Christmas is over and the New Year is here. We are finally back at home, having brought our journey through the center of America to a close. It was a great trip filled with highs and lows and hours and hours in the car. We drove through six states starting from our homebase in Chicago and ending up in Louisiana, with a layover to see friends in Little Rock on the way back. We were able to pack quite a bit into just over a week. So much excitement, from our trip as well as some pre-celebrations in Chicago, that we just have to share some of it with you. Let’s take a quick look back before we move forward with a new year:
1: We rode the Christmas Train. Brian’s dream for the last three years was finally fulfilled.
2. Highlights at the Christkindlmarket in Chicago included the giant Christmas tree, bratwurst with sauerkraut, and the wooden nutcrackers.
3. Office holiday parties are pretty great when presents and peppermint schnapps are involved.
4. Put lights on the Anheuser Busch Brewery in St. Louis, and it looks like a castle.
5. Brian is the best little housewife! Always baking yummy treats, like these molasses cookies.
6 & 7: Some Americana sights along our 6 state tour.
8: My mom has decorated her new house in Louisiana quite nicely. I wonder where I get my old-timey aesthetic…
9: Christmas isn’t Christmas without a hug from Gramma.
10: Or without her dessert spread, for that matter.
11: Toulouse and Colonel Marshmallow were kind enough to let us stay with them in Little Rock.
12 & 13: They showed us many pretty things on our shopping & antiquing excursions.
14: We celebrated birthdays with cupcakes–one for Megan, one for Brian, and one for Jesus.
15: We’re not usually cool enough to venture out for live music and hip, grungy bars, but we made an exception for the White Water Tavern in Little Rock.
16: BESTIES FORVER!
17: The lure of white chocolate fudge with sprinkles brought us back to Illinois for a late Christmas and NYE celebration with Brian’s fam.
18: Christmas presents! Brian got me a cheapo film camera with a tiny rabbit on it. Just wait til we get the film developed!
19: We are so decadent. To be as decadent as us, you can ring in the next new year with fruity French champagne punch.
20: A good start to 2012 = peanut butter banana sprinkle sammies.
Miss you guys so much! My bunnies are super excited that they’re on your blog! They feel famous…
Miss you guys so much! My bunnies are super excited that they’re on your blog. They feel famous…
They should feel famous.