Christmas travels and Idaho

As we were approaching Christmas break we could tell the weather was getting worse-there was prediction of a bad storm coming, and Jared was having work pile up (all the inventors and companies trying to squeeze in year-end patent applications) so we were getting a bit stressed trying to fit everything in.  On top of that, Jared's GI doctor called one day to remind him not only were they closing for the last two weeks of December, but he was going to permanently shut down his clinic to take a teaching position (read: Jared had 24 hrs to try to figure out our new insurance with an overwhelmed doctor and a flare up starting).  Jared was just due for more bloodwork and gearing up for his next prescribed changes with meds so this was poor timing.  Then, during a good rain storm we realized we had a leak coming through our roof where the termite tenters had broken tiles this past summer (the leak happened on a Sunday afternoon, of course).  To top it all off, I took the car in for an oil change and check/tune up before traveling to Idaho and Utah and got a big fat NO from my mechanic on taking the Tahoe that many miles with bad weather!!

The kids enjoying the much needed CA rain before we left

I was ready to call it quits. We had already opened our Christmas gifts (except Santa gifts) and squeezed all our traditions into a 2 week period, so we wouldn't have anything to look forward to staying home for Christmas, but the thought of traveling seemed way too stressful.  We prayed about it, talked it out and decided to take my parents' 12 passenger van instead of our 4 wheel drive SUV.  And, that I would drive the kids, picking my mom up in Dixon to help us along the way in order to decrease Jared's stress so he could fly in the next week.  Talk about a crazy few hours gearing up for that. My amazing friends texted out of the blue saying "who is ready to go? I am swinging by to get your kids so you can pack" and "do you need dinner?"  We pulled it off and headed to Dixon mid week, late at night to start the journey.

The next day we had great weather all through Donner pass and thought we were doing great and had beat the storm until we hit Winnemucca.  Some snow started up and went from bad to worse for several hours until we hit Elko.  Luckily my mom had cell reception and was able to call Jared who booked us a hotel in Elko for the night.  I was not sure if I would be able to make it to the hotel though.  I went into lock down and did not say a word or lift my eyes from the tire tracks of the semi in front of me. Even when the warning lights were flashing at each summit "chains advised" and all the semi trucks were pulling off to wait out the storm we just kept moving for fear of never having the guts to get back on the road if we pulled off.  I was doing my lamaze breathing by the end thinking "I have the woman who birthed me and all the babies I birthed in this car and I HAVE to get them to safety."

I grew up in CA and do not have good snow driving experience, much less in a huge van that is notably bad in snow and wind.  Even when I would slide on the ice to the other lane and Jocelyn was yelling "Mom!! What are you doing?!" I would keep my cool and calmly steer/slide back to the right side of the road (panicking inside of course).  We finally made it late at night to Elko and i walked with wobbly legs into the hotel. Every time I closed my eyes all I could picture were the tire tracks I had been following for the past few hours.  Jocelyn's anxiety came full force and she would not eat anything, was throwing up the next morning and telling us she was not getting back in the car again. Ever! I have to admit, I was picturing staying at that hotel until someone came to pick us up and drive us to Utah as well.  My mom ordered pizza for all of us and we bathed kids, tried to rest and geared up for the next day.  While trying to eat the continental breakfast Jonas commented "What's the problem? Staying at a hotel and ordering pizza has been fun!"  Oh the youthful innocence and joy! I am glad my stress didn't filter down to the younger kids.  Luckily the weather was clear the next morning and we made it to Idaho by noon to hang out with cousins!!

Hanging out with Nana

Building a snowman with cousins

5 of the siblings

Visiting my Grandma Nell

Reading Christmas stories at night with Uncle Nate

Snuggling to watch a movie one afternoon

Shooting skeet with the uncles

 Over the next couple days 5 out of my 6 siblings filtered in, and Kelsey even brought her boyfriend Josh to meet everyone.  We had great food, we split the accommodations between Nate's house and my Grandma's house so everyone could have a bed and it was a blast to spend time with everyone! Nate and Tausha were amazingly generous hosts. We were able to gather with some of my cousins and their kids and go shooting with the uncles, build a snowman and even had carolers come by in a horse drawn wagon to sing at my brother's house. Only in Idaho!! Tausha's Dad kindly let us crowd his restaurant one night for a fabulous Italian dinner (during which Jonas threw up so we could be at a total of 2/4 of my kids getting sick on the trip).  We played games, sang songs, talked and had fun watching cousins play together and see little Cosette who had grown so much since our last get together.

Girl cousins on Christmas Sunday

Horse drawn wagon carolers

Admiring the tree "shot down" from the mountains

The Three November babies

After a delightful weekend I knew I would have to gear up to drive myself and the kids down to Utah to meet up with Jared's family (Jared had just flown in). I even started out one afternoon and it was getting pretty stormy so I just turned around and came back like a wimp.  My amazing brother in law Jeff offered to drive the van and Emily drove their car so that I could just chat with my sister the whole way down to Utah! What a life! We all arrived safe in Salt Lake where the Tituses were headed and Jared met us to drive the rest of the way.  I am not usually one to wimp out or be a damsel in distress, but I just couldn't bring myself to drive through another storm and I am so grateful we had family to help us out.