Thankful for the Good Stuff.

Things were looking up. And not only because our landlords hired someone, out of the blue, to do leaf removal. We've been raking frantically between windstorms, but there were a lot  of leaves.

This would've taken us weeks. 

With leaf removal out of the way, the holiday week was on. I owed Ford a date, first off, and he wanted to hit the scooters like Finley. 

Luckily, he's a cautious driver. We circled the mall, narrowly avoided arrest, and discovered the new (to us) Eisenhower Memorial.

I know the holidays were basically cancelled this year, and we had canx'ed travel plans at the last minute (much to the kids' dismay), but we did manage the annual Taylor Turkey Trot

a swim in unseasonably (and delightfully) warm weather,

and some self care in between cooking bouts (thanks to the industriousness of Grandma Jayne.)

Even with the last minute plans change, we pulled off a small dinner with a giant Seth-fried turkey and a ton of (highly popular) desserts,

plus a floor show by these hooligans.

and a late night visit by these.

In an embarrassment of gratitude, the next day we celebrated Seth's 8th Alive Day, the first one the kids could really understand. It was special (and- naturally- involved fishing.)

We celebrated with crabcakes and candles and stories that night, and the next day dispatched to one of our all-time favorite getaways, the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake.

Seth and I had spent two babymoons and a fair number of duck hunts and kayak fishing trips there pre-kids, and it was a blast to have the place basically to ourselves and be able to enjoy breakfast in bed and Christmas decorations,

dive-in movies and outdoor hot tubs,

swimsuit s'mores and holes-in-one,

and obscene amounts of heated-pool time.

Plus mad basketball cheating

and views of the Bay. (This is what happens when I ask them to "say cheese.")

Oh, also. Finley has no nerve endings. Below is her makeshift polar plunge. It was 45 degrees out. That pool was not heated.

And Ford's favorite mask makes him look like he's participating in the intifada. 

Kids are weird.

And we are thankful for it all. 

Hope everyone found ways to give thanks and savor the good stuff.

Park-Hopping and Good Fortune.

COVID lockdowns are back, holidays plans are awash with uncertainty, and- as Missy put it this weekend- everything is "just weird." 2020 continues to wreak havoc.

So we're staying closer to home, trying to plan small and enjoy big. I've canx'ed road trips for the near future, in favor of what Ford calls "park hopping."

I have procured multiple lists of the best parks in the DMV (District-Maryland-Virginia) area, and we are on a mission to check out every.single.one.

Seth has had school responsibilities (plus, let's be honest, the bass are biting), so Jayne and I have a terrific new routine in which we hit up a playground on one of the DMV's many greenways and I get in a long run while the kids play (and- sometimes- she gets to catch an Army football game at the park.) 

Which was super lucky Saturday in Wheaton, because she caught the "where are they now?" about Seth during the GSU game. (And I, on mile 8, was grateful to come back to lots of screenshots from friends.)

Ford is certain he's famous now. As if he weren't insufferable enough before... (This is him, pretending to be Chief Brody from "Jaws." Yes, he's using a candy cane like a "smoker." No, I do not want to hear it.)

We did manage a couple trips out to our absolute favorite place, Great Country Farms, 

which included farm fun and mazes,

an overdue and much-needed meet-up with old friends,

and a pilgrimage to the always-fabulous Dirt Farm Brewing.

We also pulled off pizza night and a zoom bible class with the kids' only new neighborhood friends (a serious godsend during a COVID move)

- also, because why not, Rockette lessons-

swim school and a "Lady and the Tramp" moment at Pistone's, a Falls Church institution, 

and a date night with my best girl, scootering to the new art exhibit at the Kennedy Center

and checking out the pop-up cafe and monuments by night.

We never, ever, ever forget how lucky we are.

Especially Finley.

November sunshine and COVID birthdays.

While the post-election country was awash in uncertainty and name-calling and baseless litigation- as we knew it would be- life went on at Casa Nieman.

F+F are still the worst at riding bikes, despite our occasional halfhearted efforts;

Grandma is still way better at homeschooling than Mom & Dad;

haircuts and swim school and yardwork continued;

make-your-own-pizza night did not wane in popularity;

and we continued to enjoy every minute of our Indian summer.

Oh yeah. And our baby turned 6. With the help of some outrageous presents, including the terrible and much-loved "doodyhead" game, courtesy of- naturally- the Ryans,

this awesome punching bag from Aunt Leah,

and gargantuan efforts to make it special by Grandma Jayne.

Although throwing a COVID-friendly birthday party is beyond stressful, we capitulated

and Finely got the outdoor fashion show/ firepit party of her dreams.

Once we recovered, we managed a rainy trip to Arlington for Veteran's Day

and the annual put-up-the-tree/ "White Christmas" night. Because it's November, after all. Even if it's 80 degrees out.

It was a week+ of funny moments amid the crazy, but some of my favorites were F+F's very different approaches to stringing Christmas garlands,

and Ford's star turn- in Michael Jackson gloves- at Finley's fashion show.

Cheers to an eventual return to normalcy. 

But as long as possible a delay in winter weather.