car trouble and new years eve

New Year's Eve morning, we took off bright and early to head to Delaware.  Everything was going so smoothly, until we were driving through D.C. and hit a pot-hole.  Immediately, we heard a grinding noise and Logan told me to pull over.  He went around back and looked, and when he got back into the van, he said, "I'm afraid it's serious."  Our rear axle had cracked! 

 

Amazingly, our friend Clay was able to leave work to pick us up on the side of the road, and AAA towed the van to the nearest mechanic shop, which happened to be on Pennsylvania Avenue with a beautiful view of the Capitol Building several blocks down.  We had to sit for three hours until Matthew could make it down to get us, so Clay patiently stuck around so we had somewhere warm to sit.  What a guy!

 

We got to Matthew and Heather's in time for dinner and a New Year's Eve celebration with the cousins.  They were all SO EXCITED to see each other!  They get along so great.

Heather had prepared DELICIOUS lasagna.  We had a great meal together. :)

 

 

We had Christmas with Matthew's family and Mom that night before Logan caught the midnight train to Georgia, er, I mean Maine. :)

Matthew was pretty proud of this Christmas gift he'd gotten from Heather:

Another exhausting day of travels, travails, and celebrations. :)

 

One Last Family Meal and Meeting Gray

The night before we had to leave NC, everyone gathered at Uncle Barry and Aunt Marcia's house for dinner, and to meet Rebecca's boyfriend Gray.  It was a lot of fun to share one last meal together.

The Three Amigos

Rebecca and Gray

 



 

The boys enjoyed wrestling with Gray!

 

 

 The family all together - this picture was a Christmas miracle! :)

Family Pictures

Sunday after church, we snapped these family photos:

North Carolina Snapshots

Building solar-powered toys:

Lazy lounging:

We had taken a seat out of our van so we could return the carpet cleaner to its rightful owners, so with the additional space in the car, Logan took the opportunity to sort through his things in the attic and bring his keepsakes up to Maine.  A BIG project!  The boys were VERY impressed by all his 4-H and piano trophies!!!

Papa dropped a pile of dirt in the driveway for the kids to play in.  That's all they need to have hours of fun!

 

Abbey LOVED her tube of ponies form Aunt Emily!

During the 5th Sunday Sing, Josiah kept busy drawing tractors, and Abbey climbed around like a monkey.  Ben was fast asleep through most of it!

Abbey has always especially liked her Uncle Barry. :)