October - December 2022

As the Fall moved along, we did a few more outdoor things while the weather stayed nice.  Kate and her friends made their own period-appropriate clothes for the Feast of the Hunter's Moon.  Kate has been sewing and doing more crafts, and she turned that into a project to make a mushroom costume--featuring a big cap--for Halloween.  After Thanksgiving, we used the camera timer to try to take a good group photo with mixed results; we could never get a picture where everyone was happy with how they looked.  The ballet company, which greatly reduced in size during COVID, put on Le Carnaval Des Animaux in December instead of trying to do Nutcracker.  We flew to Seattle for Christmas to meet Mom's family.  We had a fun time in Seattle.  Our flight back took us into Chicago really early in the morning, so we stayed in Chicago for a short family weekend.  When we all got back home, we had our own Christmas gift opening.  

Kate and friends before Feast of the Hunter's Moon

Kate's mushroom costume for Halloween

Thanksgiving 2022

one attempt at a group photo (including Oliver)

another attempt at a group photo

garden serpent from Kate's ceramics class

Anna as a lion from Le Carnaval Des Animaux

Anna as the swan from Le Carnaval Des Animaux

Christmas eve on departure from ORD

Jack at the Seattle apartment

the ladies at the Seattle apartment

family group photo at McCaw Hall

family selfie under the Space Needle

A J and K on Chicago architecture tour

selfie by the Chicago River

Dad and Kate on the red line to Chinatown

cute pig dumplings at dim sum

Kate at Christmas

Jack opening presents

Anna opening a present

July - September 2022

 Anna and Mom started July in France.  Jack was at Philmont in New Mexico.  Kate was at Waldsee language camp in Northern Minnesota.  Big adventures for everyone.  Dad was in charge of making sure everyone got picked up when they were supposed to be picked up.  In early August, we met up with our friends for a vacation at Lake Chautauqua, which involved lots of relaxing, some time on the water, and a trip to see "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in concert" with a live orchestra at the Chautauqua Institute.  We did an adventure course in the trees at a wintertime ski resort.  Jack and Dad helped plan a long weekend camping trip for Jack's Scout troop that went to the St. Louis City Museum; likely, that was the last campout for Jack with the Troop.  We managed to use the fire pit a few times as the weather started getting cooler at the end of September.

Anna and Mom in France

Anna and Mom at a Chateau

Jack at Philmont

Pont du Gard

bookstore in Paris

Paris Metro stop

Arc de Triomphe

Mona Lisa

Eiffel Tower

Kate am Waldsee

Kate with Waldsee friends

on Lake Chautauqua

Jack and Dad kayaking (no lake sandwich yet)

end of the trip (someone's lunch was one sandwich short)

the group at the Chautauqua Institute

Lake Erie beach

Mom and Jack on the adventure course

Kate on the adventure course

Anna on the adventure course

Dad and Jack on the roof at City Museum in St. Louis

fire pit

April - June 2022

As we got into Spring and the start of summer, with COVID becoming a little more manageable, we started doing more activities.  The ballet school and company had a performance of Alice in Wonderland.  Anna and Kate were in both shows.  In the second show, Kate had to fill in as one of the flamingos during the croquet scene; she learned the entire routine in one day and gave a great performance.  After his successful Eagle Scout board of review in February, he participated in his Eagle Scout Court of Honor to receive his pin and neckerchief.  He also added his name to the troop's ever-growing plaque of members who have become Eagle Scouts. In mid-June, Kate left for Waldsee, the German language immersion camp for a second summer.  Jack, Anna, Mom and Dad all headed up to Chicago in late June.  From there, Jack, along with a crew of boys and adults from his scout troop, boarded a train to head to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.  This was Jack's second Philmont trek.  Anna and Mom boarded an airplane the for a flight to Paris for a few weeks in France.  Dad stayed in Chicago for a conference, then headed home to "hold down the fort".

Anna as the red queen from Alice in Wonderland

Kate from Alice in Wonderland

Anna and Kate after the show

Anna and Kate after the second show

Summer intensive week 1

Goofing off

Jack hearing the Eagle challenge

Jack getting his Eagle pin

Jack at the close of his Eagle Court of Honor with his rank pin and neckerchief

Jack with the Troop 335 Eagle Scout plaque (along with his Scoutmaster)

playing Kübb

Kate moving in at Waldsee

Anna after the summer intensive final performance

Last picture before the big adventures start