2024 started off in a comfortable rhythm and then halfway through the year I feel like our family rapidly transitioned into a new season...one that involves more independence from our kids, middle school and the increased activity-level it entails, and lots of growth. The year has not been without growing pains, but overall it has been a sweet transition. While we navigate this shift, we have still been investing in each other, trying to maintain some good family time, and have loved spending time with our extended family and our friends.
(For past years, click the following links:
January: We celebrated New Years and the kids did our neighborhood polar plunge. Eleanor finished up cub scouts receiving her arrow of light. Jane got to play basketball at a William & Mary game's half time. We got school pictures back and the Ben ran his first 5k.
February: We celebrated Valentine's Day and the kids got to go to their first school dance. I was inducted as a CASA and then started a temporary job with them covering their program director's maternity leave. We did more kid dates.
March: Eleanor participated in cotillion and was on her school's Battle of the Books competition team. We celebrated St. Patrick's Day and Easter. Basketball season for the kids ended and we went to several of our local schools' plays. Rosie lost her two front teeth and we visited Jamestown Settlement!
April: We spent spring break more locally this year visiting D.C. We went to the Botanic Gardens, the National Gallery, the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum, the National Archives and Natural History Museums. Lacrosse season was in full swing, the kids got to watch the eclipse at school and we got spring pictures. Eleanor had her spring chorus performance of Jukebox Time Machine. We also wrapped up more kid dates.
May: I went on a field trip to KelRae Farms with Kindergarten, and the kids participated in the Reflections contest. We got lots of artwork home nearing the end of the year and celebrated Mother's Day. The lacrosse season ended and we went to a baseball game. Eleanor competed in a Lego-Robotics scrimmage, I watched the rehearsals for the Kindergarten performance of How Does Your Garden Groove, and we took our family vacation. We went to Jackson Hole for a family wedding, went to the rodeo, Idaho Falls, and added a few National Parks onto the trip! We did the Grand Tetons (twice), Yellowstone, and Rocky Mountain National Park.
June: Eleanor had her spring band performance and graduated from 5th grade. The Garbers came to visit from Colorado and we met our new niece! I got to go to a Kindergarten end of year picnic and Xtra fun day in 3rd grade. I volunteered at field day and then the kids had their last day of school, extra bittersweet for me as it was the only year they were all in the same school together. Swim season kicked into high gear, we celebrated Father's Day, and went tubing with neighbors. Ben lost his first tooth (!) and we had lots of artwork to show off. Eleanor also got baptized, it's been a huge year for her!
July: We celebrated the 4th of July and wrapped up more kid dates. Lots of family came to visit, and we took the kids to see Switchfoot. Most of the month was taken up by swim, and we did VBS at church!
August: Swim season ended with a trip to Champs for all four kids! It was a month of travel - the big girls headed to Summer's Best Two Weeks for the first time, the twins spent the time at Grandma and Dave's in Round Hill, and Chris and I went to Italy! We went to Rome (day 1, 2, and 3), Pompeii and Sorrento, Capri, and hiked Path of the Gods on the Amalfi Coast. We celebrated Eleanor's birthday - she turned 11! Eleanor tried out for and made the middle school volleyball team, and at the end of the month, the kids headed back to school.
September: We celebrated Labor Day Weekend and Chris' birthday this month! We also celebrated Jane's birthday - she turned 9! We wrapped up another round of kid dates and went to a Tribe football game. Eleanor attended her first school dance and walked in the JHS parade with her volleyball team, while the rest of the kids walked with their elementary school.
October: Eric came to visit and we went to a new park, the kids spent a weekend with grandma while Chris and I went to New Hampshire for a wedding. We celebrated Halloween and Eleanor trick-or-treated with friends for the first time.
November: We celebrated Ben and Rosie's birthdays - they turned 7! Soccer season wrapped up and right before daylight savings ended, I completed the Century Ride on the Capital Trail. We had more kid dates, celebrated Thanksgiving in Round Hill, kicked field goals, and visited Harper's Ferry.
December: Chris traveled to Seattle to surprise a friend, we all ran a 5K, the kids did a pageant and we went to the Christmas parade. We celebrated Christmas (2024), visited Papa Laser in Arlington and did the Tidal Basin. We went to Christmas Town, walked CW to see the wreaths, and went ice skating (links and posts coming soon).
We pray 2025 is good to each of you and sees you healthy and happy.
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