The Campbell's: There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays....

Monroe and I were EXTREMELY blessed to be able to travel to Alexandria, VA to visit my family for 2 weeks for Christmas and New Years. It was the longest I had been home since before the wedding. We had the best 2 weeks, minus me being sicker than I have ever been. We flew out of Dallas, on Wednesday December 22nd. The week before I had not been feeling too great, but just kind of pushed it aside and didn't think about it because I wasn't possibly going to allow myself to get sick before this treasured time at home. Well....Wednesday morning I woke up early and could hardly speak my throat hurt so much, and was so tight. I called mom and told her how awful I felt, and that I was just going to wait to go to the doctors when our flight got in to DC. She preceded to tell me that I sounded like Donald Duck and that I should probably go to the Doctors before I left. Anyone who knows me, knows my intense hatred of doctors, but I went to Urgent Care, and thank goodness I did. My throat was so swollen from strep that I had to have a shot of steroids, plus Penicillin in my bum. OUCH!!! Once my throat had opened up enough they gave me a throat culture (my MOST hated thing) to find out...yup it was strep. Where on earth did this come from? Needless to say I left the doctors feeling very proud and very grown up; I had conquered 2 of my biggest fears (needles, and throat cultures) for the first time without my Mommy, and I did great :) By the time I got back to our house we had about 20 minutes before having to leave for the airport, (I was thankful I had forced us into packing the previous night) with no time to shower or anything I got on the plane pretty much in my pajamas and a hat. The shot left me feeling pretty good, other than a sore left bum and leg. We landed on time in DC and were on the start to a great vacation.

Here are some highlights.

1. Meeting Maisie May McLeod. Daddy got Mommy a new puppy for Christmas; we ended up having to tell her around Thanksgiving and they flew to Boston to pick her up on December 8th. It had been killing me that I hadn't met my new furry sister. I was so excited to see her for the first time. She jumped right into my arms, and we were instant friends. She was so much fun to have around, lots of work, but so cute and so sweet.

2. Grown up pink onesie, with feet. AWESOME!! Sorry no picture!

3. Caps vs. Penguins game on Thursday the 23rd. It felt so great to be back in the Verizon Center and see EVERYONE wearing red. It was a great game, but unfortunately we lost. (later redeemed in the Winter Classic)

4.. Monroe playing stick and puck hockey with Brother and Daddy. Monroe had ice skated once in his life and really wanted to try to play hockey. Brother got him all outfitted and ready to play, and mom and I went to watch. I don't think we have ever laughed so hard. Monroe struggled to get his feet...once he was skating he actually (to all our surprise) did pretty well. I am glad the boys got to do that together, and I am even more glad that mom and I went to watch.

5. Watching the Tennessee Bowl game. Our neighbors came over with their giant lab, to watch the game. WE WON....OH WAIT NO WE DIDN'T!! Bad game, can't believe it happened to us twice in one year! Better luck next year! It was fun to watch Maisie and Baxter together; she desperately wanted him to play and he didn't want to at all.

6. Celebrating 31 years of marriage for Mom and Dad. Growing up we always celebrated mom and dad's anniversary as a family. We went to a Mexican restaurant in Old Town and the boys all had TEXAS sized margaritas, which also provided for some entertainment for me and mom.

7. New Year Eve. We are not big New Year's Eve people, in fact we all debated on if we were going to even stay up to watch the ball drop. We went to Five Guys for dinner (Yummmmm) and then came home and watched a movie, then as soon as midnight hit we all said HAPPY NEW YEAR, exchanged hugs and went to bed.

8. Watching the Winter Classic hockey game. Dad and Brother were supposed to go to the game, but the week leading up to the game the weather reports were really bad, calling for warm temperatures and rain; for a hockey game played outside that just wasn't going to work. So lucky for us they sold their tickets (even made a profit) and stayed home and we got to all watch it together as a family. Gramma and Papa came over to have dinner and watch the game. It was such a great game and the Caps beat the Penguins. We were all decked out in Caps gear and hats that mom had gotten the boys for their trip to Pittsburgh.

We had such a great time, and these are only a few of the fun memories that we made. I am so thankful that we were home. Thanks mommy and daddy for a great Christmas...sorry that I was so sick.