On our way back to MA

Lola packed the kids pasta for lunch....And sharing is caring! Especially when it's electronics.

The Astronauts LeBuffe!

I always wanted to be an astronaut!

Space Shuttle Discovery

At the National Air & Space Museum near Dulles Airport! 

Merry Christmas!

Adrian's Company Holiday Party

Fantastic view! Pretty swanky.
The last time I went to this I was pregnant with Max!

First Snow of the Year!

The kids couldn't wait to get out in the snow. I even saw a rabbit hanging out on our driveway. We got 6-8 inches.

Basketball This Morning

This little baller scored 5 baskets this morning!

The Nutcracker, Performance #2!

Got a few photos at drop off! Veronica is one of the reindeer that pull the Snow Queen's sleigh.

Veronica in The Nutcracker!

She did a fantastic job, and said she wasn't even nervous. We are all so proud of her! One more performance tomorrow. 

Winchester Tree Lighting, Dec 2017

Last night was the annual Winchester Tree Lighting at the town common. The even begins with a group of elementary kids sing Christmas carols. Then the Winchester fire trucks make a loop of the town common, with Santa Claus riding in the basket of the ladder on the last truck. As Santa passes by, the trees in the common light up. It's quite a spectacle! 

Luckily, Lola, Gramps and Grandmom are all here visiting to see Veronica in The Nutcracker this weekend. Thanks for some of the photos, Gramps! (click to enlarge photos)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ian Newport
Date: Fri, Dec 1, 2017 at 10:42 AM
Subject: Winchester Lights 2017

And here are a couple from my phone:

Soccer, Fall 2017

Both of the kids did soccer for the first time this year. We knew Max would love it. He loves anything sports-related. But we were a bit worried that Veronica would not like it at all. Luckily, we requested to have her put on a team full of girls she knows from Kids' Corner. They were all super excited she was joining their team and I knew she would be fine. Both of them did really well. Max loves it all and Veronica is "a natural defender", according to one of her coaches. Soccer began in September, actually on the same day as Veronica's 8th birthday party, so the kids were lucky to have the additional audience of Gramps, Grandmom, Ninang, Tito Erik, and Ninong at their first games. Soccer ended in November. The weather was considerably colder! Here are a few photos from the season. They got medals at their last games.

Click here to see more photos and videos from Soccer this fall.

Halloween 2017

For an adult with no kids, Halloween involves, generally, carving a pumpkin, maybe a costume party, and handing out candy. However, when you have kids, it's multiple days and multiple festivities. As a parent, you just hope their costumes last through it all, since they're not made to be that durable. This Halloween included:

• Winchester window painting, 
• the Kids' Corner Haunted House (proceeds go to charity), 
• candy and a Halloween show at a local elderly home, 
• the Winchester Halloween parade and trick-or-treating in the town center, 
• a Halloween craft activity in Max's kindergarten class, 
• carving pumpkins at home, 
• a Halloween parade for the kindergartners, 
• and, finally, trick-or-treating on actual Halloween with Ninong!

Kids' Corner has an annual Haunted House for charity. What's nice is that they can dial up or down the scare factor. Unfortunately, the kids always want it all the way down, but I want it all the way up! Check out the video in the album linked below for a video I took inside.

Veronica's class painted emoji pumpkins.

The 2nd graders at Lincoln were all invited to a local elderly home for trick-or-treating and a show. Veronica was picked to help out during The Twelve Days of Halloween. She was 5 Crawling Bugs. Check out the video in the album linked below.

Ready for the Halloween Parade and trick-or-treating in the town center!

Max's class did Halloween crafts.

Carving pumpkins!

Lining up for school. Max was Hiro from Big Hero 6 this year. His costume is black with blue accents. He's in the front line, to the right of the boy in the pirate hat.

Finally, on to trick-or-treating! Ninong was here and he was Star Trek: The Next Generation's Captain Picard. Sadly, I don't have a photo of him in costume. Veronica is Mal (complete with her spell book) from the Disney movie The Descendants. Since Mal is Maleficent's daughter, I decided to be Maleficent. I was obsessed with my horns and glowing staff! Max wanted Daddy to be Baymax from Big Hero 6. Daddy is a good sport.

Video of the glowing staff in the album linked below. It turns different colors!

We had fun trick-or-treating and were so happy Ninong was here for the 2nd year in a row. Click here to see more photos and videos from Halloween 2017.