The steampunk murder mystery party was a success! Phin (Josephine) played a futuristic physicist with a British accent; the others here include Samuel as a fictional president, Aunt Julia as an imagined world ruler, and historical figures brought back to life - Mata Hari, Rembrant, Marilyn Monroe, Cleopatra, Marie Antoinette, Albert Einstein, and Ivan the Terrible. (Not pictured: me as Annie Oakley and Lisa as Confuscius.) (Friends Ellie, Julia, Abby, Janiya, Sam, Henry, Lily.)

The kids got super into their characters and feasted on the candy bar and blue mocktails. We had a brief dance party, too. 6th grade seems to be going great - learning the clarinet, continuing Art Quest, reading "at the college level, MOM."

She is still so her. This morning she said, "I don't think dreams are just rehashing of the day. I think our souls actually go to other places and meet up with other people's souls."

Happy Halloween...

... almost. Here's your challenge for the day: Can you find Sam in this picture??!

Cataloging old images continues! These are from April 23, 2016.

On our way to the Dogwood Parade where these two were to appear on the Charlottesville Pride float.

And here they are on board in the staging area just before the parade was set to start.

It was a very festive time.

And after the parade we went and hung out in a school field, reading and playing

As both Josephine and Sam continue to grow up, I thought it would be good to post a few pictures from when they were very young. I found these yesterday while cleaning out my basement. This is from around Josephine's third birthday in 2008.




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Another season of baseball is about to be behind us.

Sam got a run batted in shortly after this was taken.

Right about here.

Sam's been playing catcher and it's been fun seeing him gain skills.

Josephine enjoys her tunes waiting for the game to end.