Crazy Uncle Leo

What can I say about a 22 year old uncle? Our sisters all married awesome guys but it's hard to compete with the super fun and young Leo. Unfortunately the snow did not cooperate enough for the kids to learn to snowboard for real from him (okay, I think they were supposed to start with skiing this year but Leo is a snowboard instructor and someday he will teach them they think). He did get them their most prized present, the Hogwarts lego castle. He also made some much appreciated drinks that his girlfriend Ashley inspired. If only I could remember what was in it...

Here's Sienna!

Just hanging on the porch with Caroline. Looks so much like Nicholas and I'm sure those two are going to have some fun very soon as she is mobile now.

Fathers, you have one job

To keep your daughters off the pole. We like to think this means Patrick will be a firefighter, not an exotic dancer.

Group shots

All ye gather round the ol' iphone... warms my heart.

All the ladies now...

Taylors! I will find another one to post of Sienna later, the poor sick baby. Most the kids and some of the adults were sick but I think the little ones were the worst off.

Hey, 50% of the kids are happy, score! Children, it is Christmas EVE, happiest night of the year. I assure you, this was the best shot. You can see me scolding some of them in other shots and later off camera there may have been some attitude adjustment.

Anna recovering.... looks like a nice Belgium beer (cheers to the Benders who get it fresh!). For the record, she isn't drinking it, just in case someone wanted to turn me in. We give the kids the cheap beer.

Keenan Christmas

I try not to brag because it just makes people hate you (has anyone on facebook missed this lesson?), but the VA Keenans know how to do Christmas. We haven't gone in ten years due to army and children, and while we do enjoy Christmas on our own in our house, nothing compares to the celebration they put on. And really, I'm not bragging because I had nothing to do with it other than have the wisdom at 22.5 years old to marry someone from a great family. The house looked amazing, the food was worth the weight we gained, and everyone had a great time catching up. Nicholas and Patrick had so much fun together, nice for Patrick to have someone who wants to play with him. And a special shout out to Bridget for breaking into her wine collection!

VA LOVE

Many things to love about Virginia, Veritas Winery was just the first stop. Start saving those wine corks to hang from piano wire, I "love" this idea. (couldn't resist, sorry)

Bridget and I bravely tasted the wine before choosing some bottles for the picnic outside. I would like to point out that I was extra brave, note the red wine and cream sweater.

Hey, when you're not on call you can have wine with lunch.

Definitely a family friendly winery and it wasn't as warm as we hoped for but the boys still had fun splashing in the puddles on the deck, so much so that Nicholas needed a change of clothes. I didn't get a good photo of that, I must have been busy carefully drinking wine.

Was Grandpa Paul here?

Looks like someone shot the reindeer while we were in Virginia over Christmas. Lots of posts to catch up on and I just realized that I need to do them in the next 8 hours if I want them included in my 2011 blog book. That's right, I print this drivel out! And if you come over to my house you can read the 3 books I already have. Fascinating! If you are drinking! So let's get started. I mean with the blogging, I think enough drinking was done in Virginia... As Jude Law will say later tonight in The Holiday (Sean is working), I don't believe anyone has ever drank that much.