We were off to see Santa Claus in the Arctic Circle (i.e., the North Pole) during Thanksgiving week, but we first got acclimated to the gem of a city – Helsinki! We took a bus tour to get a lay of the land, and explored central Helsinki by foot and even by ferris wheel…
Santa Time!
It’s an annual tradition 8 years running to meet up with the ever-so-kind Santa at Pentagon City Mall. We surprisingly had the place to ourselves on a Saturday morning in November, so took full advantage of a fun, relaxed visit to share hopes and wishes. O wanted to advocate for his Buzz Lightyear toy but…
A Threenager!
Just like that, Mr. O turned three! Since we had tired ourselves out at Hershey Park the day before, we took it a little easy – though made sure he had access to plenty of treats. A few days later, we enjoyed his Moana party with family!
A Hot Halloween
Everyone’s favorite day – Halloween – was a warm surprise this year, with temperatures spiking to 78 degrees before a big storm hit and cooled everything off. To make sure and get maximum candy before the threat of wind, rain and tornados, the boys teamed up with their buddies Aidan and Gavin to scour the…
A Sweet Day
After a four-year hiatus, we returned to the land of chocolate – Hershey – for some sweets, rides and other treats. After a nearly 12- hour day, complete with a surprise bonus of family joining in the afternoon, it was a great, albeit exhausting, time.
Hoops with Friends
Colin was in 7th heaven for his 7th birthday – a basketball-themed party with friends and cousins! It was a solid 90-minutes of activities and team play, followed by a healthy dose of pizza and cake. What could be better? Happy birthday, C!
World Series Fever!
For the first time since 1933, and first in the current franchise’s 15-year history, the Washington Nationals made it to the World Series. To celebrate what is always likely a rare occurrence, half the family watched a chunk of game 1 at Nationals Park while the team was in Houston – where our hometown team…
A Disney Fix
While it wasn’t exactly Disney World, we gave Owen a little Disney fix leading up to his birthday by visiting Disney on Ice. He was thrilled to see Mickey and Moana, and devastated when the show was over. So we gladly helped him drown his sorrows with some delicious Italian food and gelato in nearby…
Mice at Play
While the cats were away, the mice were at play for a long weekend! Thanks to Nanie and Pop Pop, the boys were spoiled rotten and had a fabulous time while mom and dad enjoyed Germany.