Matt's Birthday Dinner

We were supposed to fly to Seattle to spend the long weekend with Matt's family, but our flights were cancelled and we could not get any other flights for two days due to the blizzards in our area. We were diasppointed to miss our trip, but made it up to Matt by taking him to Melting Pot for fondue. This was the first time in a week we were able to get out, and so we were celebrating in style. The road were finally passable today!We started with spinach artichoke cheese fondue, then for a main course had shrimp, chicken and filet mignon fondue, and then finished off with a flaming turtle chocolate fondue. It was fabulous! The kids were very lucky to go, as we don't usually take them to places this expensive.

Double Blizzard of 2010

This has been the snowiest winter on record in the Washington D.C. / Baltimore area. We had two blizzards in one week, with 38 inches of snow on February 5/6 and another 12 or more inches on Feb 9/10.


View from the garage after the first storm - this is my new Rav 4 (which would have been in the garage, except that we still had furniture and boxes in there from moving out to get new cartpet in the house).

View of the front door (please don't open it yet).

View from inside the front door.

Kirsten the snow princess.

The snow on the deck is almost as tall as Dalton.

"Let's make the most of this snow day!"

Digging out...

500 shovel fulls down, 300 or more to go...

The kids build a snow castle in the front yard.

The castle is well protected. Watch out for flying snowballs!

Kirsten as an Ancestor

The lead role in Mulan was double cast and when Kirsten was not playing Mulan she
played the lead ancestor watching over the Fa family.

Up in the clouds looking down on Mulan.

Celebrating Mulan's success at saving China.

For some reason Kirsten's mom thought it was great to be an ancestor.

Kirsten as Mulan

Kirsten played the lead role in her middle school production of "Mulan."

Trying to learn the admonitions.

Disappointing her father. Would she ever bring her family honor?

In need of a makeover before she sees the matchmaker.

Nervously waiting with the other maidens to see the matchmaker.

"When will my reflection show who I am inside?"

Her father is proud of her.

Disguised as a soldier to serve in her father's place.

Present. Ready for duty.

Training in the army camp.

Learning to "Be a Man"

Asking if they can use their brains and not just their brawn.

Dressing the soldiers up as girls to get them in the Emperor's palace.

"My baby is all grown up and saving China" - Mushu

Mulan cast