about the christmas tour.

the fall tour ended just before thanksgiving and the christmas tour (with mark schultz) picked up the week after. this tour wasn't as extensive. we were out three days the first weekend, two days the second weekend, and the third weekend was one day out and one day at home (for M and me, at least).

12/01 otisville, MI | 12/02 waukesha, WI | 12/03 massillon, OH | 12/09 perry hall, MD | 12/10 mount vernon, OH | 12/15 milan, TN

a few snapshots.

1. we were on mark's tour bus for this tour (as opposed to L&TO's mini bus, which we were on for the fall tour, which has bunks but no bathroom) and that felt like a treat. partly because there was a bathroom, mostly because there was THE HALLMARK CHANNEL. and every night, i'd get back on the bus and put M to bed just in time for the 8pm movie to start.

it's also worth mentioning that i learned how to watch football, and watched an entire second half of a game, on that tv. which probably sounds insignificant, but i'm not kidding when i say i don't watch sports (other than soccer). you may find me staring at the screen during a game, but i'm never actually paying attention because i don't understand what i'm looking at. especially in football, when only like 3% of the time is actual play time.

2. i found dress up clothes for M and he wore that jacket all day like he was the real fire chief.

3. the snow (and the construction vehicles right outside the bus !!) were in maryland. i remember that insignificant detail very specifically for some reason. i also remember that we had a runner bring us to ikea, where jodi bought a fake tree and a bath towel – which are random and hilarious purchases when you consider that all of our personal items have to go in our bunks with us.

4. i don't know why i took that mirror selfie, but i'm glad i did because it's the only photo i have to document this hotel in mount vernon, OH (noted because i want to go back) that was straight out of a hallmark movie. unfortunately, i have no photos of the grand staircase, beautiful chandeliers, fully decorated christmas trees, fireplaces, and victorian style furniture in the lobby. not to mention that we happened to be there when they were passing out freshly baked chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies. still warm and gooey. my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

5. i snapped this photo of M, linking arms with me, because we weren't friends in the beginning. i didn't know his rhythm and he didn't know me as one of his people. but by the end, we were best buds and him reaching over to link arms is one way to measure how far we've come.
 

^ this really is just a snapshot of what the christmas tour was. it felt like a whirlwind almost, for the way it was only a handful of dates mixed in with being home and christmas shopping and getting things done. december always goes by so quickly.

because we were on the bus with the whole tour, our routines were different. we didn't go to coffee shops every day, but we did have access to a hotel room every day. it was too cold to walk or explore outside the venues, but they were all churches with nurseries – and by this point, M was pretty used to having "play time" during set up, when he would play the drums on stage, anyway. i also got to know the rest of the people on this tour more than the last one because we were on the same bus, and because M napped on the bus (instead of in a pack 'n play we'd bring into venues on the fall tour). and you'd better believe i introduced every one of my new bus friends to the magic that is hallmark christmas movies, because obviously.

M and i stayed home for the last show because, well, i had tickets to see needtobreathe on that same day, so i had already told them i couldn't be out. but it worked perfectly for me to keep M and get a babysitter (lol) while i was at the show, especially since he was under the weather with a not-yet-diagnosed double ear infection.

we ended the run with a bang, is what i'm saying. and lots of snuggles.