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5 Clothing Items Lost, 4 Beds Slept In, 3 Families Visited, 2 States Traveled to and  1 Very Active Pre-schooler, or How We Spent Our Christmas Holiday 2009

1/11/10 - Dexter, MI; Lake Orion, MI, Alexandria, VA and Washington D.C.

Celebrating the Christmas holiday visiting family and friends in the Detroit and Washington D.C. Areas

This holiday season we steeled ourselves for an aggressive Midwest-east coast visiting schedule.  In the space of 8 days, we planned to visit two families in two locations in Michigan - Scott's parents in Dexter and Caroline's sister Jen's family in Lake Orion - and Caroline's dad's side in Alexandria, VA.  Were we crazy?!  In retrospect, most definitely!  But while being incredibly hectic and exhausting, it was also a very satisfying visit in every respect. 

 

Very late on Saturday, December 20th we arrived at Scott's parents' house in Dexter, Michigan, after a long and crowded but otherwise uneventful flight from Albuquerque.  Although there in Dexter for only one full day, thanks to Scott's mom Denise's planning prowess, we had an opportunity to catch up and exchange gifts with Scott's parents, brothers, grandpa and aunt and uncle.  On Monday, we relocated to the Hyatt Place near Caroline's sister's family's house for the next few days in order to get maximum nephew-visiting in.  During the week, we had fun roughhousing and running around with our rambunctious 3-year-old nephew Christopher, but he sure wore us out!  It's always fun to see how he's grown since we last saw him.  We also scheduled time during the week to have dinner with Scott's cousin Don and his wife Kathy, whom we don't see nearly enough, at the pleasantly upscale, trendy Crust pizza restaurant in Bloomfield.  As a great surprise, Don invited all of their shared cousins, many of whom were able to join in the festivities.  It was a fun and relaxing evening enjoyed by all!  While visiting Scott's childhood friend John at his office earlier in the week, we arranged to meet him, his parents, sister and his delightful new girlfriend Sarah, at a favorite old steak restaurant of Caroline's, Filippa's, at their convenient Utica location - also a wonderful reunion!    Towards the end of our Michigan visit, Caroline's parents joined us at Jen & Ivan's house to celebrate a fun- and laughter-filled Christmas Eve in front of a cozy fire.  That evening, after driving on  roads becoming slippery as the snow fell, we spent the night at the Westin located right at the airport so we could hop an early-morning flight to Baltimore.  From there, we drove to Virginia to spend the remainder of our holiday visit with Caroline's grandparents, dad, step-mom and aunt at Aunt Nancy's beautiful home in the woods of Hollin Hills, near Old Town Alexandria.  Caroline's sister's family decided to join us there also so that Christopher could meet his great-grandparents for the first time.  It was a wonderful and very special holiday reunion, as this entire group, being scattered all around the country, had never before all been in the same place at once!  We truly enjoyed the opportunity to visit with everyone, eating and drinking merrily and heartily.  We even got in a little exercise while strolling Old Town Alexandria around our hotel, The Lorien, and also through Aunt Nancy's wonderful neighborhood on a walk with Caroline's dad and step-mom.  It was refreshing and invigorating, even if it was raining much of the time! 

 

On our way back to Baltimore on Sunday, we even had a chance to stop in Washington D.C. to visit friends Janet and Mark from San Francisco who have since relocated there.  They treated us to a homemade-quiche-and-cocktail brunch that we won't soon forget - thanks you two, it's always great to see you!  It was definitely a rewarding trip, so fantastic to see everyone, but it proved to be a hectic and chaotic schedule that we do not intend to repeat in future years!  Happy New Year everyone - it was wonderful to see you all!


Playing on the pool table at Jen & Ivan's house


Uncle Scott looooves reading about Transformers!

 

Caroline & Christopher's mom, Jen

 

Performing our very special rendition of Styx's 'Mr. Roboto'

 

Our ice skating expedition turned into an unofficial adult skate, since Christopher didn't want to wear the skates - maybe next time!

 

A surprise dinner with the Brooks/Kowalewski cousins at Crust in Bloomfield, MI!

 

Scott's cousins Don & Dana, the ever-photogenic siblings, at Crust

 

Playing in the snow at Jen's house in Lake Orion

 

Playing in the snow at Jen's house in Lake Orion

 

Playing in the snow at Jen's house in Lake Orion

 

Ivan built a cozy fire on Christmas Eve for our family celebration

 

Grammy & Grandpa like to be where the action is!

 

Look what Santa brought me...

 

Scott gets creative with Christopher's new art project pipe cleaners!

 

The twins model their fab new Christmas gifts

 

Jamie & Christopher get acquainted at Aunt Nancy's house in Alexandria

 

Fun with Great-Grandpa Bill!

 

A wonderful family celebration - Christmas dinner at Aunt Nancy's in Alexandria, VA

 

Old Town Alexandria is festively decorated for the holidays

 

The Rytina Family

 

Friends Mark & Janet graciously hosted us for brunch in their Washington D.C. apartment

 

Janet, Mark, Caroline & Scott

 


Brian, Scott & Darrin: the annual don't-make-me-get-off-the-couch Brooks Brothers photo

Playing on the pool table at Jen & Ivan's house

 

Christopher & Uncle Scott

 

Whoopin' it up on the trampoline

 

Singing 'Jingle Bells' through Styrofoam

 

What could be more fun than singing through a Styrofoam tube?!

 

Quiet time with Auntie C'Lo, reading Potty Time

 

A little holiday ice skating at the Onyx in Rochester

 

Cousin Don, Scott and Scott's brother Darrin enjoy catching up at the bar at Crust

 

Caroline & Scott (slightly less photogenic, or just more drunk...)

 

Playing in the snow at Jen's house in Lake Orion

 

Playing in the snow at Jen's house in Lake Orion

 

Sarah, John, Scott & Caroline pose after a great meal at Filippa's in Utica with John's parents and sister

 

Christmas Eve at Jen & Ivan's house

 

...I can use it to strangle Uncle Scott!

 

Caroline's Mom, Jane and Jennifer pose while Scott mans the stove

 

Look what Uncle Scott got from Grammy - a new immersion mixer!

 

Jamie & Christopher get acquainted at Aunt Nancy's house in Alexandria

 

Caroline's stepmom Lucia and dad Steve pose for a Christmas Day photo

 

Caroline toasts the newest generation with her grandparents, Bill & Joan

 

Our tranquil room at the Lorien Hotel in Old Town Alexandria

 

Caroline helps perfect the lasagna dinner with Nancy & Lucia in Nancy's kitchen

 

Toasting the holidays with our friend Janet in Washington D.C. before flying home

 

Janet, Mark, Caroline & Scott