Dryden Family Blog

February Miscellany

2025-02-28T11:05:00.004-05:00

Clara's Sweet 16 🎂

2025-02-27T11:01:00.011-05:00

That's it, we officially have a 16 year old. The birthday itself was low-key, coming in the middle of the week with lots going on at school and with sports. We would have a little family celebration with a bigger sweet 16 party to come over the weekend.

Hattie had a time capsule to share with Clara. She put it together 5 years ago (not to open until your 16th birthday). It's content reminded us of 8-year-old Hattie and also the time right before the pandemic hit.

Clara is a Licensed Driver 😬

2025-02-27T10:58:00.010-05:00

Clara wasted no time, scheduling time at the DMV, taking off school for the morning, and getting that drivers license on her 16th birthday.

The parents gulped loudly when she pulled out of the driveway that afternoon for her first solo drive.

Clara Starts Gibbons Soccer Season

2025-02-26T10:55:00.016-05:00

High school soccer season has begun. Clara will pick up the right back position on the varsity team, meaning she will officially be a lettered varsity athlete at Cardinal Gibbons.

Third Snow of the Year ❄️

2025-02-21T10:49:00.001-05:00

Clara Learns to Change a Tire

2025-02-17T10:47:00.008-05:00

As she edges so close to 16, it was time to go through the rite of passage of learning to change a car tire with Dad.

Hattie & Kate Do Charleston

2025-02-17T10:45:00.011-05:00

Clara's high school soccer try outs meant we had to divide and conquer for winter break. Paul stayed at home while Kate and Hattie went to Charleston, staying a couple nights at Hotel Bennett and then a few more nights in Wild Dunes for a fun girls week away.

First Swim in the Pool

2025-02-07T10:43:00.010-05:00

The pool has water, and despite it being winter, Paul couldn't stand the wait any longer. He takes the first plunge.

Krispy Kreme Challenge

2025-02-01T10:40:00.009-05:00

The K2C tradition continues. This year Elle represented the Elliot family, pushing Nova along the 5 mile route. There were no challengers in our crew this year.

January Miscellany

2025-01-31T12:26:00.000-05:00

Water in the Pool

2025-01-29T12:19:00.000-05:00

After 9 months of construction, we finally have water in the pool. The crew has a deadline of opening the pool by Clara's 16th birthday party at the end of February, so they went into hustle mode. Despite weather too cold for applying the pebbletek, they brought in a heating tent to get their work done. The water truck came the next day to fill it up and start the curing process. We're getting closer!

Gibbons Snowball Dance

2025-01-25T12:18:00.010-05:00

The girls don't actually go to the Snowball Dance, mind you. That was only cool for freshmen. But the girls do get snazzied up and grab dinner together before making their own social events later in the evening.

STS Middle School Winter Dance (DRAFT)

2025-01-24T12:18:00.010-05:00

Hattie's crew stays tight, doing their own thing with dinner before enduring the (consensus) terribleness of 7th grade boys at STS's winter dance.

Second Snow of January

2025-01-21T12:16:00.006-05:00

After no snow in Raleigh for three years, we get our second snow of January...and a couple days off school for the girls.

Davidson Girls Reunion Weekend in Charleston

2025-01-17T12:15:00.003-05:00

ECNL Showcase in Tampa - Clara's Finale

2025-01-11T12:11:00.001-05:00

After a 10-year career with NCFC, Clara decides it's time to retire from club play. It's been an amazing run through which she's shown dedication and grit while climbing to compete in the National ECNL league, the highest level of club play in the country.

We couldn't be prouder of Clara and what she accomplished through all this hard work.

This showcase tournament in Tampa would be her swan song with the team.

Callie's First Snow

2025-01-10T12:10:00.004-05:00

New Year in Jamaica

2025-01-01T12:07:00.014-05:00

Christmas Break gave us a few extra days on the tail end of New Year's this year, meaning we got to take our full one week allotment at Half Moon and stay for an extra day to soak up sun in January.

New Years Eve in Jamaica

2024-12-31T12:58:00.010-05:00

Schedules worked out where we could stay the full week in Jamaica and ring in the New Year. We had a delicious dinner at the Sugar Mill, celebrating so much to be thankful for.

December Miscellany

2024-12-30T12:56:00.005-05:00

We celebrated so many good things in December with family, friends, teammates, pets...

And getting much, much closer to completing our pool project!

Jamaica!

2024-12-27T12:52:00.011-05:00

Our post-Christmas trip to Half Moon Bay in Jamaica has turned into a tradition. This is our third, and we have no plans of stopping. Getting sunshine and Vitamin D - and decompressing from all the fun of the holiday - continues to be too good to pass up.

Christmas 2024

2024-12-25T12:49:00.013-05:00

The tradition continues of the girls waiting at the top of the stairs for the "go" signal to come down for Christmas morning.

Christmas Eve 2024

2024-12-24T12:47:00.009-05:00

We went to the kids' service at First Presbyterian, Hattie and Pappaw baked cookies together, we watched National Lampoon's A Christmas Vacation, and the girls had a sleep over in the bonus room.

Christmas Tea Tradition

2024-12-22T12:44:00.001-05:00

Another year of the ladies heading to Durham for the Christmas Tea at Duke Washington Hotel.

Suki Waterhouse Concert in ATL

2024-12-21T12:42:00.004-05:00

Hattie's big birthday gift this year was a trip to Atlanta with Kate to see Suki Waterhouse in concert.