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Motherhood · November 28, 2017

Home for the Holidays

Oh the adventures of traveling with kids.

We made our way back from Iowa on Sunday after spending the last 8 days away from home. We packed up last week and drove thirteen hours there with 3 kids, two DVD players and eight hundred bags of snacks. We stopped halfway in Kentucky and spent the night to break up the trip a little bit where Claire decided to throw herself out of her pack n play five seconds into being inside of it. She skinned her nose & got a black eye (it was awful) and slept right in between us in bed the rest of the trip. We made it to Iowa on Monday & spent a few days with Brandon’s family. The girls were sooo excited to see their grandparents & had way too much fun bouncing off the walls with their cousins. We did some early Christmas celebrating & got to go see a bunch of our friends in Iowa City where we went to college. Side note, if you’re ever in Iowa City with kids, spend a few hours at the the Children’s Museum and follow with lunch at Big Grove! Such a fun day!! We did an early Thanksgiving at Brandon’s sister’s house in the morning, packed up & made a pit stop to see our best friends for their afternoon Thanksgiving & then drove a few hours to my brother’s house for one more evening Thanksgiving dinner! I absolutely must share my aunt’s pumpkin pie & homemade whipped cream here before next year, it was incredible! My parents drove to Iowa separately, so for the first time in over three years, we had all of the family (all spouses and grandkids included!!!) together for a family picture. My mom’s Christmas wish came true! 😉 We spent the day at my brother’s farm & the girls got to ride four wheelers & tractor mowers, which of course they loved.

And then last, but not least, we decided that it would be super fun to eat at a little mexican restaurant in small town Iowa and take food poisoning (or the stomach bug from hell?) home with us as a souvenir.

Yep, we spent our last night there with two kids throwing up, thought they were better enough to get in the car the next morning (we were wrong) and spent the next 13 hours with three kids, two dvd players and eight hundred bags of barf. We ended up stopping again to sleep, even though we weren’t planning on it at the time, but the kids needed beds, and then Brandon & I got sick just as we were getting home. It was hell on literal wheels. We basically slept in a big pile on the couch for the next 24 hours and I feel like we just crawled out from under a rock. It was SO miserable and we are so thankful to be feeling better today!!

Needless to say, we aren’t going annnnnnywhere for a long time & plan to be parked in our living room in front of our Christmas tree from now until New Years! So excited for ALL of the holiday festivities here on the blog, starting tomorrow!

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Posted By: Jessica Garvin · In: Motherhood

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Comments

  1. Ashley says

    November 28, 2017 at 8:50 pm

    I’ve traveled 10 hours with ONE puking kid. I can’t imagine it with multiples. 🙁 I’m glad you are all on the mend.

    Reply
  2. Natasha says

    November 28, 2017 at 10:14 pm

    Woof…but sounds like you had a blast while on your trip! Why do kids always get sick during vacation? It’s pretty much a guarantee with our kids!!

    Reply
  3. Sarah says

    November 29, 2017 at 4:15 am

    Oh gosh I’m so sorry you guys got sick!!! And in the car no less! That’s my nightmare!!! I’m glad you are all feeling better; and it’s good you went home, even though I’m sure it was a lot of work for you and Brandon. We’re heading to FL tomorrow and voted to fly versus drive (also 13 hours). We’ll see how that goes – my youngest is 1 and does not sit still haha! Happy holidays!!!
    -Sarah http://www.thefrugalmillionaireblog.com

    Reply
  4. Else says

    November 29, 2017 at 8:01 am

    Oh my goodness! Feel better. Going places sucks. Staying home rocks 🙂 from another 3-girls mama…

    Reply
  5. Kelly says

    November 29, 2017 at 8:11 am

    God BLESS y’all — ohh that sounds awful!!!! The first part looked super fun & sweet though! Here’s to a healthy rest of the holidays!!!!

    Reply
  6. Meredith says

    November 29, 2017 at 8:27 am

    sounds like a great time with family… until the food poisoning part. Glad y’all had a great visit though.

    Reply
  7. Annie Smith says

    November 29, 2017 at 8:38 am

    Love this post, we have been missing you here on the blog! Can’t wait for holiday post!

    Reply
  8. Erinn says

    November 29, 2017 at 2:37 pm

    So sorry y’all got sick! It looks like it was a ton of fun up until then!

    Reply
  9. Ariadna says

    November 30, 2017 at 6:31 am

    There has to be a bug going around!! Everyone in our house got it too this last weekend! It’s bad enough having it at home but it sounds like a complete nightmare on the road!! I’m sure it’ll make for a memorable trip for your kids one day!! Glad you’re feeling better!

    Reply
  10. Marlene says

    November 30, 2017 at 8:04 am

    It broke my heartttt to see Claire hurt!! Poor baby!! Glad you all had fun while there, and glad you all are better now!

    Reply
  11. Katie says

    November 30, 2017 at 10:55 am

    I need DEETs on the entire outfit you are wearing in the group photo! I love it!

    Reply
  12. Jill says

    November 30, 2017 at 12:16 pm

    My girls have the same jammies and I love them! The glitter makes them! So cute!!

    Reply
  13. Meredith says

    November 30, 2017 at 2:48 pm

    We travelled 10 hours with 3 kids, 1 DVD player and got home in time for all the kids to get a raging dose of croup ??? You are a trooper for surviving that road trip!! I’m barely surviving and we’re at home! in KY!! Where did ya’ll stay when you came through?

    Reply
  14. Kristy says

    November 30, 2017 at 6:42 pm

    Glad you all got to enjoy our unseasonably warm weather up here in Iowa. It’s been in the 50s this week! Glad to hear everyone is feeling better!

    Reply
  15. Marisa says

    December 4, 2017 at 1:36 pm

    Well I for one am glad you made the long ass journey to Iowa!!! Wonderful seeing you and sharing a drink!!! Enjoy the holidays at home!! ?

    Reply
    • Jessica Garvin says

      December 4, 2017 at 1:55 pm

      hands down one of the most fun parts of the trip!! mules for the win! xo

      Reply
  16. Angela says

    December 5, 2017 at 1:39 pm

    Oh girl I feel you! We went out to Kansas (from Florida) for my sisters babies adoption party and my 4 month of got sick on the plane. We thought she just got motion sickness until we alllll got it just in time for the party. Including my sisters kids ??‍♀️

    Reply
  17. Jasmine says

    December 23, 2017 at 7:50 pm

    We love both big grove and the children’s museum here in Iowa City. So would have loved running into you guys. My little girl would have loved your girls. Next time you are here check out Rapid Creek Cidery. So good!

    Reply

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