After the busy Thanksgiving weekend, it looked like it would be a quiet Christmas in Virginia with just the four of us. Of course, no plan survives first contact. So after the tree was hung, the biscotti and cookies were made, and the 10th cup of hot chocolate was consumed… Phil headed out on a work trip for a few weeks… not scheduled to be back until the 26th!

Not ten minutes after hearing I was going to be on the road this year, Mere and the kids had tickets in hand for a long overdue trip to Minnesota! I can’t say first hand what went on back home but from the pictures, it seemed like a fantastic trip where all boxes got checked! After a few days of adventures in Minneapolis with Grandma, Duane, John, and Lauren, it was off to Rochester for lobster races, cousin time, and a table set for 20 people!

After saying their goodbyes, Mere and the kids traveled back to Virginia for a second round of Christmas celebrations (Sophia insisted) with a decidedly smaller crowd. I couldn’t have been happier to get scooped up at the airport and celebrate with my three favorite people: Meredith, Sophia, and William.