2010 Summer: Sabrina at Summer Camp

Sabrina went away for a week at summer camp at Mt. Aetna with her friend Dani, who came all the way from Guam. The girls started planning this 3 years ago when we were at family camp together at Camp Au Sable in Michigan.Nate was so sad to see his Sissy go, and kept asking when she was coming home all week long. It was a nice reunion on Sunday when we picked her up, though she's missing her new friends and counselors today!

2010 Summer: Enjoying the lake

2010 Summer: Vacation Bible School

2010 Summer: Reunion of friends

2010 Summer: Donut-decorating party at the Fractured Prune, Rockville

2010 Summer

Enjoying the lake with the neighbors

2010 June: Swim Class

What a difference a year makes! Nate took swim classes for a week and made a lot of progress as his fear seems to have vanished since last summer. He woke up early every morning, put his bathing suit on right away, and couldn't wait to get to class.

Father's Day 2010

Father's Day started out with our traditional breakfast in bed, then we met up with the Woosters in Rockville at the FIRST WATCH cafe for breakfast. After that, we headed to Hagerstown to take Sabrina to summer camp for the week.

2010 June: Ramirez Visit

Our good friends, the Ramirez Family arrived from Guam on June 14. They are visiting us in Maryland for a few weeks and it's been a party every day and night since they arrived!

2010 Ostrom Family Reunion at Deep Creek Lake, MD

Uncle Burton

Though the event has come and gone, I want to highlight my Uncle Burton's TV spot promoting the jazz festival in the San Diego area on Memorial Day weekend. Someday, we will get out there to see the festival ourselves. "Unca B", remember the little people!

NOTE: You will need to pause my music player at the bottom of the right column to hear this video below.

Hair to Spare

Deer Dash at Deer Crossing

Sabrina's been wanting to do this family 5k race at her school for years now, so we finally did it. The kids had been participating in Running Club during recess to prepare for the race, and were really excited about it. The Jacobs decided to join us as well. Afterwards, we enjoyed a 2 hour lunch at PF Changs with a big chocolate cake "The Great Wall" at the end as our reward, or to completely cancel out the exercise effect, however you choose to see it!

Why the school is named DEER CROSSING

I don't care how long we live here, I hope we never get tired of looking out the window and seeing the deer. Most people around here don't like them because they eat all of the plants (or our bird food, right out of the can), but we get a thrill every time we see them and feel like we're in a park.

May 15-16 Weekend

SATURDAY: Cesar and his nephew and friend came over on Saturday night for supper as Cesar had wanted to give Nate STEAKS for his bday as they have this beef kinship thing going on. Since it was a nice cool evening, they decided steaks on the campfire sounded like a good idea. The boys sure enjoyed their steak, and hot dogs too, as if there wasn't enough beef already.

SUNDAY:
What kind of mother schedules herself to be out of the country and away from the little people who made her a mother? That would be me. But we did celebrate the weekend after we got back from Haiti. Though Sabrina was at a bday party/sleepover and missed being with us, my boys gave me a special breakfast of my favorite Panera "Cinnamon Crunch" bagel, artfully accompanied by strawberries and my husband's best brew....mmmm....we celebrated with Mom Wooster later that day.

 That afternoon we visited Scotty in the hospital at N.I.H., who has worked for Dave's dad for some 25 years and is battling cancer. He was happy for the company and the joy the kids bring.

After visiting Scotty, we had supper with the Woosters at The Cheesecake Factory to celebrate Mother's Day with Mom Wooster.  Elizabeth/Dad gave her these wooden carvings that she went nuts over. Love her expression in the pictures...