Botos Family Album - 2005

The year unfolded, not always the way we expected. Here is a brief pictorial replay of some key events.

---

note: Each of the photographs is a thumbnail image of the original. Just click on the thumbnail to view a larger version of the picture.

---

Holidays - 2004

Usually the Christmas holidays get missed in the yearly family album -- since I put the album together in late November. So here are a couple of scenes from the holiday season at the end of 2004.

Taking in the Christmas festivities at Rockefeller Center.

Feasting on Christmas Eve at Chez Lamberti. And this is just the appetizers!.

Christmas Day at Dad's.

Travels

• Sonia & Catherine to Italy
• Sonia, Carole, & Joyce to Italy
• Sonia, Dad, & Michael to Vermont
• Sonia, Michael, Matthew, David, Paula, & Catherine to North Carolina

Sharing treasures after the trip.

Sonia got a lot of practice packing and unpacking, trying to follow the 'pack light' advice of her mentor, Rick Steves.

Last minute baggage check at the airport.

Reminiscing about the trip.

Italy in January

Murano street scene.

Epiphany Renaissance parade
[January 6th] in Florence.

St. Peter's Square in Christmas regalia.

Catherine with pigeons on St. Mark's square in Venice.

Family

Enjoying family times for New Year's in San Vito and Soverato.

Sonia and Sandro.

You just can't go a day without your gelato. Sometimes you need to have it twice in one day!

Lina & Sonia remembering growing up in San Vito.

Retirement celebration for Sandro.

Italy in May

Taormina, Sicily with Mt. Etna in the distance.

Milan Duomo undergoing restoration work.

The beach at Soverato.

Spending less time on campus and more time exploring the area, we found some very scenic spots in the Virginia countryside. Here are some pictures of Paula & David and Dad & Matthew from Clator Lake.

Back in Virginia!

Michael and Sonia at the Tree of Life Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Crafts people firing a glass vase at Wheaton village. Although the village is only an hour away, we had never visited. This year we made three visits!

Visiting the Marble Museum in Proctor, Vermont.

David happily surrounded in the pool.

Mini vacation #1

This year we took two long weekend getaways: one to Vermont and the other to North Carolina. In Vermont we toured the marble museum [free with coupons!] and learned a lot about the important role that marble played in the early economy of the country.

Mini vacation #2

On the trip to NC we learned among other things what all those OBX bumper stickers were about! It gave us a chance to re-explore and see how things had changed in our 10+ year absence.

Hiking down into Quechee Gorge at Quechee, Vermont. Coming back up required several rest stops.

Playing Boggle was a staple activity any time we got together.

Each evening offered a wonderful sunset.

The only challenge was remembering to get situated at a good vantage point for the show.

The sunset on Jockey's Ridge was one of the best. Here are our family of hikers climbing to the top of the dune.

Family

We spent a lot of time together as a family this year, travelling occasionally, but always having a good time!

Food has always been a great family attraction. While we had some fancy meals, we had some everyday favorites. This year was no exception.

Good eating, of course, requires good preparation.

We all enjoy a wide range of food, including our vegetarians.

Enjoying nachos just like old times. We had a blast!

Any meal with pasta & bread is just fine.

Michael & Paula making pizza.

Matthew is an accomplished chef and even has a menu selection for guests on his web site. All part of the plan to attract available females to his pad.

Catherine and the 'Easter bunny'.

Kite fliers.

Walking around at Wheaton village.

The 'kids' at Laurel Acres park.

Puzzling over how to put the picture together.

Birthday brothers waiting for a place at the Mexican's table.

Michael & Paula racing up the hill at Laurel Acres with their respective 'loads'.

Celebrating special friendships.

The front porch beauty parlor.

Beauty and hygiene were among the ways we passed the time. Of course, doing activities together, was always fun. 'Curing' both our 'mani' and the 'pedi'.

Dad getting a custom pedicure.

Special Events

One last swing before beginning.

A unique birthday celebration!

Dismantling the jungle gym.

All neatly stacked. The jungle gym survived 18+ years including the move from MD to NJ.

We attended three weddings during the summer among family and friends.

Sonia & Dad.

Dancers. 88 and going strong!

We travelled to Christiansburg for Thanksgiving. Sharing the meal with Paula's Mom, Grandmother, and friends Doreen & Scott.

Paula pumping iron at a meet in Moorestown.

Part of the weight lifting meet audience.

Paula and David made two trips to NJ, so that Paula could participate in weight lifting meets held in nearby Moorestown.

Random shots

Winter 2005

We had a few big snow falls this winter.

Carole visited while Catherine and Sonia were in Italy. Michael's 'mystery lady friend' was the talk of the neighborhood especially with Carole's flashy red rental car!.

March - #31

One more year -- number 31.

Sonia planting in late spring.

Part of the tomato harvest.

First batch of sauce in the making.

The Valentine lobster was both a delicious meal...

...as well as a unique photo opportunity!

In the spring it was time for some tree trimming. Also a good start for the coming winter fires!

Old and new mixers in kitchen, temporarily sharing space.

Sonia providing information at Mercer Country Italian festival booth.

Catherine was so happy to be involved in the flood clean-up, that she could just ....

Catherine displays flood souvenir.

Right after her spring exams, Catherine parted with her four wisdom teeth.

Catherine celebrates Halloween in August as part of her camp counselor duties.

Digital cameras

Sonia pre-digital.

Both Michael and Sonia have been busy with their digital camera throughout the year. Sonia has been experimenting with her digital camera and getting lots of opportunity on various trips and events she attends. Michael enjoys taking walks around the yard and nearby woods to find photo opportunities.

Monarch caterpillar munching on a leaf.

Bumble bee sucking rhododendron nectar.

For more photos, be sure to check out the weekly archive page of 'best of the week' photos.

Praying mantix.

Love bugs luvin' each other!

Columbine in bloom.

Growing golf balls in the garden.

Poppies are one of Michael's favorite subjects. Like most flowers, they have elaborate development, bloom, and seed generation cycles. Each cycle has its own particular beauty. Being able to return to the same plant over a period of several weeks and snapping pictures, shows the varied appearance of the 'flower'.

Poppies beginning to bloom.

Poppy flower in full bloom..

Detail of poppy pollen.

Poppy ready to begin seed generation cycle.

The above detail of a spent poppy with its seeds will also appear as part of a photo montage in a Norwegian spice & seed catalog.