Josh and I were debating whether the lack of blog posts signaled a hectic year (and hence no time to post) or a calm year (and therefore no content). It is more the case that it was a full year, and I've been focused on being present. However, I know how much I use this blog to remember life, so I wanted to summarize the year, both for future reference and to once again relish this blessed life we are living.
Along with all the regular activities of life -- including it being the year that Josh made his big career shift, I dug into my work with the Foundation, and the kids “locked in” with school and friends -- here were some highlights from the year, organized by season with slightly out-of-order photos. Enjoy!
Winter (January–March)
Fall (September–November)- Laura and Josh enjoyed a lovely lunch date at Nectar in Berwyn
- iFly in King of Prussia as a family, which was a thrill
- Joshua began at the DCCC Municipal Police Academy, which created lots of opportunities for quick campus lunch dates in the sunny STEM building
- Weekly winter indoor rec soccer for James
- Orchestra concert for James
- Philadelphia Union Match with James and a friend
- Valentine’s Tea with Alma and Nana at Mimi's Tea House in West Chester
- Alma and Laura volunteered at the Banff Film Festival
- Alma had another Longwood Gardens visit with her friends
- Pi Day celebration with homemade creations
- Weekend in Sea Isle with Alma and her friend, Ana
- Alma traveled to Los Angeles with the high school orchestra
- Regular Brandywine SPCA volunteering (cats, dog walking, shelter support)
- Richmond spring break trip
- Hosting Easter brunch with Nana and Grandpa
- Another soccer season for James
- GVHS and GVMS orchestra concerts
- DCCC Golf Classic, which Grandpa attended, too
- Metallica Concert at the Linc
- Laura's work event Longwood when Josh put his First Responder training to good use
- Joshua’s graduation and first days of full-time deputy sheriff work
- Alma baked a ton during the summer
- Sea Isle City week with family
- Pine Grove trip (#8!) with a fun movie outing to see Jurassic World, and our annual spotting of a rattlesnake during a hike
- A gorgeous wedding at Winterthur in Delaware that allowed Josh and James to wear tuxes
- Family trip to the Lehigh Valley Zoo, which never disappoints, even after all these years
- Laura attended the AFIT conference in Jacksonville, FL
- Laura and Grandpa's annual golf day at Pickering Valley Golf Club in Phoenixville
- Alma and James stayed with Nana and Grandpa for a few days while Josh and Laura painted Alma's room
Pacific Northwest trip:
Central Oregon, hiking and lake days, whale watching in Port Townsend, Seattle sightseeing and museum visits, Seattle Storm basketball game
- Another soccer season for James
- High school football games and Homecoming Dance for Alma
- Lots of hard hat tours of the Southeast Center for Laura and her work team
- Joshua’s swearing-in ceremony at the courthouse
- National Dog Show, which was even better than we could have imagined
- House construction -- new front windows and a slider in the dining room
- Scott's visit
- Thanksgiving week getaway to Gettysburg, PA; Brunswick, MD; Frederick, MD; and Harper’s Ferry, WV
- Hosting Thanksgiving with the Thompsons
Alma’s birthday celebrations, including a sleepover with friends and a f
amily trip to The Nutcracker in Philadelphia- Alma and Josh attended the WCDS Winter Concert
- Alma passed her learner’s permit test
- James’s birthday sleepover with friends
- Gingerbread house decorating on Christmas Eve
- Hosting Nana and Grandpa for birthday brunch and then over to my brother's for Christmas dinner
- Battleship New Jersey visit
- A few days at Nana and Grandpa's house, including a Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey game
- Philly visit to the Museum of the American Revolution and the Museum of Illusions
- Longwood Gardens evening visit
