walking around Alexandria (Feb 8)

 Before Grandma Alice left, we had a sunny morning to walk up and down King Street in Old Town Alexandria.

 Willow was Miss Independent!

Riding the Old Town Trolley with Alice.

We got to attend another Chinese New Year party at a restaurant in Rockville.  It was for a Chinese language and culture school (mainly for adoptive families and other Chinese Americans.)  I lady I met through Families with Children from China invited us.  The best part was the lion dance!  Ariel got to participate and feed money to the lions.  Alice was in town for a short visit, so she got to go with us. 

We also visited my friend Norma, who I worked in a lab with.  She has a son, Miguel, who is Ariel's age.  It was the first time we'd seen each other in 7 years.  Forgot to take any pictures, but we had a nice visit / play date.

The next day was warmer and sunny, so we had a nature walk at Huntley Meadows nature preserve.

After Alice's visit, Ariel caught up on her rest with Nene.

 Ariel has a renewed interest in Doraemon, a Japanese cartoon cat.  We have one Doraemon video with English songs, and this Doraemon doll that I got on a whim from a thrift store in Japan.  Little did I know these items would become so loved.  Of course, it's all guided by the spirit of the real Doraemon, one of Ariel's first cats.  His portrait hangs in the dining room.

Nene & Ralph's daily cuddle time.

good times in Batesville

 Ariel & I visited Mom in Arkansas.  I had an informal 25th high school class reunion.

First, we both got haircuts from Sheila at the Hair Loft.

 We visited Terence and company at the antique mall, then played in puddles in the pocket park on Main Street.

 Enjoying world-class Mexican food!  Yes, Batesville has great authentic Mexican food.

 Meeting Margaret and her family.  Margaret & I have been friends since 3rd grade.  She lives in Florida now, but we gathered at her mom's house with Terence, too (should've had a group photo, but we were too busy talking.)

 Margaret's son, Ozzie, loaned Ariel his Star Wars jacket to nap under.

 Picking out pumpkins with Grandma Alice.

Spa time in Alice's luxurious bath tub!

summer adventures

 a deer near the big Windmill hill

 at a salsa concert at Gristmill Park (she loved it)

 at an Asian food buffet at Fair Oaks Mall, where we ran into our friends, the Ohs

 A day at the Smithsonians.  We watched IMAX movies about butterflies (the journey of monarchs) and waves in Tahiti.  We went inside a butterfly pavilion, then cooled off in subterranean Asian art galleries (Freer, Sackler, and African art gallery).  We rode the carousel 4 times!

 Nene with Alice

 Nene and me

Ralph & Nene in their tent

fun times with Grandma Alice

 In Batesville, we visited the Humane Society, where Mom helps take animals to and from their vet appointments.  This is the Sara Low Cat Room, where cats live in comfort until they find families.

 Garfield was very snuggly.  The next day, he went to a family.

 At Alice's house, Ariel often climbed into this cat condo.

Ariel's first (salon) haircut

 On March 26th, Ariel had her first real haircut in a salon.  We went to the Hair Loft in Batesville, where Sheila has been cutting my hair since I was 5.  Ariel felt more comfortable sitting in my lap, and Sheila went right to work.  Debra (on the right) is Sheila's niece, and they've worked together for years.  Debra entertained Ariel with a Hello Kitty toy and lollipop during the haircut.

Ariel was dubious at first, but once she caught sight of her beautiful self in the mirror, she realized it was "beauty time" and she calmed down.

Beautiful!

a few photos from home and Arkansas

Nene & Ralph watching Mr. Dalal's house and the snow.

Some of Terence's dogs.  Due to dog-neglecting neighbors, several dogs  recently joined his family.  I forgot to photograph Terence and his mom, Sheila, but I did get Miss Pug and Miss Pie.

Ariel with Grandma Alice at the cabin

eating blackberries at Alice's house

pre-Christmas and Alice's visit

 playing with the cat ornaments

 exhausted after our last Music Together class

 playing with Jeff at the mall (while I got a Chinese massage!)

 playing with Alice at her school playground after school

 meeting vocal sheep at Mount Vernon

getting some outdoor time after school

Delaware adventure

 We joined Grandma Alice at a hotel in Dover.  She was visiting her sisters and joining a friend's class reunion.  Ariel acquired two new hats: this red cowgirl hat that was Alice's as a girl, and a brown man's hat that was Alice's dad's.  The hats have been popular accessories with Ariel.

She arrived at Aunt Grace's just in time for a nap.

 Swinging with cousin Charlene and many other cousins.

 Grape snack!

It was a fun visit with relatives we don't get to see often.  And it was Ariel's first time meeting most of them.

Asakusa

We took the Ginza subway line from Omotesando to Asakusa (after sitting and watching the fashions at Omotesando!)  In Asakusa, we found Senso-ji temple.

We stopped for beer and snacks at this sidewalk place.  This man in charge of it didn't speak Japanese.  He is French.  He laughed a lot, and we could barely understand him.  We had a good visit there, though.

Walking and running with Alice in Asakusa, where there's lots of souvenir and garment shopping.

The train ride home.  Ariel tried to control her schmiggliness, and we tried to control our coughing!