Joe spent Christmas with his momma’s side of the family this year, in Fayetteville, N.C.

Here he is keeping an eye on things from his new chair.

Spending some quality time with his Nana.

Swapping stories with Papa.

Joe’s great-grandfather, Grandy, was the special guest for the holiday. We all celebrated his 99th birthday a few days after Christmas.

Joe hasn’t figured out the stocking thing yet.

Joe became a character in one of his cousin Abigail’s capers.

Like any good Christmas, food and presents led to a pile of spent bodies on the floor. Notice that Aunt Amy is smelling Lia’s foot.

Thanks for the hospitality Nana and Papa!

This is Joe’s blog, but I’m hijacking it for a date night post. While Joe was hanging out with our friend Amanda, Lia and I wandered around Petersburg, Va., during the monthly Friday for the Arts.

Lia in front of Petersburg’s historic courthouse.

My new favorite photo of Lia, resting in an old chair. This was upstairs in the town’s biggest antique/junk shop. The upstairs has only recently been opened, and had only a few items of furniture, but the stairwell, hallway and rooms looked like it was once a beautiful office space, maybe for the store below.

The Petersburg Area Art League had Christmas trees put together by local artists and organizations. This one was from a tattoo shop.

An original Rock-Ola jukebox found in an antique shop.

Joe owns the school.

Joe got a package yesterday, so we tore into it. It was a Christmas gift from Aunt Shelly on the West Coast.

It’s perfect – he loves to jump and it matches his room, which is already dominated by the tent and tunnel Aunt Shelly sent in the past.

Thanks!