The night before we left, we had freezing rain and everything turned to ice...Jay had to run out to pick up a few last minute things and when he got home, he could barely walk up the driveway! It was funny to see him take a step and then slide right backwards! You can kind of see how glassed over everything is in this picture... 
I was surprised how easily we made it through security and customs and our plane even left on-time considering the weather outside wasn't the greatest.
The runways covered in ice and snow...
Arabella and Ted passing the time on the plane playing on my iPhone!
I took this picture out the plane window, I thought the clouds looked amazing.After a few delays in DC, we finally made it to Columbus, Ohio. However, after we got all our luggage and the taxi, it took us 1 hour and 45 minutes to get from the airport to Clarksville...it was raining pretty hard and there was a decent amount of traffic in Columbus. We ended up taking a Dublin taxi, which I thought was pretty funny since we used to live in Dublin!
Arabella took no time catching up with her cousins as soon as we arrived. The kids we gone playing before we even said our Hello's!
While Arabella played and Jay caught up with his brothers, I tackled the pile of boxes in our closet... 
It is so much easier to buy gifts online than to pack them in suitcases!Jack, Arabella's elf found us in Clarksville! He was there with his cousin, Lucy, who came all the way from California! Those elves sure are sneaky!
And Jack, following last years tradition, left Arabella a note and a gift on Christmas Eve. She was so excited when she saw him!
Arabella enjoyed breakfast with Blix and even learned what a finger bowl is...now that is how she wants to clean for fingers after she eats!
While Arabella's cousins, who were still on California time, slept, Arabella got to open some packages from Uncle Mike, Grammie and Auntie Lori! She loved all the gifts and fun things that everyone sent to her...Thank You!
Before long it was time to take the Christmas family picture...
Then we had a delicious Christmas Eve dinner and then open presents. The kids were so excited and they were not even presents from Santa!
Soon chaos ensued from the pile of presents...
And the aftermath...
Before long it was time to put out the reindeer food,
make sure the stockings were hung,
leave a note, cookies and milk for Santa,
and say goodbye until next year to Jack.
Arabella couldn't sleep she was so excited and when I tucked her in, I told her to listen for Santa's sleigh bells. I just love this time with her, it is so special and she is so sweet and in awe of it all. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
