Nate & Ellie: Orlando in winter! Is Christmas coming soon?

Nothing like Florida in winter! Due to a training event in Orlando for me, the entire family packed up and headed to GG and Pop Pop's house for five days, just as it was getting cold in Virginia. It was great fun for the kids, though I am sure a little overwhelming for Geri and Lee, as they had just returned from a month long adventure to Australia two days earlier! Nothing like jumping from jetlag and exhaustion to two kids full-time! They didn't let their fatigue show, however, and immediately began to entertain the kids as they always do with Christmas preparation, cookie baking, trains, swimming, and lots of quality play-time.

One funny story from the week was Scott and I coming home from a night out at midnight to find Ellie watching the Grinch movie with Pop Pop. He said "she woke up...already slept five hours..." The two of them were so cute together nestled on the couch watching the movie. I guess since five hours of sleep is enough for Pop Pop, he thought Ellie would be fine too! Needless to say it was a bit of a struggle to convince her she had to go back to bed.

The biggest drama of the week occurred when Ellie swallowed fork tines. My dear daughter has quite a talent at the use of utensils, actually, and expanded her repertoire to forks while I was in training. Plastic forks. On Friday at breakfast when I cleaned off her tray I noticed that two halves of fork tines were broken off and missing. Needless to say, one of them came out a few hours later and the other one is still missing....I have been reassured by 3 different doctors that it will come out eventually or else she will start showing some ill effects, but I still have dreams of a plastic fork piece floating around my dear daughter's belly....I guess this explains the child safety warnings on things, "i.e. not for children under 3" or "Ellies under 3." Maybe I should advise they add that warning to plastic forks. Yikes.

Now back home in VA, we are settling in for Christmas and so excited about it. Have the tree up and with lights on it, Scott just put lights outside, presents are wrapped and in the process of being purchased, I am planning the itinerary for our family while in town, and we are looking forward to a fun holiday prep weekend visiting Santa, decorating, and making gifts for family. Really excited to spend some time together with the kids. Feels like work has been busy lately.

Can't believe it is only two weeks until Christmas! I love this time of year!