Thanksgiving 2023

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, we had time to spend with close family and dear friends. At times, the waves of missing Chad were overwhelming... thinking of how he would react, comment, or contribute to a situation. He would have totally made fun of me for bringing a huge salad to Thanksgiving and would not have had one bite. Alternatively, he would have loved the Buckeyes and probably insisted on taking home any left over. 

We spent time with Don, Laura, Dakato, and Skyler; they are fun and always up for an adventure. It was nice to see all the Hines and meet some new friends too. Laura and Emmie did an amazing job with Thanksgiving dinner. Everything was delicious. We saw Shucked on Broadway; hysterical! We were fortunate to have Benjamin with us this year. Back in DC, we spent time with the Mindels. It was so nice to see Miriam and Katie. Julia also caught up with childhood pal, Jessie, and her step-sister Emma. The last picture is Steven taking Julia to the airport... :(

Running and Running

Julia and Benjamin have been running together! Couch to 5K to half-marathon... we'll see, but the dedication in Minnesota weather is impressive!

I ran around with my favorite almost two-year-olds this past weekend (and my dearest friend, Vera). I'm not sure how Vera keeps up with Maggie and Vickie because they are balls of energy--so sweet and fun! I was honored they let me hold them even for just a short time. 

Cartoon and Vancouver Vibes

Someone created a cartoon commentary on Julia's team expedition. Julia is the one talking; you can tell because of the jacket! Hilarious.

Steven and I went to Vancouver. It was supposed to be 100% rain every day, but it ended up raining very little and mostly at night. We took a ferry ride to Granville Island for the public market. They had great vendors, and lots of gluten-free, dairy-free sausage and beef jerky! Stanley Park was beautiful, with the water and the Canadian Rocky Mountains in the background. Chinatown and Gastown were fun to walk around in. We caught the steam clock right at noon when it tooted a little tune. 

Vancouver is nicer than Toronto, but not as charming as Quebec.