In keeping with tradition, I’m finally talking about Christmas six days after it happened. You can expect my year in review post sometime around Valentines Day.


Sesame’s first Christmas present came from my parents. We didn’t give Sesame any gift this year. I think the 24/7 life support it’s provided free of charge is plenty.

We drove to Texas to visit Christopher’s family for Christmas. I announced when we were about to enter Arkansas before I saw the signs because I’ve seen pictures of the Arkansas bridge on instagram so many times. Instagram is the geography textbook of the 21st century. As soon as it becomes the math textbook I will delete my account.

Arkansas gave us the gifts of three hours bumper to bumper traffic and a tree falling directly in front of our car as we drove down the highway. Good thing I was co-piloting because the driver who shall remain nameless was unaware that a giant piece of wood was about to crash down on us. I pointed at it and said, “Do you see that tree?” as calmly as one might say “Would you like fries with that?” We drove over the top of the tree and (obviously) survived, but I didn’t close my eyes the rest of the trip. Somebody had to keep an eye on the road.

I’d like to say it was all fun and games while we were in Texas, but sadly it wasn’t. All eight of us got the stomach virus to some degree or another. Merry Christmas to us! It was the gift that kept on giving. Sesame and I spent Christmas day in the hotel. (Yes, I do realize that in my attempts to capture Sesame’s first almost Christmas I ended up with a picture prominently featuring the floor.)