Aimee's Christmas Visit

Aimee came for her traditional Christmas visit right after Christmas this year. It was just what I needed to look forward to.  At the top of our to-do list was visiting Monticello, something we've wanted to do for years now. We all loved Monticello. It seemed so much more progressive than Mt Vernon. I loved the big rooms, Thomas Jefferson believed in having the latest and greatest. He didn't want to take away from the beautiful scenery, on top the highest hill around, and put all the space needed to keep his  home running under his home. The view was gorgeous, even in the Winter.

  I caught on camera a really cute interaction between Abby and Dan. Melt your heart cute!

After seeing Monticello we had to drive by our old stomping grounds. I think I was about 4 when we lived in Charlottesville so I don't remember much but Aimee sure did. We saw her old elementary school and the townhouse we lived in. We took pictures and reminisced about the time Chuck and Steve built a snowman in front of the neighbors door, when Aimee searched the nearby park with her best friend trying to find her pet ginny-pig, and Aimee and Emily hiding love notes to the neighborhood boy in the dirt. It was the second time we've been able to visit a place we've lived. Then Aimee treated us to Coldstone before we headed home. YUM. We stopped at Cafe Rio for dinner. It was a fun day, even though Dan had a head cold (which turned into a sinus infection).

Because of all the sickness leading up to Christmas we had to postpone making our gingerbread houses until after Christmas. We invited our neighbors, the Conovers, and lucky Aimee made gingerbread houses for the 4th time this season (first time this year though). After the kids finished piling on the candy Tara and I sat down and made one. I'll never be to old to decorate a gingerbread house. It's a lot of work being now that I'm the one doing the prep work but it's totally worth it.

Abby and Andrew

Jake and Michael

Emma and Tess

Mike and Emma

For New Years Eve Aimee made 3 difference ice cream pies, we played games and headed to bed before midnight. Actually I stayed up past the new year finishing a book but Dan's sinus infection was really bad so we called it a night early. 

It didn't take long for Clara to warm up to Aimee. 

Clara loves her Aunt Aimee and chose to be in her lap/arms often! 

 Tess was very excited to have Aimee meet Buddy. And Dan and Buddy are still mourning her departure!! Aimee helped Dan in loving on this big puppy. I sure wish she lived closer so Buddy could enjoy the animal lover that she is (so does Dan)!

Every time the kids see Aimee they request the "tickle blanket" game. 

They love it. She is so good to them!

Aimee and I took the three older kids to see Frozen.  It is so fun to go the theater with little kids, since it hardly ever happens it is a big treat. Our week with Aimee went way to fast.  Poor Dan was sick the entire time so we didn't do as much site seeing as we'd planned. But we sure loved all the game playing, movie watching (Here Comes the Boom is a new favorite), eating and chatting.

I'm so grateful for her! After taking her to the airport I came home totally bummed. My sisters are my best friends, it's just so easy with them. I miss them.