The Madison/Marquesen family wishes you peace for 2010 and offers some highlights of our 2009.

2009 was a happy, busy, and successful year for all of us. As in other recent years, we covered a lot of territory - although this year, often we weren't all in the same place at the same time! Dave graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School (and was honored at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor) in June after a cross-country road trip with Mike to visit Uncle Matt Madison and cousin Carly in Boulder and pick up Kate in Minnesota. Then Dave and Mike headed to Germany for two weeks in July. All four of us trekked to Cape Cod for a long weekend in August with our close friends the Plotkins -- just before Dave left to start at Goucher College in Baltimore in August and Kate flew to Madrid in September for a Fall term abroad. While Kate and Dave were away, Mike and Susan got to play -- with a week in Amsterdam at the start of October and a long weekend in Nashville a couple of weeks later. Just before Thanksgiving, Kate wrapped up a great term in Spain and headed north, visiting Paris, London (and Thanksgiving with Cornell cousins), and Dublin with a good friend before returning to Pittsburgh in time for the Christmas holiday. Dave arrived back in Pittsburgh just in time for the first major snow of the season.

Things were lively on the home front: Susan started a two-year term as the president of the Master Gardeners of Allegheny County. Mike kept up five blogs (though as of December, he's cut back to four) and found time to serve as Vice-Chair of the Association of Yale Alumni and even teach and publish a bit. In the Spring, he was recognized with a Chancellor's Teaching Award by the University of Pittsburgh.

Enjoy some photos!

Dave graduates from Mt. Lebanon High School, June, and celebrates with Mike, Bepa (Jim Madison) and Uncle Matt Madison

Dave and Mike pause at the Zugspitze, above Garmisch-Partenkirchen, south of Munich, July

The whole family vacations on the beach at Cape Cod, August, as guests of the Plotkins

Dropping Kate off at the Pittsburgh Airport, September

Susan and Mike on a dinner barge in Amsterdam, October

Kate spends the Fall studying in Madrid. Here, she is at the Palacio Real, October

Kate at Platform 9 3/4 in Kings Cross Station, London, November

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Last edited: December 23, 2009