December

 Beautiful sisters!

Sometimes even the teenage boy needs to cuddle

I took my piano students to share their Christmas music with the residents of the nursing home where Gramma lived.  Bridgette joined the program playing a Christmas carol on her violin.  

Bridgette is excited for basketball season to start!  She got a one-on-one training session through the AAU team Rooke played for last year and soaked up all the coaching.

Gretchen and her bestie passing out programs before their school Christmas concert

Vallerie and the girls set up a table of their crafts and artwork at the Cheverly Christmas market.  It's become a fun tradition! 

Candy Cane Cookies!

Double-date with dear friends to celebrate both of our anniversaries, which are weeks apart

Let's Go Panthers!  Rooke's team has had a great season

She continues to enjoy piano lessons via Zoom with Kaye K!

Grateful for Big Brother taking Bridgette to her violin lesson on a day when family schedules were extra crazy

This beauty turned 15!!!

Family lunch after church to celebrate Gretchen, then a trip to Claire's to get her gift: a second ear-piercing 

One of the many reasons I love the Christmas season =)

My final homeschooling student and I took a mid-day field trip to the Botanical Gardens to see the Christmas train display

Forced Family Fun: tickets to a G-League game to see the local team play.  Thank you, VetTix!

One of the hot games during the Christmas break was Settlers

Our favorite: Christmas Eve pajamas from Grammy Deb!

Stockings on Christmas morning!

Santa Payne =)

Showing off some of his new stuff

Merry Christmas from the Paynes!

November

We voted!  My first time to vote In Person (previous voting has always been via mail-in ballot)

Not sure what they were watching, but they were entertained

School at Starbucks?!  Yes, please =)

Rooke's team faced off with another team, including two players Rooke previously played with on his first AAU team.  It was fun to see Rooke tip-off against his former teammate

This is what I packed for Rooke to take on a full day of school, afternoon volunteer tutoring, and an away game.  Feeding the Man Child is no small task!

The guys traveled for a belated 16-birthday gift to Rooke: tickets to see the Hornets play in their home arena in Charlotte, NC.  It turned out to be a great game!

Outtakes from our impromptu family "Christmas photo shoot" at our neighbor's house 

Kaye K and Big Daddy came for Thanksgiving!!  We had a great week together, doing all the things, playing all the games, making all the food, watching all the sports - it was fun!

The guys got to see the UMD men play

The girls got to see a performance of the Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center

Food preparations . . .

Feasting!

Adulting!  Celebrating Dad's 70th birthday early with an adult morning out for breakfast and coffee

Here comes Christmas!