It's been a quiet year in Lake Woebegone--er, sorry--in Seaford. Alicia and beau Andrew are living in nearby Newport News, Laura is still working at Eastern State Hospital, Rick is still teaching at Thomas Nelson Community College and Emily has moved up to the sixth grade at Yorktown Middle School, where she continues her long tradition of earning A's..
In addition to Emily's graduating to Middle School, some of the highlights of the year included a sailboating excursion for Rick and Laura, lots of camping weekends and trips, two more fun Spring and Fall seasons of softball for Emily and Coach Rick, Laura getting published in an APA professional journal, lots of quiet family time roasting marshmallows around the fire pit on our patio (Look out Cleavers! Here come the Dollies!), and some musical appearances by Emily.
The big highlight of the year, though, was a Thanksgiving visit from Laura's folks and Rick's Ma. Since it was Ma's first trip to the Chesapeake, we had an oyster roast, steamed a bunch'o clams, made she-crab soup and oyster stew, visited Fort Monroe and the Yorktown Battlefield, and basically fattened her up and ran her ragged. Of course, the visit included a couple trips to Ma's favorite vacation spot: Wal-Mart.
