Wow it has been over 6 years since we updated our family blog!  So many memories, events, stories not yet shared.  I was cleaning up my saved websites, when I clicked on the link to our family blog.  While it will be impossible to go back, perhaps future blog posts will provide updates, I will attempt to revive our family blog.  Here are a few recent pics, well at least from the summer of 2016.  Our kids have grown tremendously over the last 6 years.

Crazy hair day for Camp

 4th of July neighborhood parade

 Having a yummy meal

Enjoy smores at our beach

After another absence, the blog resumes - April 2010 Passover

I am having another shot at updating!  After a good run, we went to CA for a couple of weeks, and got seriously behind again.   Life keeps going at full tilt and so updating has fallen by the way side.   A while back I made an effort to update, typed a whole bunch and then clicked something and it all went away.  I did not feel inclined to start over.  It's really all about the pictures anyway so perhaps I can catch up with less words - will leave a lot of people feeling grateful :-) The problem with not keeping up is losing the funny things that are said each day and the daily nuances of living with two children.  I can't believe how quickly I can forget things that are said, that I feel so sure I would never forget when I first hear them.
We had a blast with Passover this year and went to two Seders.  The first was at our friends' Jason and Allyson's place.   Our kids DEVOURED the matzah ball soup.   Jason and Allyson had a friendly competition over who could make the best brisket and as a result we had the best brisket of our lives - each was stunning in a different way.   I believe flavor went to Allyson and tenderness to Jason - delicious and fun.   You can see by Isaac's face that dessert was a hit as well - I think this was the matzah bark I made from our friend Laura Beth's recipe.  I also love it when the men get involved in the washing up - it has a super sexy element.

Our second seder was with friends Adam and Laura Beth - since we traveled in China with them for our second adoptions - theirs of Maya Mei and ours of Isaac, they have sort of become like family.  We had a wonderful and fun evening together.   I loved the kids at their little table.   Isaac was crazy for the gefilte fish and ate a bunch of it.   It was wonderful to share these holiday meals with such good friends.

Times with friends - finishing out the last week of March!

We had a lovely surprise visit from our friend David D. and his daughter Phiala who had come into town.   It was a beautiful evening and we took a walk down to our little community garden at the end of the lake.  I love the photo of Indigo walking Egan - she looks like Pippi Longstocking!  The kids took some fairly decent photos together - of course Indigo was enamoured by big girl Phiala - she'll be nine in September.  At one point they all turned to look at the geese.   Of course Isaac loved David D. and we got this super funny video of David D. tickling Isaac with a big blow-up baseball bat and Isaac just laughing non-stop. 

Later on the week I got this sweet photo of Isaac and Egan.   I also took a bunch of photos of Indigo with various class art projects she had been making through the year.  Since Passover was about to start it seemed appropriate to have a photo of her with the Seder plate she made.    I also photographed her with her rocket and Nasa helmet she made when they learned about Space and also of her with her Shabbat box that she made and a photo of the Shabbat box contents - she was very proud of her art work.

On the Saturday night we had our friends Robyne and Stuart over with their children Callie, Stirling and Islay.   The kids had a great time playing together and of course, Isaac loved Stuart.  Repeat after me "Isaac loves men".

On Sunday we went to the super fun birthday party of Lillian and Emma who were turning four.  It was held at Bounce U.   Indigo was quite keen to go on the some of the jumping castles which is new this year - before she has not wanted to go on those types of things especially when other kids are on them.   Isaac was very uncertain about the whole thing and wanted to be held or to hold our hands the whole time.  However, he did have fun when Daddy took him through the obstacle course - and he took Indigo the first time she went as well - what a work out for Daddy.   After that, Indigo and little Islay kept tearing through the obstacle course together.  As you can see, the food and cake were very well received, and Isaac loved his little book he received as a party favor.   You have to love Indigo holding poor Isaac's face to have him look at the camera!  What a fun week and weekend.

Nothing like a great dog and good friends - close to finishing out March!

Our sweet Egan dog - he is a true treasure.   We rescued him through Irish Setter Rescue almost 6 years ago.  He was found as a stray and was skin and bones, weighing a mere 47 lbs, had lost a lot of coat down to his skin and would not have survived much longer.  He is now about 75 lbs and is not overweight so that shows how malnourished he was.  We don't know his age because he was found but he was figured to be between 4 and 6 when we got him, probably closer to 6 and so he is somewhere probably between 10-12.  He is so gentle and so sweet.  Since Indigo joined our family almost 3 years ago, he has been nothing but sweet with her and now he is the same way with Isaac.  We expect our kids to be kind and gentle with animals but even if a kid falls over him or lands on him, he just moves out of the way and is never cross.  So, here is to Egan, our sweet boy, sitting with his kids.

Finally, we had a playdate with Sarah where I actually had my camera.  We had met for some lunches and shopping but nothing I had my camera for.  We had lunch and then took the kids to one of my very favorite playgrounds down near Quantico at the Marine Corps Museum Center - they have the best playground.   Sarah and Indigo just loved playing together and Isaac loved it too.   I got one of the best photos ever of his grin - he often looks quite serious on photos which belies what a fabulous and contagious smile he has.  It was a great day out!

Bakery 129

Long time friends of ours have started a new business venture - and it is a yummy one!   Please check out their website to see their delicious cakes and cookies which will be shipped to your homes or alternate address if you're sending item as a gift.   These are fresh and beautiful products - no preservatives, organic dairy products, local free-range eggs and environmentally sound and biodegradable packaging products.    Packed full of love and yumminess.   Please visit:  Bakery 129

Our Fun Continues - Introducing Isaac to more adventures and friends - March 19th weekend

On the Friday, Indigo had her picture day at school.  We have a whole lot of pretty dresses hanging in her closet, many still with tags, and rapidly being outgrown!  Therefore, we decided to go all out for picture day and sent her in a really pretty dress that she had not had a chance to yet wear - and it's a 3T which are rapidly falling by the wayside as she continues to shoot up in height!   We took a few pictures before school.   We were really thrilled with how the school picture came out, but I am too far behind to also take the time to scan in that photo for posting.   That Friday night was also the Tot Shabbat service at our temple so she was already dressed for services.   After services we got some cute photos of her and Isaac on the Bimah. 

On Saturday our adventures continued by going down the National Mall for the Asian Kite Festival at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum.  We did this last year and had a lot of fun and so we decided to do it again.   The Frederickson family was able to join us and I think this was the first time that Isaac got to meet Robert.   The kids had great fun making sled kites and seeing various exhibits including some indoor ultra-lite kite flying and some Tibetan music.   Afterwards, the kids got to fun on the grass, flying their kites.  Our family then had to high tail (no pun intended) it out of there as we had plans with friends for the lateraf ternoon. 

 

Our kids had a power nap and then we headed to Jason and Allyson's house - their first time getting to meet Isaac.  They have sons Jacob and Joshua who Indigo always love to play with.   It was the most gorgeous and fabulous weather and we spent tons of time outside.  Indigo went on a three wheeled scooter for the first time - which Jason and Allyson were kind enough to send home with her as their boys now use the cooler two wheel razor scooters.  Indigo also enjoyed riding the two-wheeler with training wheels and Isaac had a blast being in the little pull car and we ended up having a hilarious game of him being pushed back and forward between people in this vehicle and he would just laugh and laugh.  He has a fantastic laugh.   As usual, Jason cooked a superb meal and we ate heartily.  The kids had a super time playing and it was the perfect ending to a great day.  As is par for the course, Isaac loved Jason and Jason got such a kick out of that.   Allyson took great video of the game in the car with Isaac laughing so I am hoping to get that to post, hint, hint, Ally!  I told her it would take a while for me to post that weekend and here I am, almost three months later!

After a busy Saturday, we had a nice family chilling day on Sunday.   I think we had come back from a walk when we took the photo of Indigo and Isaac on the bottom of the stairs having their little fruit snack.  They both sit down and she helps him take off his shoes - it's very sweet.