Lisa n Tom (n James n Joseph)

Lisa writes: We went to the Vienna city Christmas thingamabob last night to see Santa roll in on the top of an antique fire truck. There was marshmallow roasting and a petting zoo. Joseph was pretty much immobilized in his snowsuit while James darted from marshmallow station to marshmallow station, then we wrapped things up with a pizza.

Lisa writes: Here are Oma and Joseph. Here are all the boys, all wearing ties to church for the first time (first time for James -- Joseph has been rocking the tie for weeks and I think maybe Tom was born with one).  Six-month kitty blanket pix. Joseph sees you! Joseph at 3 years. James at 5 1/2 years.

Lisa writes: Picture of Betsy and Lisa sitting on the kitchen floor after spending a good 15 minutes trying to troubleshoot the disherwasher's "childlock" feature. (It was on. We couldn't get it to turn off. The internet finally came to the rescue.) The gang. Back row: Tim's university friend, Zane. Julia, Martin (13?) Middle row: Mark, Joanna (11), Joseph (3), Betsy, Sophia (9), James (5) Front row: Tom, Lisa, Trudi

 Lisa writes: One of Tom's coworkers bought a working apple orchard just outside of Gettysburg, PA a few years back and hosts an annual October barn party with a live band and hayrides. Friends from farther away camp on the property. We got invited this year. We were a bit late to the party and missed most of dinner, but luckily there was still quite a bit of desert.  Car camping. It was supposed to be 50 degrees that night. It felt a LOT colder than 50 degrees and I was awake most of the night worried that the boys had wiggled out of their blankets and sleeping bags in their sleep. In the pre-dawn, James, in Tom's 10-below-rated mummy sack, somehow got himself twisted up and started yelling that he couldn't get out. I said, "Good. Stay in there," but that kind of logic doesn't work on a frantic, half-asleep 5 year old. In the morning, we met up with the family and other campers at the house for breakfast. James has recently had this burning desire to climb a ...

Lisa writes: There is a tiny -- TINY -- railroad museum in Fairfax Station. Has anybody else noticed that trains don't have cabooses anymore? They don't. They stopped in the 70s. The caboose was to house and feed the crew, but since the trains are so automated now, there are often only two people onboard and it doesn't make sense to run an extra multi-ton car at the back of the train. Too bad. I liked cabooses.

 Lisa writes: It's not Crazy Hair Day. It's just James Woke Up Feeling Like Going to School Like This Day.

 Lisa writes: A sad event. Miss Sandy's husky, Asia, had to be put to sleep. She isn't eating, can barely stand, and is skin and bones under her fur. The kids have been with her daily almost their entire lives. She's so patient with the kids, letting them crawl all over her. "Asia" was James' second word, after "Dada" and way before "Mama." Goodbye, Asia. We will miss you.

 

 Lisa writes: James, the Fish Whisperer, tried to tutor his cousin Julia is the ways of the pond.