We had a pretty full schedule while we were there. I can't remember it all now, but I will try.
The first Sunday that we were there I was able to go on a walk with my childhood best friend. Laura and I have been friends since we were 5 and my family moved to NOVA. It was great to spend time with her and her family. (I can't believe she has 2 kids and is expecting her third!)
The next few days were spent catching up and getting some last minute shopping done. Never again do I want to go to the mall a few days before Christmas! We did it last year in Utah, but it was so much worse in Virginia! Michelle & Trevor flew to NC to spend time with Dave & Steph & Sabrina before they all drove up together. Things got a little more crowded once they arrived, but it was so great to be all together. Every time I see Sabrina I can't believe how much she is growing!
Christmas Eve was a busy day. We spent the day doing final preparations for Christmas day! Wrapping all the final presents, getting food ready (making the pull aparts-yum!), and buying the Christmas tree! Since we had so many people in the house, the room where the Christmas tree is normally located was Michelle & Trevor's bedroom. We decided we needed to get a smaller tree that would fit better in the family room. Dad had been looking around for awhile for a good deal on a tree and decided that h.h. gregg (an electronic's and home appliance store. Who knew!?) had the best deal. So off we went Dad and his four kids. We told the guy we wanted one tree and he asked, "Only one! Why not two!" To which David responded, "well unless you want to give us two for the price of one..." Which lead to the guy giving us two trees for the price of one! Since David was the one who got the guy to give us the second tree (and they were the only ones who drove) they ended up with the new tree. It was pretty awesome.
Oh yea! Christmas Eve a few of us got a surprise! Dad had the idea that we should all have matching shirts for Christmas. Steph designed the shirt and found a place to get shirts printed. She worked with Mom to track down shirts for everyone. She then got all the shirts printed. It was way fun to have matching shirts! A few days before Miriam and I had bought similar PJ pants for all the girls, so we all spent Christmas day in our matching PJ pants and shirts! (see pics below)
Christmas morning was an eventful morning. We were trying to have breakfast before 10 AM so that Jeff & I could video chat with his family and his little sister on a mission in Philadelphia. Mom put the pull aparts in the oven and then left to go to the store to pick up a last minute item. A little while after she left I started to notice a funny smell. Eventually, I got up and looked in the oven. We had either let the dough rise too much or put in too much..but pull aparts were falling out of the pan and burning on the bottom of the oven. We also put in too much butter so that was spilling over and each time the butter hit the element there would be a short lived flame. Michelle and I put some pans underneath to catch the butter and pull aparts. We were hoping to have the house all aired out before mom came home, but no such luck. The pull aparts ended up tasting a little smoky but they were still delicious!
Sabrina sporting her Roberts Christmas shirt
Dave & Sabrina
Sabrina & Becca
Sabrina decided she needed to wear all presents she opened!
Miriam with her parrot from Michelle
Me in my Roberts Christmas shirt and Christmas PJ pants.
Jeff & I got a few bites of pull aparts before we had to go in the other room to videochat with his family. We had some computer malfunctions, but eventually we were able to get everyone all on. It was so great to see Marianne. She looks like she is loving mission life. We love reading her letters every week about her adventures! The rest of Christmas day was a little less eventful. After breakfast we opened Christmas presents. It was fun to watch Sabrina. I don't know if she understands Christmas and Santa, but she did understand presents! We had a delicious Christmas dinner and hung out in our pajamas all day.
After Christmas was over things calmed down a little bit. Thursday night we went out for frozen yogurt. It was fun and a nice way to relax after Christmas day.
I caught Michelle by surprise :)
Steph, Sabrina, Dave
Michelle, Grandpa S, Mom
Trevor, Becca, Jeff
The Friday after Christmas we went to the National Zoo with Dave & Steph & Sabrina and Michelle & Trevor. It was a really nice day. I hadn't been to the National Zoo since High School and Jeff had never been to the National Zoo. It was nice to be outside and getting some exercise. Watching Sabrina around the animals was even better. We may have stopped several times just to take pictures of Sabrina. (All these are from Trevor's cool fancy camera).
Sabrina, Steph, Becca, & Jeff in the elephant enclosure.
Sabrina, such a cutey!
Michelle & Trevor
Me with the panda. :)
Jeff & I in the elephant enclosure.
Saturday after Christmas, we got family pictures. A photographer my cousin knows came over and took pictures at our house. They pictures turned out really well. We were able to get a good family picture with everyone!
We also got to see Jenny & Brian & Sam while we were in Virginia. They had gone to Texas for Christmas, but we stayed a few days longer so that we could see them. The first day we saw them we went to the National Christmas Tree (Jeff had never been and I hadn't been since high school) and to the Temple to see the Christmas lights. The next day we drove down to Charlottesville with them to hang out with Jeff's aunts and uncles and cousins. It was great to have a chance to catch up with the Virginia Cummings. This was also the first time we had met Sam. So glad we were able to meet her!
Jenny & Sam in DC
Jeff & Becca at the White House Christmas Tree
I love the Temple at Christmas time!
This is where we were married 4 1/2 years ago!
Jenny & Becca
Jenny & Jeff
Brian, Sam, Jenny, Jeff, & Becca inside the Temple Visitor's Center
Jeff & his cousin Jessie
Nathan (Jessie's son) and Becca
Lauren (Jeff's cousin-in-law) & Mauve
Eber (Jeff's Uncle) & Darlene (Jeff's Aunt)
Seth (Jeff's cousin) & his wife
The Sunday after Christmas my cousin and her family came over. It was great to catch up with her! I can't believe how old her boys are getting!
Jeff, Josh, Jason
Dad, Mom, David, Trevor, Michelle playing games
Irene, Ben, Jason, Grandpa S
Michael
David, Trevor, Michelle, Josh, & Jeff playing trivial pursuit
One day we went to Great Falls park with Trevor & Michelle one day. Trevor wanted to go somewhere to try out some of his new camera equipment. (Much prettier in the summer than in the winter). It was fun to spend some time with Michelle and Trevor.
Jeff & Becca at Great Falls
Michelle & Becca at Great Falls
Great Falls (aka muddy rapids according to Jeff). Like I said prettier in summer
Part of Miriam's Christmas present to me was money to spend on earring findings. We had fun going shopping for findings and then working together to make earrings with them. I usually make earrings for specific people, so it was fun to pick things out just for me! It was also nice to have some Miriam and Me time.
Overall, it was a very busy and exciting trip! I am so glad we were able to spend the holidays with so many family and friends!
December 21, 2013 - January 2, 2014
