Jorge and I just got back from a 9-day stay in Richmond to visit family for Christmas. My sisters came up from North Carolina and a bunch of cousins were there, so it was a great time! The first few days (including Christmas), we stayed at my grandparents’ house, then moved to my parents’ new loft apartment in downtown Richmond for the rest of the trip.
I didn’t take too many pictures because we were mostly busy just hanging out, so I tried to tone down my blogger habit of documenting every little thing. Here are some of the pictures I did get… (Please forgive the below-par photo quality. I got a new camera and it’s amazing, but I’m still having a hard time getting the angles right.)
Grandma Brown directing Jorge in the kitchen
Gang of wild turkeys on the golf course outside my grandparents' house
On Christmas Eve, almost all the girls my age from my church showed up. With everyone all over the place, it's rare to see us all together. I've known all these girls since I was born 
A lot of the townhouses in downtown Richmond had these wild, thrown-around lights. I kinda love it.
My sisters and I have a tradition where we take pics walking down the stairs on Christmas morning. I'm sure my mom has some better ones on her camera.
My cousin's son Christian riding his new scooter
My mom with my cousins Aubrie and Lynnsie
Cousin Lynnsie with her son Christian
My cousins Aubrie, Meghan and Lynnsie
My photographer sister Sarah giving my mom a quick photography lesson
Noelle, Grandpa and Jorge playing with Christian's new toy (I like to call this one "How many engineers does it take to work a tape measure?")
Jorge helping Christian with his new video game (Jorge's area of expertise)
My mom, my sister Noelle and my dad helping out in the kitchen
I miss the malls in the States!!
Another pretty mall pic
Jorge and I walking around Carytown, a fun shopping street in downtown Richmond. I loved the vintage clothing stores, while Jorge spent some money at the used video game shop.
The train tracks and overpasses in Shockoe Bottom, downtown Richmond
My favorite building, the old train station in Richmond
Gotta love my "winter" clothes... mixing a summer skirt with a jacket, boots and tights. You do what you can when you have no winter clothes haha
My family: Noelle, Daddy, Mommy, me and Sarah
The whole family (minus brother-in-law Michael): Noelle, Mommy, Daddy, me, Jorge, Sarah and brother-in-law-to-be Jared
While I was there, I was tempted to consider moving back to the States. Amazing shopping, great restaurants, my family, drinking water straight from the tap… who could say no? Still, I’m more in love with Cancun. Jorge and I talked about it and decided that we’ll just try to visit the US more often.
I hope everyone else had an amazing Christmas!
Nice pictures, thanks for sharing. Electronics in Mexico are so expensive compared to US, I bet Jorge wanted to buy everything jaja
We got a new and cheap laptop (old one died a few months ago), extra Wii remotes, a Wii remote charger, used Nintendo 64 games, an external hard drive and the new camera hahahaha
so nice to see such a well balanced family Happy New Years 2013!
Sounds like what I do when I go to Mexico except with food jaja I eat Tacos,Tortas,PAN!!!!,etc……
I have relatives that own Mexican restaurants in VA, I think they are called Plaza Azteca.
Seems like you have the best of both worlds. Enjoy both life in Cancun and visit Richmond to be with your loved ones. (and of course shop!) lol.
Hey! It’s us at church! It was great to see you (and everyone else)! Glad you made it back safely.
I love those “dumped out the window” Christmas lights. In Bon Air there are a few trees done in the same manner and one of the Victorian houses has the lights spilling out of the top windows.
PS, can you possibly email me that picture?