hiking into the new year.

The weather was extremely cooperative (near 60!) for our annual New Year's hike. We headed to the Jug Bay Natural Area in Maryland on New Year's Eve and met up with the Davis family. Amelia and Elsa were thrilled to have hiking buddies. Amelia just needs someone who will listen to her talk. And talk. And talk. Elsa can be prompted to walk quite far with varying distractions (like the prospect of being buried in the leaves). This was our first time exploring Jug Bay and it was a beautiful winter hike. We were pretty much the only people around. (Past hikes have included Turkey Run and last year's more treacherous hike at Scott's Run.)

More beautiful weather on New Year's Day called for a morning stroll around Huntley Meadows after a breakfast of warm chocolate croissants and hot chocolate.

national gallery of art.

Still trying to finish blogging about the week after Christmas...

We went downtown one day to visit a few museums. We wanted to see a special exhibit at the National Archives before it closed, but the line was crazy long so we skipped it and headed to the National Gallery of Art (East building).

*Take note of Oliver's beautiful, long, blonde-with-a-touch-of-red hair. Because it's all gone now.

the paparazzi shot.

this photo is kind of blowing my mind.

sauconys!

an oliver moment.

christmas leftovers.

A few things I never posted in December:

Elsa is held captive by Santa in her preschool class.

After two years as a sheep, Amelia graduated to donkey in our church's nativity play.

Our Christmas card. (A low resolution version anyway.)

longwood gardens: the grounds

After exploring the conservatory we headed outside to wander the grounds (which are also massive and gorgeous). It was a beautiful day but soooo cold and windy. We bundled up and then used our best parenting tactic...the power of distraction. Elsa was still grumpy but we finally snapped her out of it and got her excited about discovering things outside. (Ben told her my water was magic and would give her super energy when she drank it. Somehow that worked.) The girls were very excited about the prospect of finding all of the treehouses so that kept them moving. (The treehouses, by the way, also had lovely plant-inspired Christmas decorations.)

Before the magic water.

I loved this tree. Orange slice garlands and bows made out of lovely plant materials.

Amelia and Elsa looking down through the glass.

Elsa looking down at Amelia. The girls ran up and down this treehouse a few times.

A tree made out of pine cones! I think we need to get more creative with our tree next year.