We surprised my parents this year with a visit. We drove up on the 30th, got a hotel, had dinner with V, and then I sent my dad a text message the morning of the 31st – I thought he didn’t have to work so I asked him to meet me at the Ikea. I’d never been and it was close to our hotel. He thought I’d meant the message for someone else and sent it to him by mistake…”I would, but its a little far of a drive.” When I told him which Ikea I meant, he called. He was at work and could not meet us. The other J and I went anyway because mom was also at work and it killed a little time.
After Ikea we went to my parent’s house, stashed the car at Grandma’s house – who normally is always home but was not when we left the car. Hungout with dad and the baby for a while, went and visited grandma and grandpa, waited for mom to get home. When Mom got home we hid and Dad covered her eyes and walked her over to us. and POOF! there we were.

We went to their friend’s New Years Eve party, played “are you smarter than a 5th grader?” Saw some cousins and family friends, watched the ball drop had champagne and otherwise had a wonderful New Years. I’m very glad I was able to see the babies and my expectant cousin.

New Years day was dinner (in the southern sense) at Grandma’s with additional family and then a hike in the state land behind the subdivision. There was sledding, snow angels, and the posting of deer cameras before Chinese and movies.

We had a great time visiting.