June 2017

We hosted a Roots and Hops Party at our house to benefit the kids school.  It was a craft beer tasting Oktoberfest theme with a Root Beer tasting for the kids.  We lucked out and had perfect weather the evening of the party so we could dine al fresco on our back portal.

Sasha and Jack were so excited to be hosting a big party at our house.  They are sporting their pretzel necklaces they made to nibble on during the tasting.

My co-host and friend, Becky Bair.

Lazy morning reading in the sun

Phil took the kids camping at Lake Abiquiu with several other dads and their kids from school.

It was very hot weather so the lake felt great

Their set-up; honesty, could it get more beautiful?

Anticipating s'mores.

Father's Day day trip to Pagosa Springs.  We had lunch at the brewery, lounged at the springs all afternoon, ate out at the Alley House restaurant on Main Street and drove home.  A lovely day all around.

Sitting in the warm part of the river where the hot springs run off

Penny makes zip-lining more challenging

Love the big girl that Sasha is becoming.  She is so mature, kind, thoughtful, and fun to be with. 

We are having a great summer.  No pictures, but this month the kids and I  took the train to Chicago with my mom and then Teresa picked us up and we drove up to Muskegon where Jack attended Suzuki cello camp and Sasha did fiddling at the camp.  We stayed in a cabin with Teresa, Jacob, and T.J. and had a very authentic "campy"experience.  A highlight was getting to see Rachel Barton Pine, one of the Suzuki moms, perform a recital.  The kids also both did a week long swim and tennis camp.  Sasha did a dog training camp and both kids did an indigenous arts camp where they wove baskets, made clay pots, and sewed their own moccasins.  We spent many afternoons at Casa Solana pool as well.  It was a very hot summer in Santa Fe.

May 2017

3 freshly bathed babes

Jack has caught the reading bug big time

We had Isaac and Megan and Isaac's parents over for dinner.  It was a lovely evening with lovely people.

Jack tore it up at soccer this season.  He is playing with many of the same kids he's been playing with for several years now and they are starting to really gel.

At Megan and Isaac's Albuquerque reception at Uncle Jim's house.  It was great to see so many relatives on both sides of the family and the Middle Eastern food was delicious.

Sasha and Jack really got into the trivia game and each won a door prize:  a NY Yankees hat for Jack and a Brooklyn mug for Sasha

The happy couple

Prepping for her Mother's Day violin recital.  She gave an awesome performance of Concertino!

Jack did a great job on his Mother's Day recital as well.  He played March in G by Bach

I requested a family hike before lunch at Santacafe for Mother's Day

Phil surprised me with this commissioned painting to put up in the music room--our family represented by each figure.  So perfect!

Before the first note

Gingerich family dinner at our house the week after the reception

A relaxing afternoon at home

Water balloon fight

My quintet and I performed the Bruch Viola Quintet and a Mozart quintet at a concert Memorial Day Weekend.  We did the same concert the following week in Los Alamos. 

Such a nice day to read and hot tub

We went to our friend's property up in the Pecos one day over Memorial Day Weekend.  It was a fun day of grilling out, playing in the river, and relaxing.

Rio en Medio hike with Penny

Penny was in heaven because the hike required multiple creek crossings and ended in a waterfall!

April 2017

This month was a whirlwind.  We started it out by traveling to Jacksonville, FL for a neurosurgery conference at Ponte Vedra.  The kids and I enjoyed the beach and pool while Phil attended the conference in the morning and then we did several outings in the afternoon before the planned dinners in the evening.  A highlight was going to see a wild animal rescue where we saw so many big cats up close (even a liger!) but were prohibited from taking any photos.

An afternoon in St. Augustine. 

At the pirate museum

At the old fort.  Jack clutching his pirate's treasure chest he got for his souvenir of the trip

Back in town long enough to dye some Easter eggs...

Before flying to Indiana to attend my Grandma Gingerich's memorial service over Easter weekend.

It was a beautiful weekend so Jon got out the Mercedes and was giving rides to all the grandkids

We had a nice evening at Rachel and Ben's house

Played lots of fun games with Mary, Anna, and Lydia

Playing Barbie on the new rug destined for the music room that we are redoing

A freak spring dump of snow

Santa hats made a reapperance