New Year's Hike

We've fallen somewhat sideways into the tradition of a New Year's day hike, and this year we were joined by the delightful Miller family. Not pictured here are the grown ups and puppies (all were in attendance) but you do get to see 4 adorable matrushka Miller/Craigs! (Photo credit to the incomparable Beth Miller)

Wassail!

My adorable motley crew off to wassail Potter's orchard, so we may have apples and cider next year!

Chanukah

Happy Chanukah!

Frostbite Champions

Zara and her Orange Tigers played 4 soccer games in 2 days (as opposed to the typical rec schedule of a game a week) in the Frostbite tournament. This year the weather was comparatively mild (not really so frostbite-y) but the excitement was high. Zara's team tied their first game, followed by 2 wins. They played the team they had previously tied for the championship and won, securing their title as Frostbite Champions (U12 girls edition). It was a great weekend of soccer.

Puppies in a Box

Zara had some free time and a big box, so she decorated a deluxe dog storage container for Zelda. It is so luxurious and capacious that the children also enjoy a turn in said box.

Asheville

We spent Thanksgiving with Aunt Debbi, Craig and Nanny, and apparently I neglected to take any pictures. I did, however, snap a few of our adventures in Asheville - Z outside the famous Vortex Doughnuts (where we oddly ran into another family that is from Charlottesville!) and sisters walking down the street being cute.... Asheville is definitely a place I'd like to go back and visit again.

Sisters

Sometimes you just need a helping hand... or in this case someone to buckle your helmet so you can scoot. For all my whining, they are far more often sweet and wonderful with each other than they are at each other's throats. Well, here I guess Z is at A's throat, but in a loving and supportive way.

Halloween

Z and A went as 2 of the 3 Powerpuff girls - A is Bubbles and Z is Buttercup. I would have reprised my role as Blossom (having dressed up the same back in '02 with Gabi and Clare), but I was in the ER with MHL who took a spill down a hill while walking Zelda that afternoon. To be fair, it was entirely Zelda's fault for chasing after chickens, and she is very, very sorry for having broken her human grandmother. Fun was still had by the kiddos, and props to Wes for solo parenting it through the evening.

Zelda abides

Amity is happy to report that Zelda remains an integral member of the family, doubling as a pillow on occasion. She truly doesn't seem to mind this role, and willingly volunteers to be furniture for the children she adores. Our lives are all improved by having this sweet (and somewhat goofy) pup in our family.

An Lár

Wes has been playing in a Irish traditional musc group, An Lár, with a bunch of his friends from the BRIMS Trad ensemble. Here are two of An Lár's back up dancers and occasional vocalists posing with the sandwich board at the venue, The Tin Whistle.