Christmas Shenanigans

After enduring a countdown and much anticipation....Dec 27th FINALLY came!!!!  The day my parents arrived for a week long visit!  We were ALL extremely excited.  And the minute Grandpa's face appeared in the car window as we picked them up at the airport, Jeffery went crazy!!!  (God Bless you, SKYPE!)  

My parents, bless them, hate the fact that to get out here...you waste an entire day of traveling.  So, they hopped on a red eye flight that left Phoenix at 11:30pm the night before and arrived here in Richmond at 9am on the 27th!  They are of the mindset (and I agree when it comes to traveling) that you can sleep when you're dead.  :)  Jeffery immediately wanted to show them his new trike that Santa brought him.  :)

I'm a big boy now

New found freedom....with daddy's help

When Jeffery went down for his afternoon nap, the rest of the house went down for a nap themselves.  It was blissful.  That evening...we had our own little belated Christmas Dinner: Swedish Ham Balls (sorry you missed these, Julie H.), Cider Salad, a new recipe for Garlic and Rosemary Potatoes, cheese dip that my dad had made that afternoon....and Lefse (a Scandinavian flatbread) that my sister had generously sent with my parents!  YUM, YUM, YUM!!!!  Afterwards, we opened some remaining presents and just enjoyed being all together during such a special and wonderful time of the year!

My favorite little boy

Christmas Hysterics....a stocking stuffer gift from my mom to Dave

A Christmas Hug for Grandma....melts the heart

The following day, we traveled down to the Tidewater area.  We've taken my parents all over Central VA and down to Williamsburg but they expressed an interest in going down to Virginia Beach and Norfolk.  So we did!  My mother was THRILLED (said sarcastically) about going through the Bridge Tunnels.  :)  

Our first stop was in VABeach where we entered Fort Story (an Army Base) and visited the Cape Henry Lighthouses....there are 2.  The first was built in 1792 under George Washington and was the first public work project for the new country.  You can go up into the top of it after some very steep and winding stairs.  (Good exercise)  The 2nd was built after the Civil War when the first one was decomissioned.  But they both still stand and are really neat to visit.  Sadly, Jeffery is too little to climb the stairs....so Dave volunteered to stay down on the ground with him.

Off in his new pea coat and hat that Grandma Jean and Grandpa Jeff gave him for Christmas.  Cutest thing he's ever had!!!!!!

Up atop the Original Lighthouse....looking at the Atlantic Ocean and the newer lighthouse

2 of my favorite people!

Afterwards, we headed across the street, over some sand dunes, and there was the Atlantic Ocean.  Cape Henry is where the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean meet.  It is also the very first sport where Capt John Smith and his ships stopped....before continuing up the James and settling Jamestown.   Jeffery....Jeffery is obsessed with water.  OBSESSED!!!!  Maybe he'll be an Olympic swimmer....or a Navy Seal.  Anyway....the minute he saw the water...he wanted to go in.  Seeing how it was a pretty cold day...that wasn't going to happen.  This made for a VERY unhappy Jeffery!  

Grandma and Jeffery heading to the ocean

Jeffery throwing a tantrum and Grandma having so much "fun" :)

A moment of peace with Grandpa

The man and the sea

The "newer" lighthouse

Mom and me

The Cape Henry Lighthouses

Runaway Stroller

My dad had specifically requested that we visit a fish house while down in the Tidewater area.  So, Dave delivered with a truly legit fish house.  He and my dad shared this dish called the Hurricane Margie Platter.....you should have seen the amount of food on this plate!!!! Unbelievable!!!!!  After lunch, we high tailed it to Norfolk so we could board the USS Wisconsin....a battleship that Dave and I have visited before and that my dad was keen on seeing.  

Just a little cold

The USS Wisconsin

The sweater Dave gave my mom for Christmas with the hoodie came in handy!!!

Full of wonder

My little Navy Boy

Off to oversee inspection and the swabbing of the deck.  Serious business!

The rest of my parents week long trip went by in a blur.  We all watched ASU beat Navy in a bowl game....while enjoying Buzz and Ned's Ribs.  Yum, Yum!  I got a babysitter and Dave and I took my parents for a special dinner at the Boathouse Restaurant which overlooked the James River and the lit up Richmond downtown skyline.  Mom and I went shopping.  Dad hung curtain rods for us.  :)  We played Mexican Train Dominoes, we had a Mexican fiesta, we visited Maymont Gardens we talked, we laughed,....we had just a wonderful time.

Watching a "Jeffery" slide show on Grandma's computer

It's exhausting having this much fun

Here I come

Mommy is base!

The cold doesn't seem to bother the bear prowling in the back

Helping Grandma push the stroller through Maymont

On New Year's Eve, we bundled up and went to the Botanical Garden to see their annual festival of lights.  As per usual....it did NOT disappoint!  We then came home and enjoyed a new tradition that Dave and I have started.  Throughout the year, we wrote wonderful events or things we were thankful for down on strips of paper and placed them in a bowl.  On New Year's Eve, we read through this bowl and relived the year.  It was far better than making silly resolutions that no one ever keeps and it was a wonderful way to spend the evening!

At the Ginter Festival of Lights

And then....all too soon....their week here was over and they had to return home.  I HATE that part!  We were so blessed to have them come visit us.  And....we at least know we will see them soon!  One of our Christmas presents from my dad were tickets to the April Richmond NASCAR race!!!!!!  They have said that they will either be here for the race...or the week before so they can attend our James River Singers concert!  So...we just have to wait until April!  YAY!!!!!!!!

I hope you all have had a blessed and glorious Christmas and New Year!  May 2013 be full of love and laughter, family and friends.