Thanksgiving highs and lows

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, I can reflect on how things went.  We traveled to Tennessee to spend the holiday with my in-laws.  I always love going there, and getting to spend time with a great group of people. Here are some highs and lows from the trip:

Highs

• I did not eat one morsel of food that was not on my flab to fab plan!  This is the biggest high for me!  I said "no" to coconut cake, my mother-in-law's famous chocolate cake, stuffing muffins, sweet potato casserole, macaroni and cheese, and mashed potatoes.  It was very difficult to do, especially because I eat when I am stressed.  You will see why I was so stressed in the lows below.  If you are curious what I ate, here is a small list: ham, turkey, baked sweet potato, beans, green beans, carrots, and paleo stuffing (delicious!).  I am sure I am missing something, but the point is, I did not starve! 
• We got to see the majority of my husband's family.  As I have previously gushed, they are a wonderful group of people who have welcomed me into their family with open arms.  Plus, they just adore our son.  
• We stay with my mother and father-in-law while we are in town.  They live in the beautiful Tennessee countryside.  The air smells so fresh and natural, the way it is supposed to smell.  I can't describe it, but I just love it there.  
• The drive to and from Tennessee with our 11-month old wasn't bad.  It took longer than normal, but it was pretty easy and stress-free.  

This photo was taken about an hour before we left town.  It is my favorite from our time in Tennessee!  This is our son and his Meemaw.

Lows

• The day before we left for Tennessee, I woke up and could barely swallow water.  I promptly went to the doctor since we were about to leave town.  Thank goodness I did, because I had strep.  The entire time we were in Tennessee I was exhausted and I felt awful.  This is no way to spend the holiday!   
• The lowest of lows for me was our normally outgoing, friendly baby became shy and terrified of everyone, especially men with facial hair.  On Thanksgiving day, he cried almost non-stop.  If you know him, he rarely cries... ever!  This was not the first time we'd been to Tennessee, and he's met all of our family before. He's not normally afraid of strangers, let alone his own grandparents.  I swear I don't keep him locked up in his room all day.  I swear I take him out of the house to interact with other humans.  At the end of the day, I was exhausted, sad, and angry with myself for somehow being a deficient parent.  I left Tennessee feeling like a terrible mother.  I guess it's a good thing we're staying home for Christmas, my fragile ego can't handle another episode like that.