A very Guster birthday

My 40th birthday celebration continued last night (how long can this wonderfulness go on!?!) with a dinner at The Melting Pot with our friends Ross and Cookie, parents of Ryan from Guster--all conceived and coordinated by my lovely husband. 

We had a wonderful time catching up without having to shout over the loud music of a rock concert, which is when we normally see each other. And of course there was yummy fondue, including melty cheese and scrumptious dipping sauces (curriyaki!). The only slight hiccup was our over-sharing waitress who tried to engage us in conversation throughout the four-course meal, including explaining what a crummy day she'd had and reenacting the scream of her 7-month-old daughter. 

But that was quickly replaced with a delightful surprise from Ryan, who sent me the above birthday video message (featuring his 18-month-old son, Dash). What a lucky girl I am. 

Wanderlust

This morning, driving on the way to winter break art camp:

Lily: Hey, that truck says Mayflower!

Me: Like the pilgrims?

Lily: Yeah. Actually, anyone who travels is a pilgrim. Even we're pilgrims.

Me: Yeah? Where do we travel?

Lily: To California and Ohio mostly.

Orville and Wilbur

One my parents' last day in town, we took a trip to the College Park Aviation Museum. Just outside of D.C., it's located on the grounds of the world's oldest continuously operating airport. 

The girls watching Wilbur Wright work in his shop. He was one of those animatronic things, like Abraham Lincoln at Disneyland. Entrancing and creepy, all at the same time. 

Watch out! Amalia has taken the controls. 

Cranking the propellor. 

The Red Baron.

Andy, apparently showing the girls how to make crash landings. 

The museum is great for kids. Here, Amalia is assembling a plane out of wooden parts. 

In the cockpit. 

More crashes on the flight simulator. 

Lily writing a story on the "Wright a Story" computer terminal. She actually wrote two. The first one ended (predictably) with the plane crashing into a building. In the second one, the people "get too old to fly a plane, so they die." My parents didn't really appreciate that one. 

Miracle on W St

Here are the girls looking sweet in their matching Santa dresses from Grandma Kathy. Look how angelic Amalia is. Awww.

 The dress can't contain her for long. 

 The traditional family around the table portrait. 

Amalia spent quite some time this afternoon perfecting her masterpiece. 

And to continue in the fine arts theme, here is Lily's first official performance of Jingle Bells. If she can perform with all of these distractions, imagine how well she'd do on stage. 

It's Christmas!

Lots of excitement about Christmas this year. Lily put her PJs on at 2pm yesterday, willing the night (and Santa) to come faster. And Amalia woke us all up this morning, yelling, "It's Christmas! It's Christmas!"

 Christmas morning anticipation. 

 Tradition dictates that stockings come first. Full-size Kit Kats!

 A dazzling diva wardrobe--at the top of Lily's wish list this year. 

The Shiny Sisters. 

The girls discovered that their sequins put on quite a show in the sunlight. Like living, breathing disco balls! 

 Wardrobe change #2, of umpteen. 

A chair and table set for the American Girl dolls (Amalia got one this year, too). 

Crayon maker. Thanks, Uncle Charlie!

Band set. Thanks, Uncle Charlie (some sarcasm on the part of the parents).

 Awesome leisure suit from the Rosnacks. (Don't worry, she likes it more than she's letting on.)

 A replacement Santa dress from Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Colin! 

  Amalia lining up her new sea creatures. (She's been fascinated with sharks of late.)

 A Matchbox crash course for Amalia. We've all had fun with this one.

Amalia sharing her new kitty cat (and blankie) with Blue. 

 Going old school with a spirograph. 

Less finesse, equal enthusiasm.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Frozen lemurs

Inspired by the Ice Lantern Festivals in Harbin, China (as well as the promise of profits, I'm sure), the Gaylord Hotel near DC commissions ice artists to create holiday attractions made entirely out of ice. This year's theme was Merry Madagascar (the Dreamworks characters). 

While waiting in line, we passed by a touch screen wall where you could move pictures around and resize them, just like a giant iPad touch. 

 The girls could have stayed there all day. 

 Amusing ourselves after the touch screen wall. 

Good thing Amalia didn't do this inside the exhibit. Her face literally could have frozen this way. It's only 9 degrees inside.

 The ice sculptures.

 One of the ice artists making something or other. 

 The giant ice slide. We all took a trip or two--that ice is slick!

Lily going down the slide. 

Lily with Grandma Carol and Grandpa Dave. It's easy to lose your party in the exhibit because everyone is wearing the same blue parkas. But I guess if penguins can find their mates in a sea of black and white, we shouldn't have had too much trouble.

Back in the warmer air, Amalia of course had to hug the penguin characters. She didn't stay to pose for an official picture despite the hotel guy's coaxings.

Thawing out on a train ride. 

My father and I in the ICE! photo booth. This emailed image was just about the only thing that was free. 

Andypalooza

Since it's Andy's birthday today, Lilypalooza will remain on hiatus one more day to share pictures of his celebration.

 Birthday tartlets 

A wooden crocodile, handcrafted by Lily. 

 An artist's rendering of Andy's '72 Bug in Yosemite.