The Christmas vacation began as Amy, John, Rowan, and Gramma embarked on a road trip from Atlanta, Georgia, to Kentucky, filled with anticipation. Arriving at their chosen Airbnb, they were astounded to discover that it was just a stone’s throw away from where Cousin Alex, Aunt Cheryl, and Uncle Jay had parked their RV, and where Cousin Laura and her beau Blair had settled in their fifth wheel. Talk about a delightful surprise! Little did they know that this unexpected proximity would add to the joy and laughter that lay ahead.

Cheryl and Jay wasted no time in showcasing their culinary skills, treating the seven who had already arrived to a mouthwatering steak dinner, accompanied by a fun foil-wrapped veggie and shrimp side dish. The aroma filled the air, and their taste buds danced with delight. A bit later in the evening, Laura and Blair managed to dodge the wintry weather and joined the gathering later that night, bringing even more warmth and cheer to the cozy abode.

Snow Fun and Family Bonding: While some family members arrived safely, Aunt Maureen, Uncle James, and their kids from Houston, Texas, faced an unexpected snowstorm that kept them stranded on their journey. Undeterred, they made the most of the snowy wonderland that greeted them the following morning. Rowan, the youngest member of the clan, embraced the opportunity to play in the snow for only the second time in his life. He crafted snowballs, made snow angels, and even posed for Mama Amy’s impromptu photo sessions. Laughter filled the air as memories were made, and the joy of being together overshadowed any inconvenience caused by the weather.

With the entire family finally gathered, the Christmas spirit soared. However, due to the challenging weather conditions, Maureen, James, and their children couldn’t reach their reserved Airbnb and ended up joining the Fritz-Wade-Skeen-Farrell-Dinsmore-Skeen household. A cozy 3-bedroom Airbnb suddenly accommodated ten people, adding a whole new level of excitement and occasional chaos. Despite the space constraints, the shared laughter, and the bond between cousins, made the experience truly special.

Christmas Eve was filled with beloved family traditions. Everyone savored a delicious ham sandwich dinner, relished homemade cookies and treats, and engaged in lively games. Laura kicked off the festivities with a unique game she had created, and the evening culminated in the time-honored tradition of charades. Laughs echoed through the house as family members eagerly participated, creating joyful memories that would last a lifetime.

As tradition dictated, the little one, Rowan, went to bed with dreams of Santa Claus, while the adults transformed the living room into a magical wonderland, filling stockings and arranging presents for Christmas morning. The anticipation hung thick in the air, and when morning arrived, the sparkle in Rowan’s eyes was worth every effort. Together, the family shared gifts, sang carols, and delighted in Jay’s mouthwatering Christmas breakfast. The joy of being together, surrounded by love and laughter, made the day truly magical.

Not content with staying indoors, Aunt Cheryl organized a thrilling adventure for the family on the day after Christmas. We embarked on a fascinating tour of the Red River Gorge underground on a boat. Braving the freezing temperatures, we boarded the boat, only to discover that the further we ventured into the depths, the more temperate it became. With an enthusiastic and humorous tour guide, the family soaked up fascinating facts and relished in the moments of shared excitement.

As Tuesday arrived, it was time for the Fritz-Wade-Skeen-Farrell-Dinsmore-Skeen Family to bid farewell to their snowy wonderland and head back to their respective homes. Though the journey had its challenges, the obstacles only made the gathering more meaningful and memorable. Reflecting on the time spent together, they realized that nothing could surpass the joy of being surrounded by loved ones during the holiday season. Grateful for the safe arrival and departure of all family members, they cherished the memories created and looked forward to the next chapter of their adventure.

Christmas in 2022 turned out to be a truly remarkable and unforgettable experience for the Fritz-Wade-Skeen-Farrell-Dinsmore-Skeen Family. Despite the unexpected winter storm and the various obstacles they encountered, their love and laughter prevailed, making every moment special. From fun games to snowball fights, from delicious feasts to exhilarating adventures, their Christmas celebration was a perfect blend of warmth, humor, and cherished family traditions. They discovered that the true magic of the season lies in being together, even amidst the most challenging circumstances.

Regardless – a birthday is just that, a birthday! And every birthday should be a celebration. We are so fortunate to have been able to spend a great amount of time during Rowan’s birthweek doing just that!

We knew we were going to have some missing family for Rowan’s scheduled birthday celebration – but we were so surprised and happy to see Uncle Justin, Aunt Kayla, Jacob, Lilly, and Reese on Sunday for some good quality time together (and of course, prezzies!). And then right after Uncle Cody and Uncle Alec came to visit, too! We spent the night with our sweet new Chase truck and blowing bubbles from our lawnmower bubble machine. Sweet!

And then Rowan, Mama, and John got to spend Rowan’s birthday day together exploring the amazing animals and activities at the Atlanta Zoo! We went last year, as well – and it’s interesting to compare year over year. I don’t think Rowan was particularly interested in the animals either year, but he was super excited about the train this year! And he also absolutely loved running through the park and seeing all the people. He’s such a big ole extravert! Mama figured out right at the end that giving Rowan a snack to hold while he walks around keeps him at a regular human’s pace. Whew!

Next we hit up an old haunt for Mama and Daddy in Midtown Atlanta – Fellini’s Pizza. It’s so fun to get back to some places close to where we used to live in Atlanta. And, ironically, while we were there we remembered that we went to the same place for lunch after the Zoo last year! Hah!

Birthday day finished up with an absolutely huge surprise! We knew that we were going to hang out with Grandma because she couldn’t make it to the birthday bash on Saturday. But little did we know that Cousin Laura drove all the way from Greensboro, NC to have birthday dinner and festivities with us! WOW! It was such a great surprise and so much fun to see Laura and have her be a part of our little family party. Rowan and Kenzie were probably the most excited (New people, oh em geeee!).

Ahh, Birthday Day finally done. What a huge success! It was so much fun to be able to have some great adventures together and then to top it off with such an awesome surprise and great company with Laura and Grandma, we couldn’t have planned a better birthday day!

But little did the Young Lord know that in just a couple more days time we would be getting together for the “official” birthday celebration! We were so glad to see so many family members and friends come out to celebrate our little guy. It was a joy to see all the little folks having so much fun together and just to have a great spirit of energy and love poured out for Rowan’s sake. He’s such a light in our lives and we love to see him light up with surprise and excitement – and there seems to be nothing that does that better than being around lots of people!

We had so much fun together – and even more importantly, Rowan had so much fun with everyone! We had gone from worrying that not enough people would be able to make it to having such a great time together. Mama lent her skills and aesthetics with some beautiful decorations, despite the Hurricane Ian-adjacent winds (it was super gusty on Saturday!). But mostly, it was great to get together with such amazing family and friends in celebration of little Rowan’s third year of thriving! We can’t wait to see what wonder, amazement, and chaos he brings to this next year! We love you, Rowan!

Fast forward a couple of weeks and the next “part” of Olivia’s and Rowan’s friendship would begin when I first saw Bill and Olivia together at the park. I, instantly, knew who he was – the dad recovering from back surgery! And so an awesome friendship really began as from then we were bound to wind up at the playground together at least a couple times per week!

We were so fortunate to have gotten an invite from Bill and Deana to join them for Olivia’s second birthday at Catch Air! A new experience for Rowan, both in that it was his first time to Catch Air but also because it was the first time he was invited for a friend’s birthday. The day itself came quickly and we were so excited to go – especially the wild one, Rowan! As we were driving I could hear him saying “faster, faster!” and “I am so excite!”

After arriving we got to spend over an hour doing some playtime and exploration. Catch Air was such an exciting new experience – we had never been inside for a “playground” and it had so many amenities (when working… lol!) that were such great new experiences. Rowan especially loved the ball gun – due in no small part to Michael’s grand acting when being hit! Rowan also loved the big slides and more than anything when others were helping him – thanks Bill and Bill’s Niece, Destiny!

And of course after play was some yummy pizza, fruit cups, and blue cupcakes! I am pretty sure I heard Bill say something like “uh, maybe blue wasn’t the best color choice” as he looked around and saw blue-faced children in every direction! Too late, now! We also had a great birthday song and candle blow-out, and of course prezzies! Rowan tried to “help” a bit too much, but ultimately was corralled so the birthday Lady could have her awesome present time.

We were so happy to have been invited to Olivia’s birthday! Olivia is such an awesome young lady – she’s full of spirit, clearly adored, and has the cutest run you will ever see. She’s a great friend to Rowan and it always fills our hearts to hear that she is practicing saying “Rowan” at home. It was great seeing such an outpouring of love for her and her little family. And speaking of – Bill and Deana’s family and friends were so kind to Rowan and myself. They were so warm and inviting, I felt like we were part of the family! And all of that despite Rowan’s hot-mess-ness!

So, we wanted to do something new – and we did! Our first trip ever to Tellus Science Museum! And we had a great time – how had we missed this gem hidden up there in Cartersville, Georgia! Over 20 years in Georgia and never have we gone that way – Cartersville is a bit out of the way but this museum was worth the drive.

The first thing you see when getting to the museum are the mighty large trucks. What a great way to open this experience for us – Rowan’s eyes lit up with excitement as he and Mom got out of the car to go see the trucks up close! But that didn’t last too long – apparently the sheer scope of seeing them in person was a bit intimidating for the young lord! He decided that they were very cool, but kept his distance just a bit.

Inside the museum were four sections – Minerals, Dinosaurs, Transportation Through Time, and a Children’s interactive section. Amy was totally into the mineral section! She took off exploring all of the various minerals – from glorious samples of amethyst geodes, calcites, and many more minerals to a huge display showing all of the periodic table elements (John was disappointed for the lack of actual Uranium!). John and Rowan also really enjoyed the dark room that showed how different minerals reacted under different light situations. Cool!

After that we made pretty quick work of the Dinosaur and Transportation exhibits. There were plenty of sweet bones and sharp teeth to see with the Dinos – Rowan was impressed! And – almost like Tellus is reading Rowan’s thoughts (or that most young people just love things like rocks, dinos, and vehicles.. lol) – Rowan absolutely loved seeing all the different cars, bicycles, trains, and even space shuttles in the transportation section.

The best part, honestly, was the Children’s interactive section. A two year old can only “look and don’t touch” so much – we needed to get our hands on things! And we did just that. Exploring with magnetics and sounds, using gravity and even generating some of our own electricity! We had a ton of fun exploring the interactive section – and we didn’t want to leave, but our showtime for the planetarium came up and it was time to go to space!

We had such a fun adventure on John’s Birthday! It was great to see and experience new things and there’s simply something magical about watching a youngster learn and experience things for the first time.