I had been anticipating our Arkansas trip for weeks!  Chris and I weren’t sure if we would be up for the drive with me being 6 1/2 months preggie and having a 2 1/2 year old toddler.  However, when we realized we only go to Arkansas bascially once a year (b/c of the distance) and taht it would be a long time until we go again (because of new baby coming), we knew we had to make this trip count.  Mom and I would email back and forth constantly about who all we were going to see & what types of food we’d cook and what we wanted to make sure we did in our short time together — and the trip was just perfect. 

We knew the drive would be longer than normal because of the holiday season.  12 hours there – and 11 hours back.  Tatum was a trooper and did REALLY great.  We sang a lot, watched movies on the DVD player, read books.  We didn’t have any off the wall tantrums and I was oh so proud of her.

We arrived to my mom’s house at 5:30 am on Thanksgiving morning.  I told Chris that we could just drive down the road to the “Smokehouse” and eat a yummy greasy breakfast – but for some reason he wasn’t up to it.   We went straight to bed instead!  We were delirious.  We slept until about 9:00 am and spent a little time chatting it up with my mom – Tatum of course of was in her wonderful, fun, ‘i love mornings’ mood!  Her and mom headed up to my brother’s house to get ready for our Thanksgiving meal, while Chris and I took our time getting ready. 

My mom, Aunt Sharon, and sis in law, Jenny had a GREAT spread for us!  So much food.  My sweet grandparents even drove in from Little Rock to have lunch with us!  What an exciting day for us all.  It had been several years since we all ate a true Thanksgiving meal together at a dining room table  – thanks to Josh for his new beautiful house!!   Thanksgiving day really really really felt like an actual Thanksgiving day.  Family seated around a table, eating tons of food, hearing the kids play in the background.  Tatum and her cousin Jenna are the same age (7 weeks apart), so they were BCF’s very quickly (best cousins forever).  We loved loved watching them play together.  It’s all about the baby dolls & the kitchen right now!

My nephew Jacob is 10 – and he kept Chris pretty busy with playing the Wii, showing off his ‘toys’ to Chris and bragging on himself for killing his first deer.  My brother Josh has all sorts of toys himself – one including this 1980 motorcycle that he supposedly only drives in his yard?  Chris got a kick out of playing with THAT toy.

We enjoyed my brother’s house & the kids playing until about 8:30 pm or so — we had to get Tatum to bed, but we were sad to leave!  We had a big day planned for Friday & everyone needed their rest.

Chris woke up at 1:45 am to purchase a Barbie Electric Jeep for Tatum (present from Nonna B) – what a good Dad.  Tatum and I got up at 7:00 am and hit up the Wal-Mart Black Friday sales.  Yep, that’s pretty much all that Heber has to offer as far as shopping goes.   Mom (who works part time at Wal-Mart for ‘fun’ outside of her normal 1st grade teaching job) got off at 8:00 am and we ate the nastiest donuts ever at Harp’s.  Ever.  Ick.

Friday we spent at my grandparents house in Little Rock with my Aunt & cousins.  We ate a yummy lunch at Olive Garden, enjoyed my grandparents music/play room with the kiddos, rode on the golf cart, and played in the backyard.  We did hit up ToysRUs before we left Little Rock & found exactly what mom was looking for.  Oh, of course, we didn’t forget our Mexico Chiquito drive through for queso (cheese dip they call it) and salsa for the drive home.  YUM. 

That night we headed to Searcy to spend time with Chris’ mom & husband, Freylon.  I was sad to say bye to my mom (and yes, I cried when we drove off), but thankfully will see her in just a few short weeks for Christmas.  Searcy was nice & relaxing for us.  We watched movies, ate, took Tatum to see the cows that she loves @ Freylon’s farm, and checked out the Christmas lights in the Searcy park. 

Sunday we were on the road by 6:30 am because we knew our drive would be just as long as the drive in – and it almost was, 11 hours!  Our drive was long, our stay was short, however, it was a great time spent with those that we love.  I think for next year, we are already taking donations so that we don’t have to do the drive with two kids – I’m all about flying — just need to find about, oh, $800 or so in order to do that.