off {OUR} path: Christmas Vacation {Stout Style}

With our sleigh loaded...and I mean LOADED. As in I'm not sure how we would have even made this trip if we hadn't received this car topper as a gift! And it was meant to be a Christmas gift- but, it was kinda like an anniversary gift, or a stop-us-from-divorcing-gift. Because according to Matt NOTHING will EVER fit when we leave for a trip. And well...this trip involved crazy amounts of stuff and it would truly not have fit at all.

One of our first stops, well first stop that was intended and not the 3 potty breaks prior to our stop for dinner we met this man.

I mean who goes to a McDonalds dressed like this without getting mobbed. He was the sweetest man. Took time to greet all the children in the restaurant while he waited for his food to be prepped. And even once it was ready he posed for pictures with several children. Then left with his bag of cold food to go. One wonders why he didn't just use the drive through, but he sure made some children smile that night. And I appreciated when he spoke to our children he didn't ask for gift requests, rather he reminded them to be kind to one another and good examples to those younger than themselves. Awesome.

Our goal when leaving at 3pm Friday was to make it to the south side of Memphis for the night. We ended up on the Mississippi/Tennessee boarder in Olive Branch, MS. We checked into our hotel about 11:30 and the kids quickly settled down and fell asleep. Matt & Emma in one double bed. Me and the boys in the other. I could instantly tell Isaac seemed congested and very restless. At several points he sounded so dry that I offered him sips of a drink but was of no help. Finally his wheezing was so bad I was just laying there listening to him. He got into a coughing spell that woke Matt. It was then Isaac woke a bit more and it was as if he was in a panic. Sucking in air but not seeming to let any out. He chest was moving in weird ways. Trying to cry. Wanting to talk to us but unable to get words out b/c of his breathing. Matt looked at me wide eyed and I began to freak inside. At that moment I felt it was croup. And if in our own surroundings with a vaporizer/humidifier or more wits about me to steam up the bathroom with hot shower we would have tried that...BUT his breathing was like nothing I had seen in the past when he and Aidan had croup. Matt headed to the front desk to ask for the closest ER. I gathered my purse and clothes while Matt stood outside in the cold air with him. Isaac and I left for the ER about 4 am. So it was a nice quaint 4-5 hour hotel stay!! Unfortunately the cold air wasn't seeming to help and he gasped our whole, what seemed like cross country drive...which was really about 8-10 min. into Memphis. :) We ended up at a nice ER that was not at all busy in their peds dept. As we waited our (3 or so) minutes to be called back his breathing became more patterned. A breathing treatment and oral steroid and life was much better. And this helped too...

I give you hospital entertainment for a 3 year old:

#1 Barf bag as the new fashion accessory- HAT!

#2 Make a play dough snake family. Count them. And repeat. And repeat again.

#3 Place snake family in their barf bag home. #4 Slide the snake family down their inverted barf bag home now turned snake slide.

#5 Take a break from coloring to watch the Wiggles and enjoy a popsicle.

We were finally released about 7:30 am, unfortunately no meds or anything for the road, just advice to go back to ER where we are going if he doesn't get better. Uh...yea...that sounds fun?!? We headed back to the hotel, grabbed the rest of the family & headed on down the road.

We arrived in Atlanta, KS Saturday night. In time to visit a bit and settle into bed. Sunday we went to church with Matt's parents and then it was becoming clear Isaac was not getting better. I ditched the plans to see my friend in Derby and took Isaac to Immediate Care. Realizing that was a 2 hour wait to be checked in and then another several hours to see a Dr I surveyed the crowd and saw sooo many kiddos way sicker looking than Isaac. So with fear of catching something that involved puking we left. We went to the Kooser's to visit for a little bit and try getting some warm moist air in his little airways.

We were already scheduled to meet at Sumo for Emma's birthday dinner. The place of her choosing...she's got nice taste! :) Chris, Mandy, Libby & Max joined us with Gma & Papa for a great "cook in front of you" experience.

After dinner we sent the older two with Gma & Papa so we could figure out what to do with sickie Isaac. We decided to go back to Atlanta and try to get him in somewhere in the AM. Then the closer we got to the house the worse he got in his breathing & wheezing so we rerouted to Winfield KS emergency room. What a pleasure it was admitting, being treated and release from there. By that point Isaac was wiped out and slept peacefully UNTIL they came in with a steroid shot!! Poor baby...that's no way anyone wants to wake up!!

Feeling a bit better we were excited for Christmas Eve!! We attended candlelight service at the Atlanta Christian Church. Nothing was lit on fire and I was only burned with wax a half dozen times :)

Grandma & Papa with the kiddos.

Second year running for Isaac to be in tears for Christmas Eve pictures! :)

The kids were anxious and ready for bedtime. Cookies & milk were placed and off they drifted. For a little bit...Emma was up about every hour with a tummy ache. Aidan was up and down with congestion and stuffy nose. Isaac finally slept great since he was on the mend! :)

Isaac's tears turned to smiles by morning.

Once the present pandemonium ended 2 generations of Stout men whipped up some breakfast burritos while the 3rd generation Stout/big foot played on his new toy! :)

Later Christmas day Shelly & Scott with kiddos and Mandy & Chris with kiddos arrived for the Stout Christmas. Grandma & Papa always have the kids presents in a stack for them to tear into. Here's Aidan patiently waiting for the word "GO".

Chis & Daddy's friend Dave came to play cards and the kids ran and played all evening. A great time of catching up and enjoying one another.

Morning of the 26th Aidan wakes with a nasty rash all over his arms and has red cheeks. Matt gets him into the QT clinic in Wichita. Diagnosis- Fifths Disease. Great so he was contagious a couple days ago and we didn't know it!! Grr! He was congested, but had no fever. The rash spread quickly and went allll the way down his legs. (*update* it came and went until the end of January and actually came back worse than it started. It took a full 5 weeks to go away!)

Wednesday we went to Winfield for our mandatory El Maguey dinner. Oh.so.yummy! We took advantage of the opportunity for them to embarrass Emma for her birthday. It worked!

Thursday we headed north to my parents. We weren't there long before Isaac was ~~striped down~~ schooling Papa on Angry Birds and trying on Papa's boots.

Saturday morning we had brunch at the Flatin's house with immediate family (& B&D).

Emma smiling a genuine smile with a gift she is lovin' Password Journal and Aunt Marcia displaying her fake "oh this is so nice" look with the gift I gave her.

I'm not sure why someone would seem unsure about this GRRRReat gift...

First off they are a family of 4 so there's just enough head holes. Second they love to boat.

And lastly, I figured if it was marketed for bike riding it might be helpful on their ranger rides around the countryside.

So then I thought maybe she was worried I bought the blue one knowing that red would better match her décor. No silly sister I picked a pretty burnt red one to coordinate nicely with your house!!!!

Ok...no, really it was a a prank box (that I laughed for DAYS after I bought) and purchased her a pretty throw for her couch...that also had a gift card enclosed. :)

Later in the day Saturday the entire extended Burnett crew arrived where lots of card playing and an exciting Naughty Santa exchange took place. Well the ladies exchange was fun. The men are boring and don't steal. Boring Snoring!!!

Santa always makes an appearance at the Burnett Christmas and this one was straight outta England...or Ireland...not sure what kind of accent he had exactly.

Sunday we hosted Emma's birthday at Mimi & Papa's house. The evening conclude with some of us going to Buzzards Pizza for dinner. Then it was back home to start packing to head out in the morning.

We were up and out about 6am, but 30 minutes into the drive received a message from mom that I left my purse...which had my wallet, my phone, camera, extra keys...everything I kinda need. So we turned back. This delayed our trip a bit, but not as much as this:

We drove through slush, snow and mush from Kansas City all the way through St. Louis until it warmed enough to just be rain.

Here's Emma at 9:25, her exact moment of birth, along a MO highway...see snowplow blur in background. :)

When we stopped for lunch in St Louis it was amazing to me how quickly my boys who have never really experienced snow immediately took to throwing it at each other!!

A quick stop in Metropolis, IL provided a fun little gas station to take a potty break and stretch our legs.

We pulled into town right at the strike of midnight as fireworks displays were all around us. Pull in the drive way so relieved to be home...until we realize we are locked out of our house. Luckily MacGyver Matt managed to get his way in that didn't involve breaking glass. Yeah!

Then the wrath of unpacking...ughh. At least Isaac is keeping laundry to a minimum.