Holladay Happenings: Trip to Escape Winter (Long Post)

Azaleas in Savannah

Minnesota winters are more bearable if you can escape them for a while. December and January are kind of cozy with the cold and snow, but by mid-February it is all very old news. Then March comes along with more cold and more snow and it just feels like it will never end - even the most ardent snow lovers seem ready for signs of spring. Last year we went down to Savannah in February - now that we are wiser to these winters, we realized that March is the month to head South, because there is ever so slight a chance that spring actually may be around the corner when you come back.

The kids and I took off on a chilly Thursday morning and landed in some splendid Atlanta sunshine. Traveling alone with two young ones is doable but requires a lot of organization and planning for "what ifs" and ideally abundant sleep the night before. I think I have finally mastered getting through airport security holding onto a baby and pre-schooler while simultaneously removing our shoes, placing carry-on luggage onto the x-ray belt and folding the double stroller - then doing the reverse less than a minute later after passing through the x-ray machine. It truly amazes me how few people offer to be of assistance but simply stand there watching the spectacle. On a positive note, I can certainly recommend solo travel with children as a great way to diet - no time to eat and you get ample physical exercise, both of the aerobic and weight-training varieties. Fortunately, both boys were in good travel spirits and all went well.

Our weekend stop in Atlanta included a 40th birthday celebration for my brother, Staffan, as well as the baptism of his family's latest addition, sweet and happy little Oskar. We also got to see the Alabama cousins for the first time since Thanksgiving '07! It was a fun-filled, hectic weekend with absolutely spectacular weather. I would have loved to catch up with so many people while in Atlanta, but there simply was no time to do it all. It was wonderful to see those few we did manage to meet up with and we'll just have to plan a more extended visit in the near future to see those we missed. Noah had a blast with same-aged cousin Liv - she even managed to rub off some potty success on him (though it didn't last beyond our stay in Atlanta) - and Kai mostly went with the flow and was in a good mood most days despite sleeping terribly at night.

Two monkeys having lunch at the Atlanta Zoo

Oskar is entertained

Kai enjoyed the zoo too!

Cousins Katie and Connor came to see us

Kai meets his Alabama cousins for the first time

Morning coffee with Effie, Ben and Melina

Staffan turns 40

40th Birthday Dinner (kid-free)

The boys and I caught up with my Vanderbilt friends at an Atlanta park:

Beth with Chaya

Kara and Kieva

Kai hangs out with Elizabeth

I had a chance to run over to Staffan and Denise's house which is under construction:

Mormor and Morfar came up from Savannah to celebrate Staffan's 40th and Oskar's baptism, then drove us down to Savannah for a week of quality grandparent time. We had wonderful shorts/t-shirt weather and Noah just relished his outdoor time. We took walks, went to playgrounds, played endless imaginative games with various sticks, leaves, pine cones and other treasures we found on the ground, and ate lots of mormor's delicious food. Noah was so thrilled to enjoy morfar's antique car model collection and was constantly tugging on morfar's hand to go have a look at them. Cousin Connor passed on his collection of Thomas the Train tracks & train cars when we saw him in Atlanta - Noah spent many hours in Savannah occupied with this, which was nice for the rest of us! Kai enjoyed getting to know his Swedish grandparents a bit more by day and continued to work on his never-ending teething during the night hours. He really enjoyed Mormor's singing and also got do discover the taste of sand for the first time which seemed to agree with him. Phil joined us in Savannah the last couple of nights, following a guys' golfing weekend on Hilton Head Island. It was nice to have him along on the return trip!