Back to Alaska

Julia and Benjamin are in Fairbanks--where the fun and skiing have continued. They went downhill skiing at Ski Land, home of North America's farthest north chair lift. :) They also cross-country skied at Birch Hill. 

In the DMV, Lisa, Tony, and Kathryn went skiing at Wisp. We had a farewell dinner with Kathryn on Monday before she left for her semester abroad in Madrid. Exciting! The deep-fried turkey was so good.

Mom is in Rochester with her besties.

Surprise Proposal and Marvelous Marriage

Our hearts are overflowing with happiness for Julia and Benjamin. On January 8, 2026, they got engaged and married at the Georgetown Waterfront in DC. It was the most special day, filled with such touching and heartwarming moments. There were all kinds of surprises for Julia, along with a lot of effort and coordination from Benjamin to make it extra special and exactly what this wonderful couple deserved. Close friends and family surprised Julia with an "engagement" party, where they shared that they had gotten married as well. Thank you to all of our friends and family who have supported them for the past eight years. They are currently honeymooning in Park City, UT, skiing with the Hines, then heading to Denver for more skiing and quality time with friends and family.

Happy New Year

Julia and Benjamin returned from New Hampshire, and we opened some presents— including salmon jerky, smoked salmon, reindeer sausage, elk sticks, moose meat, and salt! Yum! 

In DC, we rang in the new year with Mom, Tony & Lisa, Maureen, Chuck & Terry, and Bill & Larissa. We had a delicious meal at the Capital Grille (thank you, Sarrges!). 

Lisa and Tony went to Deep Creek to ski and pick up our half cow! 

We had the pleasure of meeting Benji, Benjamin's pilot roommate, when he was stationed in Enterprise, AL. Benji will now be at Andrews Air Force Base—a great guy, so fun to get to know him and hear their stories.  

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.