking his pants off. crying. lyle awake. SF
1:01 am. ben still crying. everyone in the house awake.
1:30 am. ben crying. me cursing. run into the bed frame trying to get to lyle in the dark. SF. that's going to leave a mark.

December 26th. Christmas round 2.
10:00 am. lots of presents.
more presents.
more presents.
lunch.
drive through the hill country to force a nap. sleep victory.
ben on sugar probation.
me on the other hand....binging.
ben's playing golf for the first time.
lyle as baby Jesus in the Luke 2 Christmas story.
and ben is a grumpy wise man.

December 28th.
loaded up and ready to make the drive to McAllen.
told aaron we will only need to stop once on the 4 hour drive.
forgot bottles.
forgot hot water.
forgot CDs.
making bottle.
bathroom break.
hungry.
stopped 6 times in the first 50 miles.
10 people.
3 cars.
300 miles.
ben singing 100 verses of jingle bells. mercy.
bathroom stop.
tractors.
cows.
fields.
open road and lyle lovett.
greg calmer than i have seen him in years. peace and smile on his face.
his happy place.
both kids asleep in car.
blessed conversation with my amazing husband.
get to mcallen and realize that lyle's car seat was not buckled into the car for the last 100 miles.
lots of crying. me crying. horrible pit in my stomach...thank you Lord Jesus for protecting my baby.
more crying.
overwhelmed with all the travel. and sleep strikes.
guns and video games. and sugar cereal.
i have lost control of my oldest child.
ben....LOVES guitar hero!
and cousin drew's big boy bed. and cousin drew. wants drew to "hold him" funny.
but it takes 4 adults in shifts to get him to sleep. mercy.

December 29th.
wake up to the sound of ben chanting "i want lucky charms!"
at urgent care with lyle.
ear infection.
SF. SHOOT FIRE!
shot.
meds.
better.
please Lord....sleep?
just saw Mexico from the boarder bridge.


December 30th.
tour of mcallen.
house where greg backed the car out of the driveway across the street into the neighbor's yard at age 2.
house where greg set the field on fire.
house where greg passed out in the front lawn.
coy's house. kyle's house. john's house.
party at the cousins house.
botana platters. brilliant. huge tostada / nacho platters. yum. i have to recreate this at home.
ben is in love with natasha. a friend of greg's from high school. calls her "my girl" and "my best girl". hilarious!

December 31st.
on the road again. back to the hill country.
boarder patrol.
fruit stands.
wish i'd taken more pictures of the valley. inspired by the unique culture and landscape.
sign says, "smuggling illegal aliens is a federal crime"
ben covering his head and body with his blanket for a little "alone time" in the car. hilarious. and brilliant.
mesquite trees.
cactus park.
there is a house being moved on the high way.
one stop. 300 miles. we are getting MUCH better at road tripping.

san antonio.
ben just declared that i am "disobeying" him.
and that he gave me a spanking and i am still disobeying him. awesome.
new years eve.
asleep at 10:30. thank you Lord.

January 1st.
i just inherited a fur coat. sweet.
date day and BBQ by the pound with my husband.
thank you nana and pop t.
crepes on south congress.
beer and football.
great day.
changing clothes in the bar bathroom.
feeling 21 again.
rehearsal dinner.
i think i took that guy to a wedding. what was his name?
i think i dated that guy? what was his name?
i need to get out of this town.
thankful the Lord had Greg for me! I am so blessed!

January 2nd.
date day #2!
shopping on 2nd street.
new dress for the wedding.
cappuccino and chocolate.
nap at the driskall
lisa and randy married!
the eyes of texas.
french fry bar. brilliant.
danced all night. in 4" heals. ouch!
1:00 am. call from nana. ben has a fever.
bummer. long drive home.

January 3rd.
10 days. 5 suit cases (in case you were wondering!) 2 kids. ready to go home.
both boys have fevers.
lots of tylenol.
sleep on the plane.

home.

never leaving.

ever.