Playdate with Andrew 2018

James's friend from second grade, Andrew came over today. We had lots of fun!

Boston Children's Museum 2018

On our last day in Massachusetts, we took the kids to the Boston Children's Museum. It's a pretty nice children's museum and the kids had a lot of fun.

Nice views of the city!

Climbing!

Experiments with light

Making snowmen

It's a winter wonderland of boxes

You can set the colors on these to make art

"Ice skating" in socks

Television production

Cooking in the Arthur kitchen

Working in the medical lab

They got to meet Olaf! They love his song, "In Summer"

Woah.

Art studio

Carving some stone

Sawing some wood

Connecting some pipes

Miranda in a production of D.W.

Thanksgiving 2018

We had two Thanksgivings this year. The first was a bonus Thanksgiving dinner with family the Sunday before at Great-Grandma Ruth's Assisted Living. The second was the regular family celebration.

Kids with parents, grandma, and great-grandma

Our table

Uncle Dickie and Doreen

Nancy helping kids

Decorations outside

Doreen, Nancy, Grandma Kathy

On the real day of Thanksgiving, Katie, Mike, Chris, and Mary joined us. We had a million mimosas, and all the Thanksgiving things, and celebrated Andrew's birthday.

Miranda and James helping grandma make stuffing

Ready for dinner!

Birthday cake for dessert

Partayyy hats!

Hats

Uncle Andrew


Mike, Kathy, Mary


Dada snuggles

Wild Turkeys came to mourn their fallen comrade

Turkeys!

Cambridge, MA 2018

We had a fun day in Cambridge. Kevin and I had delicious ramen for lunch at Chick Chick Boom. Then Andrew and Jon met up with us for some turkey sightings and coffee.

 

Chick Chick Boom

 

On the way to get some coffee

Turkey sighting

Turkey crossing!

 

Holiday decorations up in Cambridge

Then we went to the Miracle of Science for dinner and drinks with Casey and Jaime joining us.

 

Kevin, Jon, Casey, and Andrew

 

Clou sandwich

 

Jaime!

Group selfies are awesome

Orleans, MA Tradition 2018

Every year grandma takes the kids to Snow's Home and Garden to see the trains and then for hot chocolate at Hot Chocolate Sparrow. This year we started with a hike on the For Hill Trail, which is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore

Nancy, James, Kevin, Miranda, grandma Kathy at the Nauste Marsh area

Looking for birds too

Trains at Snow's

Focused on the trains

Hot Chocolate at Sparrow's!

First Flight 2018

The kids took their first flight last Saturday! I know it seems crazy since James is already 7 and Miranda is 4, but we've been able and eager to avoid air travel with them this entire time. They were super excited, especially Miranda. We flew direct from Kansas City to Boston.

With their suitcases at the Kansas City airport. 

Watching their plane arrive

Initially, we had decided to each sit with one kid and divided all their plane activities accordingly, but as we boarded, Kevin suddenly suggested an alternate arrangement. Hm.

Me with both kids and none of Miranda's activities or snacks

Miranda was more concerned about takeoff than James, having a natural understanding of the danger of sailing into the air. James looked out the window at the scene below and said, "It looks just like Google Earth!" Seriously. I guess it's 2018.

She was really excited about a new activity book we saved for the trip.

They were both excited about the snacks and the gum I let them chew to pop their ears

Kevin enjoyed the flight as well.