Thanksgiving in Virgina

It was a Thanksgiving miracle. We nonreved to Virginia for the holiday, without a hitch. Four of us. As always Amy was the perfect hostess. Everything was beautiful and delicious and perfectly planned an executed. Well, as perfect as execution can be (not the hanging kind) with a house full of family and kids under 12. We played at the park, and raked leaves in the lot behind their house and rode bikes through the giant piles.  In addition to a great Thanksgiving dinner (and leftovers) we also managed to eat at the regular places we have come to enjoy.  What would a trip to Alexandria be without that awesome Thai food? We got to participate in the ongoing Cafe Rio vs Chipotle debate between Amy and Brian--mostly it was Brian debating his side, plus Amy's side as she kind of smiled and rolled her eyes. We had a really fun time hanging out with the New York Stratfords who made the drive south. To Grandma Stratford's chagrin we did not get a group photo. Lucky for me Sara did snap some pictures of her kids loving Axel, and Amy's girls loving Sara's cookies from my phone--so at least we have those. Stella was in heaven with all of the cousins, ALL DAY LONG. She probably would have stayed and moved in had we let her. Stella's view of the nation is a little warped with the only states that matter being Utah and Virginia--everything in between being a blur of strangers. We are lucky to see family from far away so often.