Shannon

So far 2020 has been treating us well!

We began the year with a New Year’s Eve sleepover with the Devine’s at our house. We had a “game night” theme, where we played board games and Dave prepared four courses of game meat. It was delicious and fun.

On New Year’s Day we all went for a hike in Wissahickon.

The girls with Ava and Emma Devine in Wissahickon on New Year’s Day.

It’s been an unseasonably warm January – in 40s, 50s, and a few days of 60s! One of the warmest days was also a day off from school, so I took the girls to the zoo, which was not expecting the crowds that it had. Note Lauren wearing shorts in the pics!

  • Up close and personal with a penguin

Dave and I went to the annual Union League Commodore’s Ball again. He’s not in yacht club leadership any more, but we went to support some friends who are. It’s always a fun, somewhat ridiculous evening.


At the Commodore’s Ball

Sophie is in her school’s choir, called Levering Mill, which is just for 4th and 5th graders. She’s also in the 3rd-5th grade all student choir, which held a combined concert in January. There were so many kids that they had to do it at Bala Cynwyd middle school, which has a large auditorium.

  • Sophie had a duet – front, right
  • the full choir

And then a few days later Lauren had her 1st grade musical, which was called Pirates, The Musical. It was very cute. All the kids do the singing and the teachers do the dialogue.

  • 1st grade pirates
  • Lauren and her friend, Gabriel

And we had a weekend visit from Shannon Boyle and her boyfriend Joey. They stayed over and we took them to the Flyers game, where they finally won one! The girls were very happy to be reunited with Shannon 🙂

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The summer has been full of camps, friends, family, and long weekends. Here’s just a snapshot. 
Sophie did a week long Handiworks camp where she learned how to sew. She loved it! Here she is (bottom left) wearing a hat she made with her friend Rachel. 

For 6 weeks Sophie went to Miquon Day Camp where she swam twice a day (among other nature camp activities). She worked all summer long and in her last week finally passed the deep water test and got her prized green band. Look at that proud face. 
In mid-July we had a fun afternoon with two entomologist from the Academy of Natural Sciences, who did a bug hunt on our property. The found about a dozen bugs, two of which will be kept in the permanent collect at the museum. 
In August we headed down to Rock Hall for the annual Pirates and Wenches weekend where Dave and the girls took first place in the dinghy contest. The winning dinghy was decorated like a pirate ship, complete with a shark on the side. Here’s the crew – Both Dave’s, Sophie, Lauren, and Shannon. Argh! 

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This year we spent Christmas Eve at our house with Mom Mom and Pop Pop. Dave made a fabulous dinner (2 fishes, as opposed to 7) and then we opened a few presents. I got a new camera, and so did Sophie! She did a lot of practicing…

 This one was taken with mine…
A science kit! Dad was as excited as Sophie!
We then spent Christmas morning at home, just the 3 of us (well, with Benson, 4) and then headed to the Sharps for the day
 All she asked Santa for Christmas was chocolate. Easy to please I guess. 
 Jumping for joy with her new doll
 And a toy for Benson too
 A doctor kit from Santa at Mom Mom and Pop Pop’s house. 
 They were very good patients
 With a butterfly net from her bug catching kit. She caught an ant later in the afternoon. Not much insect activity in Jersey in December.
 Having fun with Zoe
And ending the day with ice cream with Shannon. Goofballs. 
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Last weekend Sophie’s 2nd cousin (I think) turned 2! They had a little party for her at a park in New Jersey. She got to hang out with a lot of family. 
Here’s Sophie & Zoe (she was happy, despite the deer in the headlight look here)
Shannon had a blast. Here’s the birthday girl with her mom Danielle. 
This was the first time Shannon & Sophie met. Shannon was really cute and kept touching her face and arms and feet. It’ll be great when Sophie is a little older and they can play! 
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