Christmas in Quebec

We left for Montreal on December 22. In Montreal, we visited The Great Christmas Market. It was a little cold and snowy, but it radiated plenty of Christmas spirit. Carrie bought us all "ASSN" hats: Andreasen-Simpson-Saunders-Nieboer. Besides for warmth and being my favorite color, they were quite practical in finding members of the group in a crowd. :)

The next morning, we traveled to Quebec by train. Near our hotel in Old Quebec, we walked around a German Christmas Market. We completed part of the Old Quebec Scavenger Hunt and Highlights tour. We did it as long as we could handle the cold—very interesting with fun clues. We explored The Grand Christmas Market at the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac and attended the Christmas Eve service at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. On Christmas morning, Benjamin, Julia, and Elizabeth went skiing at Le Massif. Mark, Steven, Carrie, Mom, and I explored the Citadelle of Quebec and the Plains of Abraham. After dinner, we gathered to exchange Christmas ornaments and play a game of charades. Carrie brought a miniature tree with her. It was a wonderful way to spend Christmas with those we love. 

On December 26, the adventurous members of the group went ice canoeing. Unfortunately, this gave Steven a migraine, so his time was cut short--but the experience was still incredible and memorable. In the afternoon, we visited Montmorency Falls. The next day, we took the train back to Montreal. Mark, Steven, Julia, Ricky, and Elizabeth went to the Sports de Combat for a weapon-throwing and archery lesson. Mom, Carrie, and I explored the Underground City (i.e., shopping!).

Benjamin turns 30 on January 10, so we celebrated a little early on our last night of the trip.

We returned to DC on Sunday, the 28th. We had a wonderful time full of great adventures, conversations, and memories.

Gingerbread Party 2025

Meme hosted another fun and successful gingerbread house decorating party!

December Work

Julia had a week of work before jetting to her next commitment yesterday. She'll be speaking at the Advancing Earth and Science Conference (AGU25, American Geophysical Union) in New Orleans, LA. Her last meal before leaving was prime rib roast. She'll return on Friday. Benjamin comes into town Thursday. We're looking forward to being all together. 

Air Force Pilot Wings

Congratulations to Benjamin on his pinning ceremony and officially earning his Air Force pilot wings. Julia traveled to Enterprise, AL, with his aunt and uncle to attend and celebrate. She was the one who pinned him with the wings. :) She also tried the simulator (no crashes!). We're so proud of Benjamin; stay tuned for his next phase of training in New Mexico.

On the home front, DC received its first snow. We attended the George Washington University tree lighting ceremony. The tree was a lot smaller than expected. LOL

Thanksgiving 2025

We packed in a lot of fun and time with family and friends to make this Thanksgiving long weekend special. Best of all—Julia is home! Before heading to Brooklyn, we had dinner with Miriam. Then Laura and Clarkson hosted a fantastic Thanksgiving feast on Thursday. It was great to catch up with the Hines. We visited the Museum of Modern Art on Friday with family and the Austins. Back in DC, we caught up with the Mindels and enjoyed another wonderful turkey dinner with the Sarrges on Sunday. Our hearts and stomachs are full.