December has been relatively calm...considering. No major colds in the house (knock on wood). My friend Mollie came for a few nights from Boston. We had loads of fun just hanging out. The kids had an unexpected day off from school early in the month. There was an "active shooter" threat called into school. This caused all kinds of confusion as the kids had only just arrived and were told to get back on the buses and they were promptly taken home! I feel so bad for parents of young kids. Mine were fine...and just made plans with friends for the day. I just cant imagine living with this kind of thing. Turned out the entire thing was a hoax.
Thanksgiving came and went. Mom and Dad were able to join us again. We ate a delicious feast of roast chicken and all the fixings. Then it was Bananagrams! Gammy doesn't like to stop playing until she wins...so it gets a bit crazy.
The first week of December I took Fiona on two college tours. The first was Montserrat in Beverly, MA and the second was to Mass Art in Boston. Montserrat was "Meh". Too small and the studio spaces were depressing...BUT we needed something to compare to Mass Art. Then we all piled into the car on Friday (both kids missed school) and trot-trotted to Boston. Mass Art is the place of dreams! Fiona and I enjoyed the entire tour, while the boys wandered around other campuses on Huntington Ave. This is Fiona's (and my) first choice. That night we stayed at an airbnb in Cambridge. What a treat. Our dinner was at an amazing Tibetan restaurant a walk from the apartment. Then the following day we walked to Faneuil Hall and selected our ornaments for the year. A fabulous tradition!
AND LET'S NOT FORGET THE CAR PARADE!!! A marvelous day as ever. Joel and Marie were able to make it for the second year in a row. All the kids did a fine job of throwing candy at small children through out the parade route. Gampy's car was the star of the show. Fiona, Ellie and Ethan also took care of decorating my parents tree and home for the holidays. Another great tradition.
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| Mollie and Theo were fast friends. |
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| I squeaked in a new tattoo! |
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| What my sister and I say to my parents instead of goodbye. Translates to: hug and kiss. |
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| Fiona's friends and Ethan and his buddy after shooter threat canceled school. |
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| Bananagrams at my parents. |
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| I couldn't resist this before and after of a job I did this week. |
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| Ahhh....After. |
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| Thanksgiving table all set. |
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| Boggle on the coffee table. (Fiona's favorite word game) |
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| Fiona is missing because she had to work a tiny three hour shift...right smack in the middle of the feast! |
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| She was back for Bananagrams. |
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| First ever college tour! |
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| Part of my commute to Evelyn's. |
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| Waiting for Mass Art tour to begin. |
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| Student studio spaces. Mind blowing work. |
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| ON THE TOUR! |
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| View from the library. |
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| Cool alleyway in Cambridge. |
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| Tibetan food. YUM. |
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| Airbnb |
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| Cool parents in Boston. |
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| Ethan had some help selecting his ornament this year. |
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| Just an average day at my parents. Gampy...with his flosser in his mouth, out on front steps, shooting flies with a salt gun. |
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| All ready for her close-up. |
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| Fiona helping to style her brothers hair so he's photo ready. |
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| Candid. |
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| Doing their best Gampy impressions. |
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| Driving by! |
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| Mom, Dad, Joel and Marie |
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| First try for awkward family photo. |
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| Winner! |
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| Working on painting with Evelyn. She was soooooo good at it. |
