And then there is the story of how Riley saved all year and decided to give his Share money to Foodbank of Santa Barbara. Riley's donation amounted to $17.53 and was proudly delivered on the day before Thanksgiving (which is not the best day to try to find someone at the Foodbank, FYI).

I am so proud of him, and clearly he is proud too.

2010

Finally, the 2011 New Year's card is out. The longhand version is as follows...

2010 started with a paddle in Bergen, where we were visiting Anna Olsson and her husband Morton. This was followed by ice skating near Amsterdam, with Dru's cousins Antoinette and Johan. Highly recommend winter holidays with friends and family in Europe. Lots of springtime hikes and get togethers with friends. For the last six years, Dru has been hiking every Sunday morning before church. Many Sundays she also actually makes it to church, where Riley is a student in the Catechesis of the Good Shephard. Riley rode his bike to school on street for the first time, and Dru made a video of it that was played during Earth Day's Green Shorts contest. Aunt Ginny and Emily visit. Spectacular wildflowers. Easter in New York, where we get to meet Ama’s new puppy Sophie before heading by train to Boston for Nantucket girl’s weekend. Riley stays in Somerville on a big sleepover without his parents. Lots of wading in Mission Creek, tadpole catching with friends. Amazing Big Sur camping in May. Mother’s day in Portland. CycleMAYnia in SBA. Homemade yogurt, bread and apricot, plum, and fig jams. Family travels to Hanover for 25^th Dartmouth reunion, and Dru finally climbs Moosilauke. Moosilauke serves as training hike for summer overnight hiking trip in Austria, after van Hengel family reunion in Croatia. Ama visits for Riley’s 6^th birthday. Joshua and Riley visit family in Chicago and Miami. Riley plays two seasons of soccer, with Joshua coaching both, while still assessing.