Missing Cousins

We're glad that we're staying home for Christmas, but we wish all our family could come here!  Here's a video of Abraham and his cousin Sammy, his cousin closest to his age.

Visit Season: Part II

Shortly after one set of folks left, another set came! We had a terrific time with Mom and Dad Marshall in DC and down in Williamsburg. Life is busy. Life is great. Always lots happening. Hopefully some of it makes it here on the blog. I wrote the captions after bedtime. My bedtime. Which is 10. It's now 12. 25. a.m. crashtime.

Natural History Museum Fish Tank--not sure why they have it there.

Ben's since had an obsession with monkeys.

Kicking it Mall-style.

Grandfather giving chess lessons in the room we recently remodeled.

Those expensive character balloons at the store? They're great presents if you're the grandparents. They last forever.

I wasn't around for this, but apparently Ben's a big fan of "Dragon Fruit." Click on the highlighted, underlined words (known as "hyperlinks") and you will be automatically redirected to another website that talks about the fruit (the website is Wikipedia. It's an important online resource and encyclopedia, even).

I tell you, leave my Dad alone for ten minutes and he ends up in one of these. Luckily, bail was cheap in Williamsburg.

My Mom's cute.

So is that guy (the soft one).

Walkin' around the DC temple. Quite lovely.

I have no idea what, but there's something super symbolic about this picture.

They wouldn't go upside-up. If you can fix it we'll give you a full-size version to hang on your wall.

No idea where this is. Some glass box in some museum, I'm guessing.

This might be our Christmas card, but we're going to send it out sideways, so this is only to prepare your weak minds.

I'm in that tree, hanging on for dear life.

Anyone visiting Williamsburg should absolutely eat at the Blue Talon. Dinner crepes: perfection.

Abe could watch cooks all day. And better? He now possesses all of the Blue Talon's trade secrets. It wasn't secret sauce after all; it was mushrooms.

First chapel in America. Jamestown.

Ben saying, "cheese!"

York Town, where we won the Revolutionary War.

Let's hear it for children's literature! I had no idea how great it was as a kid.

We found this etched on the far side of a battle field in York Town. Apparently Francis Scott Key was not only a composer and poet, but an artist.

We're probably going to get sued for destroying it.

Mount Vernon. This was George's view from the back porch (minus the two kids, unless he had two boys sitting on the ledge, then it was almost exactly this).

There's a keeper. An off-center keeper, but a keeper all the same.

Me shooting my  Dad and a cannon with a camera.

These two people astound and astonish with their magnanimity. Wow, the poetry is just flowing tonight.

I make a pretty good blacksmith. If you're ever blacksmithing, go with the bun--the ponytail can spark.

Kids wait in this line to sit in this plane that doesn't move or really do anything.

I would do anything in the world for those two creatures.

Nonna, Babba Yaya in 60 Pictures

Earlier this month, my (Ariel's) parents (Nonna and Babba), and my sister, Laurel (Yaya), came to visit!  We had a smashing good time.  I'll let the pictures do the talking. 

No Nonna breakfast is complete without "green drink" (and "green goatee")

Nonna came ahead of the others to help with the house. We started right off visiting places we used to go when my family lived here. 

 

A little break for some pogoing in the back

We were all pretty impressed.

 Next trip down memory lane: Cabin John Park for their Halloween train ride

 

 

 

Sometimes I just can't help myself.

Then Babba and Yaya joined Nonna! 

First item of business: the park.

 

 

 

 

 Next up: Butler Farm for playgrounds and pumpkin-picking!

Me with my pumpkins

 

 

 

My pretty Momma smiling at her grand-boys

Too cool for school

 

Photo Contest Winner, Fall 2011

Abe's favorite part.

Last day of being 16

(The slide wasn't as long as it looks.)

I have a pic of myself in this witch's mouth when I was little!

Making nice with the locals

Perfect Maryland pre-birthday dinner

When Abe was full, he hopped off his seat and we found him at the bar.  He wanted to get a better view of the hockey game.

The next day we went into DC for some of the attractions.

Taken at the Newseum

Merzi . . . yum.  Fast Indian.

Conveniently located next to Pitango Gelato.

 

We hit up the art galleries before checking out some monuments.

 

The new MLK memorial is quite impressive.

 

Mandalay Restaurant.  Another satisfying win.

Birthday Breakfast, followed by another delightful day in DC

Tour of the Capitol

Library of Congress

Supreme Court

 

Sunday we enjoyed a walk to Abe's future school.

 

 

Pretty cool path to school, eh?

10207 Oldfield Dr., the house where I grew up! *sniff*

Kensington Parkwood Elementary, my old school never looked better.

A nice walk in Rock Creek Park

 

 What better way to end than good food, a book and a hot shath?

I DO NOT like them, Sam I am!

 

That actually was not the end.  Babba left early Monday and Nonna, Laurel, the little boys and I went to the Baltimore Aquarium.

Stay tuned . . . sometime in the next few days we'll post about how we transformed this room (formerly known as The Ugly Room):

Now you have a little idea of why we haven't been blogging--we've been busy!