To Virginia we go!

 For Christmas in Virginia we left on the 19th. But first we went to the Mall of America aquarium with some of Dave's classmates. It was impressive! I've never seen an underwater tunnel that long and that diverse. Of course, Riley and Joe raced from tank to tank so quickly, we missed a LOT but it sure was fun.

 Following the aquarium, and lunch, and haircuts, we went home and packed up the car. We left at four o' clock and drove through the night to Virginia, arriving at 11 on Saturday. Whew! So exhausting, but the kids slept pretty well and we had perfect weather and there was little traffic to speak of so overall, two thumbs up.

So good to get home! The house was decked out in all that holiday glory and the weather was so warm we never needed our snow gear we'd packed along. Best of all, Mom, Dad, and all my siblings were there and made me realize how much I miss them all over again! It was so sweet to be with them all this Christmas.  Although, you know, there are 18 of us now, and even in Mom and Dad's big, 5 bedroom home, that's a tight squeeze. Plus, like half of the women were erm...menstrauating. It wasn't the bloodbath it could have been (ew no not literally! gross) - we played and laughed and walked and ate. People bunked wherever there was room - beds, air mattresses, couches, some even in a tent. It was imperfectly perfect. I almost said perfect, but you know, the holidays, as much as we love them and look forward to them all year, get us out of our comfortable routines and spaces and shake things up a bit and we love them not because they are perfect, but for the perfect moments in them that we share. Also, I read this essay and it really left an impression on me, especially the bit about how on the first Christmas, Mary had nothing but rags to wrap her baby in and was sleeping in a stable. I referenced it on Facebook and now am doing so here! I guess I liked hearing someone say we can celebrate the messy parts as well as the shiny parts of life.

But really, it was a beautiful, memorable couple of days that we had together. Enough chatter. Pictures time:

The Sunday before Christmas, the sun burning fog off the mountain on a warm, damp day.

 Warm enough for Riley and Abby to play a lot of "orphan" on the boulders. That game seems more insulting now that I am the mother! Like, seriously? I used to play it too, but I blame the Boxcar Children for that.

Mossy!

We took the kids to Kid Zone a lot too. "Two straws!"

Uncle Tim taught them some walking songs and now Riley wants to sing "The Noble Duke of York" all the time.

We also celebrated Andrea's birthday. We have 3 December birthdays, so really a holiday at home wouldn't be complete without a chocolate mint torte cake and birthday candle run-around.

 I loved seeing the grandchildren play together. Abby was organizer/captain of the motley crew - she even had a schedule prepared to keep things running smoothly. :) That Abby - I asked her what she would do if she had a million dollars and she said, "Buy a violin, and if I had any left over, pay for lessons too." She 7 going on 70. (6?) Meh, I don't remember my own age sometimes, don't mind me.
They all kept us very entertained and busy.

The traditional contaminated frosting of the sugar cookies with neighbor friends.

Dad needs a bigger chair.

And of course, the yearly trip to the Y for swimming.

It's no wonder Riley keeps asking to go back to Grandma's! (She loves Grandpa too, but it's to GRANDMOTHER'S house we go!)