tagged together in 193 photos dad + mom My mom kept crying because my dad's cancer was continuing to progress and we all knew this would probably be the last time we'd all be together. My cousin Krisit and my brother and his family were all down to visit too! My mom sent me this pic of her and my dad out to dinner with some friends. My mom and dad when on a cruise in Alaska and sent me this photo. ...and they sent me cute pics. My brother and his family were down in Florida visiting my parents... Mom couldn't stop crying because she kept thinking about how it was probably dad's last Christmas (it was). ...my dad's best friend Roger and his wife Bonnie for dinner. Roger is British and my dad's version of Grant. It was really sweet to watch them hang out and interact. (Sadly, Roger passed away just a few months after my dad in late 2018.) This ornament is really cute. Love looking back at old photos. (Who would've guessed that about me, right?) Compared to this flashback pic from the late 90s! Happy Thanksgiving from the Battjers! <3 My dad had been undergoing chemo and was bald! But he was in relatively good spirts and it was great to see him out of the hospital. My dad was discharged from the hospital after a scary two weeks. Nice to have him back home! ...my parent's video conferencing with newly arrived baby Sam back in DC. Cute moment catching... <3 He was really happy she flew down from NJ for his party! Later that afternoon, after I'd hosed all the lizard blood off the patio, some of my parent's friends came over early to pregame before my dad's big birthday party! Great to watch my parents be grandparents on Christmas. ...and snapped some pretty good photos of parents... Speaking of holiday traditions! While my parents hung out with Max... My parents had rented family beach house in LBI! ...the Sandia Peak Tramway... Mom & Dad OPA! Later that evening, we got dressed up and headed to the wedding! Mom gave us stocking stuffers with Florida lottery tickets. I won $2 and she offered to buy me out so I didn't have to wait until my next trip to Florida to redeem my WINNINGS. Lunch! Pop Pop helping Max put a bracelet on. Made to my brother's house just in time for lasagna. Yes! Wait, why he laughing? Max is super into touching and holding where the action is. My brother tried to raise it out of his reach, but he wasn't deterred. Facetiming with my parents in Florida. I like this picture of my parents. The entire Highline, much to my father's dismay! (Much further than we thought it was) Went to Barnegat Bay Beach with the fam. On Saturday morning, my parents took me out to Denny's for a goodbye breakfast... Every summer, my family would drive up to Bow Lake in New Hampshire and spend a week at my Uncle Steven & Aunt Kathy's lakehouse on Beech Island! Here's a shot of Brian Crowell getting ready to waterskii! My mom is super into activities. On Wednesday, she suggested we all get in the car and drive about an hour away to... Post-dinner coffee and chit-chat! Give it back! Fun watching my parents be grandparents! Sun's too bright! Bealls & Battjers! Grant played host to my parents while they were visiting Vancouver. He sent me this pic before they went to dinner! On Friday morning I packed my bags and said farewell to the exuberant grandparents. Your kid has a kid! It was fun getting to see my parents be grandparents for the first time. ...to visit with Bretty, Amy and my parents! My mom said "it wasn't her cup of tea," but I think it was probably the only musical my dad ever really enjoyed. Haha. On Sunday morning, we all piled in my dad's truck and headed over to the beach on Long Beach Island. Back at the house that evening... We went down to Ann & Walt's house for Christmas Eve. Nice to watch kids unwrap a ton of presents! Mom & Dad on the bridge. Awww. Happy 42nd Anniversary! Riding the tram around the arboreta! The park is over 250 acres! 830am view of the family. On Friday we headed down to south Jersey to visit my family. We got up bright and early on Thursday to catch our flight. Here's my parents waving us goodbye. Adorable. For our last evening in town, we went out to an awesome Mexican dinner with my parents and Bruce and Elyse! Excited Lila. Halo view. Mom trying out the dancing game. Up bright and early hanging out with my folks. When everybody is all dressed up my parents like to take a group photo so they can include it in the Holiday email my dad sends around (which is like the newsletter version of this site for older people. Haha). My parents with Bruce & Elyse. ...my parents cut in with a high-five... Shortly after hitting the dance floor... Mer and my parents sitting pretty. The next morning, we headed to an early breakfast with my family! Lunch on the back porch with the fam. Love you guys! We're... Post Christmas breakfast! The weather forecast was calling for heavy snow and by the time we'd finished eating... Pre-dinner holiday photo for my dad's holiday newsletter! After the show my parents came back downtown with us and we went to a new Italian place on 4th st. ...to meet up with my parents. They were coming into town and wanted to see a Broadway show, so we got tickets to see Billy Elliot. My mom was super excited because... Three sets of Battjers! Brian and Stephanie. Couch napping. Here's me doing my impression of my father "ten minutes in the future." He laughed... My dad had a ham & egg sammich! Breakfast! Late night relaxing... Family dinner. Lasagna time. Mom in dad in matching Christmas red on Christmas morning. Awwww. The next gift was controversial. Mom was as appalled... Christmas Eve dinner back at my parent's house. Uncle Bruce, dad, mom & Elyse! My hammy-family all cramming together for another awesome group shot. Our table at the party! We walked my parents from the MOMA over to their hotel a few blocks away. We were dogsitting Edie so there were plenty of doogs to go around. On Saturday afternoon my parents came into town to see our honeymoon photos and have dinner.