Looking Back at 2010

The rundown for 2010, just a few quick notes on the year. Pictures and more details are in the items posted throughout the year.

January

Doctors. Dec 2009 I was advised to get breast pictures taken and in Jan 2010 I had a series of biopsies done. All turned out to be nothing, but was basically a nuisance and an expense.

February

I fell on my head in a parking lot after a lovely get-together with my dear friends Nanci and Lorraine. Thank god for good friends, who insisted I visit the ER. I had a slight concussion and stayed the night in Frederick, MD with Lorraine before driving back home in the morning.

March

Zack's black belt test. It was a grueling text and he came through like a champ. Katie's teeth continued to get straighter and she was also a champ at keeping the braces maintained and putting up with all the metal in her mouth.

April

The Holes in the Ground tour! The whole family set out to cover some of what we didn't finish on our interrupted RV trip. It was great to have Pete with us this time. We started in Tuscon, headed north to the Grand Canyon, over to Albuquerque, down to Carlsbad, over to White Sands and back up to Albuquerque to head back home. The weather cooperated and we had a great time.

May

Katie and Zack turned 12. We also headed down to NC for a bricklaying for my dad. Got a bit of closure from it and it was good to have most of the family there.

June

Dizzy! I had started to get tiny dizzy spells before our trip in April, but came down with full-blown vertigo in June. So started another odyssey with doctors, scans and, later, surgery.

It was also our big celebration for Zack's black belt ceremony. Pete folks and my mom came out to lend support and help celebrate. I missed my dad a lot, knowing that he would have been there and proud along with everyone else.

July

A visit with my mom in NC and hit the beach and a new favorite, MagiQuest.

August

A fairly quiet month. Katie started in with a new GS troop and has loved it ever since. Lots of prepping for the Disney trip.

September

Disney. A great trip with the whole family right after the school kids went back to school. Parks were far from empty but not crowded either.

I also had that sinus surgery when we got back and spent some time getting over that.

October

A low-key month, starting back in with schoolwork and enjoying Halloween. We also brought home Toby—our great little dog. He was skinny and mostly hairless but we love him and he is now fuzzy and fattening up.

November

The kids went on a plane alone to visit their grandparents in Boston! They did great and had a fun time. Pete and I got away for the weekend to Shenandoah National Park and enjoyed the mountains and trails.

December

Pete toured the UK with his band, a long-time dream come true. They had a great run and he enjoyed every minute of it. The kids and I went to NYC and to Great Wolf Lodge while he was away and I got most of the Christmas preparations done.

And now Christmas has come and gone. It has been a pretty good year, despite many firsts without dad around. We are happy and healthy and have wonderful friends and family.

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What's New? (before it's too old)

I misplaced my datacard adapter, so had many pictures trapped on my phone. Here's the update--as best as I can remember from the photos (roughly moving back in time):



Last week, Katie's GS Troop ran a fundraiser and had a popcorn booth.

While Pete was in England on tour with The Jet Age, we went to NYC. See more about Pete's tour here.

The Met, looking like Egyptians.


The Prospect Park Zoo. Let me plug Brooklyn here. It's great! There's tons to do, the crowds are smaller than in NYC and it's easier to park. Go!


The Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

We also hit NYC--the Toys R Us in Times Square--never go during Christmas season again. Could not move without a ton of people all around us. The American Girl Place-note to self, no street parking during the week. Jekyll and Hydes. Economy Candy. And also spent some time with my cousin who also let us stay at her place just thru the tunnel in NJ.


Katie and Zack went to see Pete's parents in Boston. Pete and I got away for the weekend to Shenandoah NP. Beautiful!


The kids and I went to a Pow Wow. We went with a homeschool group during the week, not realizing that the main event happens over the weekend. We enjoyed the colorful outfits and the dancing, but there was not much else going on. We did not enjoy the storyteller all that much, but we did enjoy the fried oreos we ate while we listened to her!


We got our dog, Toby!!!!!!!! Here he is the day we took him home. He has a lot more fat and fur on him now.



Zack got sized up for his invisilign braces which he will start wearing in January.


We went to the Science and Engineering Festival on the National Mall. It was huge and fantastic. I wish we'd had more time to spend at it, but am hoping this will be an annual event.

Here the kids are with Mr. Neuron.


Katie looked far too grown up in this "pageant" dress, for a Girl Scout mystery event for Halloween.



Zack getting into the Halloween Spirit.




It snowed a bit. I think you can see that the dog is looking better since living with us.

I'll have the year-end entry in soon. Hope you had a great 2010.

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