Happy Holidays!

We are packing up and heading north (well, more north than here) for the holidays. When we decided to travel home for Christmas, I was remembering how quiet, sad and lonely it was after we had opened presents Christmas morning. Now, as I'm waist deep in wrapping paper scraps and laundry; trying to organize how to pack suitcases, gifts, a pack 'n play, cooler, snacks, toys and a portable DVD into the car (leaving room, preferably, for a driver); and resisting the urge to pack more than three pairs of "real" shoes in a limited amount of suitcase space, I'm beginning to remember why we decided to stay home last year.

YIKES!

I know we will have a great time once we get there. I know it will be lovely to sit by the fire at my parents' house after Christmas Eve mass, sipping cocoa (or something stronger). I know it will be lovely to celebrate the holiday with the in-laws in my brother-in-law's family's new home and with my sister-in-law's new hubby. I know it will be joyous to watch peanut open presents with his family this year now that he's finally getting it. And by getting it, I mean he is excited about presents - what's not to love about bows and paper and ribbon and ripping?! I don't think he quite realizes that there will be a toy INSIDE the present. I can't wait to see how excited he'll be when he puts one and one together!

But today? Right this minute? Just not feeling it. Well, I'm feeling it, but not in any positive way. I'm a nervous wreck for no reason. I'm running around the house like a chicken with my head cut-off. The hubby is being a total rock and putting up with my mood swings and crazy freak-outs. I don't know if some of it is flashbacks to our last week-long trip, knowing that I can't go through that much mayhem again or just the holiday stress all being projected onto the trip.

Truly, I have nothing to stress about. All the presents have been purchased. The ones that weren't ordered online and delivered directly to my parents' house have been wrapped and boxed up for the car trip. We've worked out all the family plans for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (a huge accomplishment this early) and the laundry I'm immersed in is actually all clean right now, it just needs to be sorted into the suitcase.

So I'm here venting, knowing that all you other women of the world are also in the midst of cookie exchanges, visits to Santa, meal planning, Christmas shopping, babysitting bartering, changing sheets on the guest beds, and packing suitcases of your own all in the name of creating Christmas memories for our children.

And oh, what memories they will be, right?!

Okay, I guess I just had to remind myself why I was doing all this. For my family - me, the hubby and peanut:

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!