Update 2024

 Just a quick post to keep our blog alive along with a couple of recent pics…Meredith at Senior night volleyball game and Anna at her baptism!

Merry Christmas and happy winter!

Another busy end of year and Christmas break.  We had planned on traveling, but the kids wanted to stay "home" for Christmas.  We loved that the kids now think of DC as home so we rearranged and stayed home for most of the break.

Time to get our tree!

It's harder to decorate with a puppy around

Regan's end of year dance performance

A fun 'big band' old fashioned Christmas song dance to get us all in the mood for the holidays.  Super cute!

I didn't take enough photos but NCS's annual, beautiful Christmas concert.  Meredith's choir was in the balcony and kids of all ages from NCS and the boys' school (St. Alban's) do a wonderful job at this concert each year.

Abu Dhabi reunion at our house - we used receipts from a mutual friend's new cookbook called, "Table Tales: The Global Nomad Cuisine of Abu Dhabi."  It's a wonderful book!

Our annual 1000 piece Christmas puzzle.  I *loved* this one - not as difficult as years past and we actually didn't need all two weeks (and Jake's endless patience) to finish it.

Stockings!

Christmas Day hike

The hike was Kelby's Christmas present - he was in heaven.

He loved the stream (even though the water was freezing!)

Looks like annoying/ rude teenagers??  Nope...

...just playing Regan's new game (they got me in the action, too).

Full body Kelby hug on Jane.  If he is being naughty and needs to go to his crate, he drapes himself over Jane like, "No-ooooo"

Alley mural on an outing to Bethesda.  We're off to see "On the Basis of Sex" - the new movie about Ruth Bader Ginsberg.  It was fabulous!

Weekend trip to NYC.  Taking the train up the coast

Jane's first NYC taxi.  The kids said, "The yellow ones don't stop" (line from The Elf about a thousand times that weekend!

Even though it was cold outside, we made a stop at Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream, per Cousin Andrwe's recommendation.  He wasn't kidding - they had some interesting/ unusual flavors (french fry flavored ice cream??).  Jane was amazed that they had a whole section of vanilla flavors.  How to pick? How to pick??

Jane finally picked one of the many vanilla flavors they had

Chelsea Market

9/11 Memorial and museum; we took a long stroll along the Highline before this but can't find my photos...  will try to add later as we had some good ones.

One of our many subway rides

Anna chillin' on the subway

Time for a warm-up overlooking Central Park.  Brr, it was cold that weekend!

Central Park

Pizza!

Oh, my - the Donutery in the food court at the Plaza Hotel was amazing!  I'm not even a donut person!

The baby donuts at the Donutery

Bergdorf Goodman window displays.  So amazing!

Amazing, amazing meal at The Marshal - Jake did a great job of finding us a wonderful pre-theater meal

On Broadway!  Here to see "Come from Away" which was fabulous and such an uplifting story!

We braved the cold and the lines to do the touristy of touristy events and skated at Rockefeller Center.  Done it once, no need to do it again (long line, uncomfortable skates, crowded and terrible ice conditions!).  But we still had a lot of fun

And a proposal happened while we were there.  Of course it did!  Lots of cheering and smiles all around.

One more slice of NY style pizza before we go

The DC train station is gorgeous!

Our family lighting the Advent candles at our church's Christmas Eve service

Everyone had a part to read - even Anna!

The kids loved ice skating in NY so we hit the DC outdoor rink down near Georgetown once we got back.

Anna getting a little balance help from her penguin friend

Our energetic skaters

Meredith's playing basketball. Her team (purple) are the Riveters.

Kelby and his 'snowball' feet he gets in the snow.  

Shoveling the sidewalk - not a chore we had to do in Abu Dhabi!

12 inches of snow!!