Christmas in Minnesota...with the McLarens

Off to the Christmas Eve service at church with the family.


Judson and Ben attemping to cross country ski in 2 feet of snow!


Judson's 2am Christmas gift to the family :)


Annual McLaren/Pearson Christmas...in Cambridge this year...always a good time.

Christmas in Minnesota...with the Brandenburgs

On our 5th Wedding Anniversary with our Yule Log cake. (Ben's sister is so creative...for 5 years of marriage the gift is wood)


Our niece and nephew enjoying their new slinkies.


The guys can't get enough of all the new toys!


The entire Brandenburg family...thanks to gmail chat Paul and Jodi could be with us from DC.

Christmas in Minnesota...with Friends

Visiting the Lindstroms in Muncie, IN on our drive home to MN.


Visiting the Morgans at Loyola University in Chicago, IL on our drive home to MN.


Brunch with the Crists and Heerwalds.


At the Walker Art Center with the Hermes and Hudsons.


Lunch at Cafe Latte with Baumgartens and Stores.


Dinner with Tepes at our favorite Punch Pizza! (back at Brandenburg's for dessert)

BBB Rated 2010

The best of an otherwise forgettable year.

Update: Looks like this post never went live in 2010.



Film: Winter’s Bone by Debra Granik
TV: Mad Men
Fiction: Freedom by Jonathan Franzen.
Documentary: Restrepo by Sebastian Junger & Tim Hetherington (RIP)
NonFiction: To Change the World by James Davison Hunter
Album: Arcade Fire, The Suburbs
Song: The National, “Bloodbuzz Ohio”
Newsmaker: Aung San Suu Kyi
Blog: The Way of Improvement Leads Home by historian John Fea

Christmas Time in Washington

While Ben and I were blessed with some wonderful Christmas cheer in Washington D.C. with Ben's brother and wife, the cousins--Berlin and Bailey--looked rather blasé about the whole thing. Thanks to Paul and Jodi for a great weekend!


Berlin and Bailey chillin' after running around at the dog park


At the National Christmas Tree outside the White House