Arctic Motherhood: 20 Days in MN

Usually, when I travel anywhere I am ready to go home after a week or two. However, home is dark and cold at this time of year and there isn't a lot to do there. I'm not sure if that's the reason, but I didn't feel like leaving MN at all during these 20 days. And the last time I've stayed here at my parents' house this long was 5 years ago and before that almost 10 years ago, when this was my home . . . even though we do spend almost a month here a year, it is usually spread over 2 visits.

Anyway, it's been enjoyable. I didn't feel like the visit was rushed or that I was being pulled between spending time with my parents and other friends and relatives. We were able to spend a good amount of time with everyone who made an effort to see us. The few people we didn't see, we spent time with just this last summer when we visited.

There were a few things that made this time in Minnesota different than the others:

This seems strange, being surrounded by 575 acres of mostly trees, but this is the first year in what seems like 20 that we cut down a real Christmas tree (I think only because it was threatened by a beaver dam). It was a balsam, but it was cute and served the purpose.

I was able to see my college roommates for the first time in 3 years. It's been almost 6 years now since we graduated from college. It was the first time I was able to meet Caroline's sister (after hearing about her for almost 10 years), who is due in January, the first time I saw Alicia's boys, and she is due in March, and the last time I will visit Caroline in Minnesota because after 10 years there she is selling her house and Wells Fargo is moving her New York City. I cannot wait until my husband and I are able to drop our boys in MN with Grandpa and Grandma and visit her there!

My cousin Jennie, who is the closest thing I have to a sister, and I are in the 3rd trimester and both due in the middle of February.

My cousin Christina had baby girl Katelyn in August. When she had Hailey, four years ago, I wasn't able to see Hailey until she was about 1 year old.

Gracious Grandpa Greg played Santa this year for the 57 guests at our family Christmas party. After about 10 minutes, my son recognized Santa as Papa, which was actually a good thing. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone up to get his gift.

Jewelery was a big theme this vacation. It started one Sunday as my aunts, cousins, mom, and I went through my Grandmother's, who passed away almost 12 years ago now, old jewelery. It continued at the family Christmas party where an entire room was dedicated to showcasing the leftover jewelery so that the rest of the family could take what they wanted in remembrance of her. Well, as exemplified above, the boys both young and old had a fun time dressing up (mostly with clip-on earrings) during the party: my cousin Tony, his son Maverick, and my uncle Richard.

It seemed like on this trip, my son found necklaces wherever we went:

Playing at Auntie Laurie's House with cousin Jennie's old toys