January
Piano recital
Several trips to the aquarium so that Dean could complete seahorse observations for a research report (although of course we visited all our favorite exhibits)...
Lunch out, just me and Dean. These opportunities have always been wonderful, but they became even more of a pleasure this year as we had new kinds of conversations -- more grown up, as I think about it. So this is all about embracing the changes as they come, and reveling in what is.February
More time at the aquarium
and oysters for my birthday.March
The welcomed return of green, growing things in New England, and the discovery in our own front yard
of a wonderful tree for climbing.
April
How exciting to wake up on a day that is BOTH Easter and your birthday!
May
Participating in a piano competition was a first (here's the warm-up before heading to the theater),
as was landing a major (singing!) role in the school play (he was the Caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland, and his *legs* had roles to play as well -- I was quite delighted with being able to design and execute a costume that worked!).
Soccer season got underway in earnest,
and he had his second school trip to The Farm School for the better part of a week.
Also a return to Dean's favorite fundraiser, his annual participation in the Walk for Paws.
June
We had a truly spectacular spring this year, and another lovely piano recital.
July
Dean and I made a trip out to Chicago, where I joined a group of classmates from elementary school for an impromptu, casual reunion (my favorite kind); the ongoing contact with this group has been wonderful for me.
And we spent time with family -- my brother Chris, his daughter-in-law Erin, and our favorite first cousins (or something -- Chris' grandsons) Noah and Caleb.
Noah
Caleb
A special wedding in New Hampshire -- our niece Hallie,
to her new husband Shaun. Couldn't have been a lovelier day, a more beautiful bride, a more perfect way to gather with extended family and friends.
August
We even got to see my other brother, Tony, and his wife Carol this year; Dean and I took them on a waterfall expedition to New Hampshire, and we
spent some time in Boston as well. Seeing this much of my family in one year is extraordinary, although my goal would be to make it standard procedure.
We celebrated Ken's birthday with mini-golf and
cupcakes!
And took opportunities to see a Major League Soccer game as well as
Ovo, a traveling Cirque du Soliel extravaganza.
September
We did a pretty good job getting out into our local woods to hike and for Dean to have
lessons in stone-skipping (a skill fairly well mastered!).
Of course September always means back to school,
and this year it also meant a class expedition to the White Mountains in New Hampshire.
(a whole different look getting off the bus than there was getting on).
We hit LegoFest in Boston; not the most amazing event we've ever been to but really -- Legos -- what more does a boy need?
October
Although we could have used more rain during the summer, this review makes me appreciate how much gorgeous weather we had, and how our plans were really never hampered by weather -- kind of remarkable for New England. We spent a day in Newburyport, Massachusetts, to hook up with the newlyweds
Hallie and Shaun for a late lunch.
And of course the all-important selecting and carving of pumpkins, and the
annual Halloween Parade at school.
The welcomed return of green, growing things in New England, and the discovery in our own front yard
of a wonderful tree for climbing.April
How exciting to wake up on a day that is BOTH Easter and your birthday!
May
Participating in a piano competition was a first (here's the warm-up before heading to the theater),
as was landing a major (singing!) role in the school play (he was the Caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland, and his *legs* had roles to play as well -- I was quite delighted with being able to design and execute a costume that worked!).
Soccer season got underway in earnest,
and he had his second school trip to The Farm School for the better part of a week.
Also a return to Dean's favorite fundraiser, his annual participation in the Walk for Paws.
June
We had a truly spectacular spring this year, and another lovely piano recital.July
World Cup!
Dean went on a hiking trip in New Hampshire with a group from school, and came back forever changed by the experience -- the goal of all great adventures, I believe.
Dean went on a hiking trip in New Hampshire with a group from school, and came back forever changed by the experience -- the goal of all great adventures, I believe.
Dean and I made a trip out to Chicago, where I joined a group of classmates from elementary school for an impromptu, casual reunion (my favorite kind); the ongoing contact with this group has been wonderful for me.
And we spent time with family -- my brother Chris, his daughter-in-law Erin, and our favorite first cousins (or something -- Chris' grandsons) Noah and Caleb.
Noah
Caleb
A special wedding in New Hampshire -- our niece Hallie,
to her new husband Shaun. Couldn't have been a lovelier day, a more beautiful bride, a more perfect way to gather with extended family and friends.August
We even got to see my other brother, Tony, and his wife Carol this year; Dean and I took them on a waterfall expedition to New Hampshire, and we
spent some time in Boston as well. Seeing this much of my family in one year is extraordinary, although my goal would be to make it standard procedure.
We celebrated Ken's birthday with mini-golf and
cupcakes!
And took opportunities to see a Major League Soccer game as well as
Ovo, a traveling Cirque du Soliel extravaganza.September
We did a pretty good job getting out into our local woods to hike and for Dean to have
lessons in stone-skipping (a skill fairly well mastered!).
Of course September always means back to school,
and this year it also meant a class expedition to the White Mountains in New Hampshire.
(a whole different look getting off the bus than there was getting on).
We hit LegoFest in Boston; not the most amazing event we've ever been to but really -- Legos -- what more does a boy need?October
Although we could have used more rain during the summer, this review makes me appreciate how much gorgeous weather we had, and how our plans were really never hampered by weather -- kind of remarkable for New England. We spent a day in Newburyport, Massachusetts, to hook up with the newlyweds
Hallie and Shaun for a late lunch.
And of course the all-important selecting and carving of pumpkins, and the
annual Halloween Parade at school.
November
Oh, hurray for Disney World! Hurray for sunshine and theme parks and nothing else to do but decide what to ride next and whether or not to watch a parade.
Feeding the dolphins at SeaWorld.
(In case you were wondering why we keep going back there.)
I was the first guest to step foot in the Magic Kingdom on this particular day, and it filled me with joy -- an unreasonable amount, even -- to be there, to be that person, to have that moment.
Another opportunity to get together with family, and we learned on this day that Hallie and Shaun are expecting a baby next June!
December
We had ourselves a merry little Christmas!
And a fairly silly new year's eve, spent watching How to Train Your Dragon (highly recommended!),
and watching the ball drop in Times Square because we're Americans and it's what we do!
A toast, to realizing that you can always choose to look back and see only the good stuff and to looking ahead to what surely will be an even happier year.
Oh, hurray for Disney World! Hurray for sunshine and theme parks and nothing else to do but decide what to ride next and whether or not to watch a parade.
Feeding the dolphins at SeaWorld.
(In case you were wondering why we keep going back there.)
I was the first guest to step foot in the Magic Kingdom on this particular day, and it filled me with joy -- an unreasonable amount, even -- to be there, to be that person, to have that moment.
Another opportunity to get together with family, and we learned on this day that Hallie and Shaun are expecting a baby next June!December
We had ourselves a merry little Christmas!
And a fairly silly new year's eve, spent watching How to Train Your Dragon (highly recommended!),
and watching the ball drop in Times Square because we're Americans and it's what we do!
A toast, to realizing that you can always choose to look back and see only the good stuff and to looking ahead to what surely will be an even happier year.
3 comments:
So lovely.
I say this with tears, because I know what you had to look beyond, to see the good stuff. Success... there is so much to celebrate here. I love these images. (((hugs))) I love you, Jennifer.
Lovely, lovely memories of your year. Onward, Jen! This is going to be a much more positive year — I can feel it!
What a beautiful wrap-up of your year - so many memories to treasure.
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