DEC 31: We left Austin and met my parents and grandparents at the Fossil Rim Animal Preserve. We rode in the back of the truck through the preserve and got to see lots of animal very close, some were especially friendly and would poke inside the truck and eat out of our hands! The kids loved it. Nolan was a little unsure if they go to close and Caitlin loved feeding them . They had some really interesting animals there that I had never seen before. That night we put the kids down and had a very low key NYE with my parents: Chinese takeout, card games, watching the football game, snuggling and the ball drop.

 JAN 1: We had a big breakfast and got to open Christmas presents from my parents. Then Paul and I ran a few errands and we visited with friends and spent the bulk of the time trying to figure out how to pack everything and fit it back. That evening we grabbed one last Texas BBQ dinner and then went to the airport for our 9:30 flight. Which turned into a 10 o'clock delayed flight which turned into being squished in the back row with an aisle in between us and 2 tired kids not wanting to sleep. It was a long flight and a bitter reminder that the holidays were over. But it was nice to make it home to sleep in my own bed. We are grateful that we got to spent the holidays surrounded by family and making memories with the people we love.