Thursday, January 15, 2015

Christmas and New Years


 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel


 Christmas Eve 2014
Opening their annual first gift (PJ's!).  

 We enjoyed a wonderfully low key evening with Chris, Gin and kids after the 5pm family service.
Andrew took this pic ;).

Cousin cuddles.

Midnight silent night at 4th.

Christmas morning!  Our camera battery had died the night before and I couldn't find the charger -so iPhone pics it was.


Their greatest gift to us was waking up after 8am!!


Sweet note in mom's stocking.



Always love our breakfast, Bible time together.

Buddies.

Homemade gifts are the best.

A boy and his minion.

A big present!!!  This was a basketball double hoop game for the basement - it was has been SO much fun.

And we're going to Disneyland!  Meeting up with Seattle family in February.  We can't WAIT.

Christmas day afternoon - cousins at Grandpa Jerry and Grandma Dee Dee's house.

These boy can never be too close to Hunter.

Loved these ladies in their matching dresses.

Best seats in the house.


We loved getting some extra cousin time over break.

Just the usual O'Connell family gathering.

We gathered to celebrate with Tia and Martin since they were in PA over Christmas.

Train conductor!!  Tia nailed his present.


We love our Monie - opening the first annual "Auntie Ann gift".

Who knew.

An afternoon outing to the Puppet Co with fun new neighbor friends.

Running through Glen Echo.

Muscles!

Date night for Jen's bday dinner.

Andrew and daddy had a fun afternoon outing to the National Gallery of Art.

Next to "the one we have in our basement".

One of Andrew's favs.

Love this.

They found a Serra.

Our lil photographer.


Fun daddy time.

New Year's Eve!


We enjoyed a super fun dinner at Cheesecake, talking about our favorite memories of the year.

New Years Day movie outing with Grandpa Jerry and Grandma Dee Dee.

Exciting.


Our annual (one day belated) New Year's sleepover with the Choi's!

Breakfast.  Love this tradition.


Monday, January 5, 2015

Advent 2014

Let every heart prepare him room!!

Decorating the tree.
Andrew got to hang the first ornament this year.

Great little helpers.

All finished.

Our annual ycf Christmas party is always a highlight of the season.

50+ friends singing carols by the fire, followed by a hilarious white elephant.  Love this night.

Daddy finally got to co-op at the preschool after being laid up for a long time.

They were very glad to have him back.


We enjoyed a fun Saturday trek down to the mall.

We started at our favorite - the Hirshhorn.

In front of Barbara Kruger's "Belief + Doubt".


Taking in the black box.


Heading upstairs.

Love this.

Under a fun new piece by Ernesto Neto.  Will was sleepy.

Back out on the mall!  The Capital dome makeover in the background.

The trying not to smile pout face.


Inside the botanical gardens.

Waiting for trains.


This boy was in heaven.  

Caden was a sweet big brother.

All set up for our Tuesday morning brunch - one of my favorite mornings of the year.

Will and I made a gingerbread house!

All done!

The boys didn't get out of school until the 23rd.  Dave celebrated with them that evening by taking them to Zoo lights, while mom stayed home and made Shepherd's pie for Christmas Eve.
Not sure what Andrew is riding - a bear?

Caden got the cheetah.

And will of course found the Elephant!
They had such a fun night, riding the train, sledding, drinking hot cocoa.  Such a perfect way to kick off break!