Prepare yourself for a lot of pictures (and these aren't even all of them)...
Our friend from New Orleans, Miss Stephanie, stopped by for a night before Christmas, so we girls walked downtown for tea...
She brought out her violin for the kids (who loved it!)... You can watch a video of them singing along at the end of this blog... They didn't know all the words... too cute...
Stephanie helped us finish some baking and decorating for our Christmas Eve party...
We had a worshipful Christmas Eve service at IDC followed by a house full of friends...
Christmas morning...
After opening presents Santa Papa made breakfast...
Then we loaded up and hit the road for grandparents in Virginia...
Christmas night we celebrated James' official turning of 12 years old!!!
Great-Granddad Mathews...
Great-Grandma Mathews...
Aunt Jessica gave James some of her army gear... He was in heaven...
Soli checking out the view from Uncle Tone Tone's shoulders...
Christmas night was Christmas eve all over again with cousins...
David Isaac and Joshua were two peas in a pod...
Payton wearing Victoria's robe hand me down...
Jana and Isabella chumming around...
James snuggling up to Jude and Aunt Amanda...
Soli and Big Dave...
PopPop capturing the moments...
Let the gift giving begin...
Soli loved his knight costume from cousin Jana...
Joshua sporting his Christmas baseball uniform and new Washington Nationals jersey...
Time for Christmas dinner!
Jana and Great-Grandma...
Victoria and Aunt Amanda...
Payton...
Mother and Daughter...
On Wednesday, as Dave drove great-grandparents back to Newport News a group of us went a couple miles down the street to hike around Government Island (now one of my favorite things to do when at mom and dad's)...
Aunt Priscilla and Soli...
The Smiths...
Tony and the boys (including Koa)...
Merida fam (minus Titus)...
Uncle Josh and Jude buddy...
Some of the quarry...
My niece, Payton, was my walking companion for much of the way...
It was such a beautiful day...
Our crew taking in the view...
Wearing out...
PopPop took the boys to Quantico Marine Base to get haircuts..
High top fade and a high and tight!
Wednesday evening, we arranged for three babysitters to care for our crew and headed out for a nice dinner at La Rosetta's Ristorante...
Mom & Dad
Tony and I
David and Priscilla
Josh and Amanda
Rick and Jessica
These two are something else... Too much fun :-)
Koa trying to take it all in...
Rick picked up his two kiddos from Delaware to join in the (what I affectionately called) "crazy house" (ha)... Isabel and Ashe...
Amanda and Josh had to leave shortly thereafter so we attempted to catch some pictures of all 12 Meadows cousins! Good luck...
Thursday evening we broke away for some bowling at Quantico...
Friday, our crew had to say goodbyes and head back to North Carolina... Of course, we also had to try and take a few more pictures...
Ashe playing with his nerf gun...
Babushka and Jana...
Sisters...
Cousins... Angela said, "Isabel is my best friend!" Jana replied, "Mine too!" Too cute.
My little soldier son...
Dedushka (a.k.a. PopPop) tackled by Angela while catching the football... good save Dad! :)
Lil' D and Izzy G playing in PopPop's truck cab...
Singing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" with Miss. Stephanie...
Hiking Government Island...
The chore of getting the kids to line up for Christmas pictures (ha ha)...
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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