The first few days of our holiday vacation are always hectic. My parents host Christmas Eve dinner which means a whirlwind of cooking followed by a whirlwind of present-opening, with lots of eating thrown in the middle.







My sister's family also overnighted at my parents' house, which meant that we got to be part of the excitement of Santa. Putting out the cookies...



...being awakened at 6:30 a.m. with shouts of "He came! He came!"



...and more present opening!



On Christmas morning, Paul and I were able to squeeze in some time on the treadmill before squeezing into the backseat of my dad's car, with Hannah in her booster seat between us - not so comfy. After a brief visit with Grandma at the nursing home, we headed to Aunt Cathy's house to see more family, open more presents, eat more food and play the annual Pictionary game. Becky and I went down in flames for the second year in a row. Next year, we'll be making a comeback!



In the late afternoon, we were off to Cambridge for a visit with my mom's side of the family, including my 95-year old Nana, who still has a great sense of humor.



The day after Christmas brought more driving, but also the opportunity to see more family and friends. After a quick visit to Sears, where we somehow fit 17 people in a tiny room for a family portrait, Paul and I drove to Worcester for the annual MHC get-together.





Then, we climbed back into the car one more time for the three-hour drive that would take us to the relaxing part of our vacation - my parents' ski house in North Conway, New Hampshire. To be continued...