We're here!

Our trip to Saskatchewan was relatively peaceful. We stopped in Neepawa to eat and in Russell for gas. Both times Rachel woke up about an hour earlier but settled back to sleep fairly easily. We stopped one more time two hours later to feed her and thought that would be the last time we stopped before Saskatoon. Jacob hadn't slept at all yet but he was pretty content to just play with his tools and the new puzzle, helicopter, and dinky cars I gave him as we went.

An hour an a half later, Rachel woke up and kept getting fussier. Problem was, Jacob had just gone to sleep after a teeny bit of crankiness. Do we stop or do we keep going. Well, the softy in me said "stop", so we did. I fed Rachel just to make sure, but she really didn't need it. Jacob woke up and got very unhappy. Then Rachel started crying again. So Jacob was crying and asking for Daddy, Rachel's cries were escalating, and we just drove into a squawl. We keep trying our magic music tape, but we're at the slower songs and the radio which had just been playing tunes with a good beat had an unearthly long period of talking. I'm feeling regrets for stopping and I'm unsuccessfully trying not to beat myself up. Rod and I are in steely silence, trying not to freak out at Jacob or each other, Rod's trying to concentrate on the road, and I'm apologizing intermittently. Finally, I get the courage to try and talk Jacob down and he eventually starts focusing on what he's going to do at Grandma & Grandpa's house. Somewhere along the line, Rachel stops crying and goes back to sleep. Then we're there.

Today has been very relaxing. Stayed in bed extra long. Went outside sledding and playing in the snow with Jacob (it's not nearly so cold here). Left the kids with Mom & Dad and finally bought my sister-in-law her Christmas present. Had a teeny tiny nap. Now I'm just waiting for supper and then we're going to a Christmas Eve program. Tomorrow Rod's brother and wife will join us in the afternoon, we'll open our gifts, have supper and then maybe watch a movie.

Next stop is the farm where we'll hitch up with my parents and travel on to Herbert where my Mom's side is gathering. Then we'll have Christmas at the farm with my brother and sister and their families. The grandkid count is up from five to eight this year! We'll spend one more day there and then get together with my Dad's side. It's busy, but it'll be good to re-connect with the extended families. Then we'll head back to Saskatoon, spend some time with Rod's brother and maybe my brother, and then likely head back on New Year's Eve.

Hope you're having a splendid time with family and friends!