January started with a milestone celebration: our 20-year anniversary! 
We'd been saving and planning for months to take a special trip to celebrate. We spent five nights at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico. It was an incredible week! All aspects of the week were fantastic: travel, food, weather, conversation, setting, whale sighting, uninterrupted conversation, good sleep, pickle ball, unplugged from daily routine and responsibilities, sunshine . . . I could go on! We are grateful for this restful vacation, and for my parents who made it possible (see below!).
Enjoying the sunrise on our last day.
Meanwhile, Kaye K and Big Daddy kept the machine running at home. They took on the teaching, cleaning, driving, cooking, and so much more while we were away. Looking back, everything was in such good control that Ryan and I should have stayed for another night or two! Next time =)
We had another big celebration upon our return home: Rooke turned 15!! Celebrations included a meal with Big Daddy's enchiladas, Kaye K's carrot cake, and Uncle Steve and Aunt Vallerie (who bring the fun!). Rooke is into all things basketball these days, so most of his gifts were focused on that sport and much of his free time is spent playing basketball with friends.
Bridgette's weekly violin lesson in next to small horse paddy. We like saying "hello" to the horses after her lesson.
We went to the downtown DC library to get the kids passports renewed and had so much fun exploring the huge children's section, which included this massively long and fun slide! Inside the library!
Rooke's homeschool "health class" one week was learning how to make sourdough sandwich bread. Yum!
