Our new year saw us braving our first family road trip to Virginia Beach to visit family. Monkey once again showed her travel ability by enjoying 8 hours in the car. She played, colored, watched a show or two, sang to music, and played a new game we called “stinkerfoot” while laughing uuproariously. (Stinkerfoot is a stockinged foot that roams the car and attacks mommy and daddy with surprise tickles.) It was so much fun we are planning on driving out again soon.

We went to spend the new year with Lee’s Uncle Jack and Aunt Letitia and cousin Suzie. We had a great time, most of it was spent relaxing and eating, which is the perfect holiday for a very pregnant woman. On New Year’s Eve we enjoyed a lovely Puttanesca prepared by Suzie at a small family dinner party. Then we toasted the new year in bed, as we were asleep by 11. It was a wonderful holiday, we returned home rested and relaxed. Normally, we need a vacation from our vacations, but this one was magically calm and soothing. I even got the chance to take a nap in the middle of the day!

The drive out to Virginia ended badly as I had not kept myself hydrated enough and started getting pretty scary contractions about an hour out, however the drive back was much better. I learned from my poor experience and drank enough water and gatorade that I got to know pretty much every gas station between Virgina Beach and New Jersey. I learned that a large belly is the fastest and most effective bathroom key in the world.

On our way home we stopped and ate lunch at a little restaurant on the chesapeake bay bridge, where we oohed and aahed over the history of this bridge/tunnel system, took some pictures, and ate Hush Puppies, fried shrimp, and fried scallops. It has been ages since I indulged in a hush puppy, I had forgotton how delicious they are! We stole a table mat and made some smushed penny souveniors, and got in the car for our long trip home.

We encountered some pretty heavy rain on the way home, but we had scheduled in plenty of time to get here so we just cuddled under blankets and listened to the rain hit the car roof. Aunt Letitia packed our snack bag with more food than a family of 10 could eat, so we had plenty of snacks and drinks available, and Monkey was pleased that she was able to eat as many cookies and goldfish as she wished. We are really looking forward to our next trip out, Monkey loves to play with her cousin Lydia, and Lee and I enjoy spending time with the family.

I hope your New Year’s have all started out well! May your next 364 days be interesting, full of success, and joyful!!