Ellicott City railway museum

We love visiting the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore and we recently learned that they also have a smaller museum in Ellicott City, MD.  Every winter they turn one room of the museum into a Lego holiday display.  We've never been there before, but if this year was any indication, this alone was worth the trip.

An entire room was turned into a three-foot tall, 10 foot by 20 foot Lego display with working trains and tracks made of Lego's.  There was almost too much to take in and the little touches were fantastic (Patrick's favorite is the broken Lego man who committed suicide off of the cliff below - you have to look very closely).

Outside of the museum on a siding is a caboose that you can explore.  Patrick and the kids had it all to themselves for more than 10 minutes.  Will ventured up to the very top of the caboose to look out of the top windows.

Everyone settled in to the table to visit and look out of the window.

 A sympathetic parent volunteered to take a picture of us (that never happens).

And on the way out, Will and the girls took turns clanging the train bell.  It was impossibly loud, so everyone wanted a turn.  It's a pretty neat little museum but don't plan on bringing a stroller and plan on walking some stairs and taking some very tight corners.

Happy 2013!

New Year's Eve was our last chance to visit the festival of lights in Brookside Gardens in Wheaton.  We've always wanted to go, and you pay by the car, so SCORE for us!  It was really impressive, and the kids really liked it, despite the cold.

After warming up at home, Patti busted out the party favors to celebrate like any good new year (at 8:00).  The kids loved their horns, beads, and other noise-makers.

Maggie resolved to make more noise than she already does.

Stella resolved to only smile in one picture in 2013 (see below).

Will resolved to really want to do something, then really not want to, and then really want to again - unless we want him to...

Happy New Year everyone!

Christmas 2012

Patti had to work the Sunday before Christmas so when she returned home Christmas Eve morning, we packed up the minivan and made the trip up to Connecticut.  We loved the usual seafood feast that Bonnie and Bill put together for Christmas Eve dinner and then we put the kids to bed so that Mommy, Daddy, Pop, Mimi and Santa could all make their deliveries.

Christmas morning was magical.  Will woke us up but he followed directions by not heading straight for the tree and the presents first.  So everyone hit the tree at once and dove into Santa's presents.

After Santa's gifts were opened, we made our way into gifts from family and the next thing we knew it was time for breakfast, more gifts, time for lunch, more gifts, and then it was naptime.  We finally got around to opening gifts from Will's Wisconsin relatives before dinner.  Whew - what a day!

Maggie and Stella got lots of things to care for their babies (they LOVE their babies).

 More baby stuff from cousins Alicia and Colin.

Because it snowed Christmas Eve and then again later in the week, Patrick and Will got to get out and enjoy a bit of the snow.  Will hasn't had a chance to play in snow for two years so we made the most of our short time outside.  After making our first snowman together, it was off to the sledding "hill" in the backyard.