Xmas in VA

Merry Christmas!

A few years ago Philip and I decided that we would try to spend Xmas with my side of the family in VA every year and so far we have not missed a single year.  This may be due in part to Ryan making us promise every year before we leave that we will be back for the next Christmas.  After all, who wants to break  a promise Ryan?

So with a lot of anticipation and excitement we packed our many bags and headed to the airport.  I am happy to report that for the first year ever we have traveled to and from VA for Xmas without any sort of complications (ie- being stranded in Charlotte for 4 days last year!)

The 23rd is the Reid Family Open House so we spent the day shopping and prepping for that.  It seems that every year it gets bigger and bigger but is always a lot of fun.  As is our family tradition we open gifts with dad that night because he leaves to head back to NY in the early hours on Christmas Eve.


Ryan with his 2 besties...Johnny Mike and Sugarfoot

 Christmas Eve was a fun day filled with 2 very excited boys!

Krys and the boys tracking Santa on her new iPad...how very hip she is!

Krystyn and I started the day with Manis/Pedis and since I had not had one in 7 months! (since leaving Boston) I was much in need!  That evening we went to their friends the Duggans house who always have a wonderful spread!  Then it was back home to get spread the Raindeer food on the front yard and say good bye to Elfie for another year (for those of you not in the know, Elfie is their elf on a shelf.  He sits and watches over them and then each night goes to the North Pole to report to Santa how they have been.)



the first ever pic of Jim and Philip standing side by side!

 Christmas Eve ending with all of our stocking hung by the chimney with care....

as you can see we each have one...Johnny Mike, Jim, Krys and Katie!
Contrary to the agreement that was made with the boys in the days prior that they could wake us up at 7:55 to go open gifts we had a very excited Ryan jumping on top of us at about 7:03.  When we asked him what happened to waiting until 7:55 he explained that he just couldn't do it....Enough said! We had a wonderful day of staying in our PJs until early afternoon and then yummy dinner of Beef Wellington!

Once again this trip went by so fast.  We are already looking forward to next year...we have to, we promised Ryan already!