Happy Veteran's Day!

There's a fairly good chance that the next blog entry will be welcoming our baby girl. In the meantime, here are some pics of our last week or two in DC. Christy finished training at FSI so now we are just home enjoying time with Nicholas making last-minute preparations for baby's arrival.








I was trying to capture a picture of Nicholas's patriotic Veteran's Day outfit, but the toolbox was much more appealing....

21 gun salute at Arlington National Cemetary

Obama's motorcade was driving by on the road at the bottom of the hill, but it was hard to get a picture

it was a nice day, but chillier than it's been

flag at half-mast

JFK's grave, the eternal flame is going although you can't really see it in the picture

pretty view

Nicholas loves his new tool belt!

Christy's friend Chelsia hosted a very nice baby shower

baby shower

the playroom in our apt complex

The Spy Museum had a trabant exhibit--we couldn't pass it up!

they even had a German band!

that's a pretty good baby bump picture too.... it feels like she's coming any day now!

Daddy carved Nicholas a Mickey Mouse pumpkin! Sooo cool!!!

We're Back in DC!

It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks, but we are back in DC! Grandma and PapPap Machak met us at the airport, and helped us settle in to our new apartment, right next to the National Zoo. We enjoyed real American breakfast, and some beautiful fall weather. After a quick trip to Ohio we are pretty much settled, and Christy is taking a course at FSI. It's quickly getting cold and we actually got snow today!

We are enjoying seeing our friends, American food, and our new technology--Christy's Ipad2 and David's new Iphone. Our camera has unfortunately gone kaputt, but here are a few pics we captured before then:

Sunday brunch at the Mariott Wardman Park

Nicholas loves the Zoo!

getting ready to head to our apartment's (indoor) pool. Nicholas insisted on wearing his new froggy rainboots

We went to Boo in the Zoo (a trick or treating event at the National Zoo) with some friends we got to know in Berlin who are now also in DC. Their daughter is a few months older than Nicholas, and dressed up as Elmo for Halloween. Nicholas loved her! He kept trying to hug her and hold "Elmo's" hand!

Birthday Bonanza and other Happenings

Wow it's been a busy month and a half. We are busy packing to come home! Meanwhile, since we've last blogged, we've had a lot to celebrate: all three of us had birthdays, David took a trip to Miami to meet up with his dad and see Ohio State play, the ladies at the embassy threw Christy a baby shower, and Christy got promoted, which she found out about on her birthday. This weekend is just relaxing and packing, although we did make it to a "rum pool party" on Friday night, at which Nicholas learned the electric slide. A snapshot of the last month or so:






Christy's baby shower:

Chattin' and Cookin':

Christy's 30th Birthday:

Nicholas's 2nd Birthday (poppy paper!):

Surprise party at Chagauramas Golf Course restaurant for David's 30th and Nicholas's 2nd:

Next post will be from DC!!!!

Nicholas rides a bike and Tobago weekend

We've had a string of holidays--Wednesday and Thursday were Independence Day and Eids respectively in T&T, then we took Friday off work and celebrated Labor Day on Monday. Wednesday we pulled out the German toddler bike we bought Nicholas before we left Berlin, and he loves it! Picked it up really quickly. We spent Thursday-Monday in Tobago, staying in a private villa with friends this time. Time is flying by, we will be back in the U.S. soon and in the meantime we have a few birthdays to celebrate next week!

mmmm spaghetti!

sunset in Tobago

a wave caught us by surprise

our villa

beach time with Daddy

and mommy!

surf's up!

all tuckered out

Nicholas's first waterfall swim!

pool in our villa

come on let's snorkel!

golf outing