hmmmmmm.

how do i recap 10 months??..................................................??

really.

really??

hmmm.

i don't even try.

i skip straight to pictures, headlines, general month dates.
and call it good.

because the truth is.
blog, i miss you.
my lacking memory misses you.
fast forward twenty years, and my grown family, gathered around the fire place reading this blog book in laughter and tears, misses you.

so.

here i go! here i go, here-i-go!

Picking Up Trash by the Canal

(mid May)

 never thought the kids would get so giddy about the experience...their hearts almost stopped when we told them afterwards that part of the reward was going to Disney for our post-school vacation!  Thank you Give-a-Day-Get-a-Day!

Lucas Visits

(June)

Lootie pie spent most of his time trying to avoid Madeline's "loving" death grip.

WANTED: Juice Smuggler

Four Generations

Best $15 Investment

Marisa Got Married!

(end of June)

Grant & I flew solo to Seattle and met up with my family and relatives in celebration of Matt & Marisa.  It was beautiful.

One of the highlights, because of the time difference, was waking up at 5am every morning with Marta for a brisk morning walk down to Pike's Place...munching on warm crumpets with lemon curd, seeing the first bustlings of the day, and watching Marta drop $$ for fresh morel mushrooms...she cooked up some amazing for us all to enjoy in Lopez.

Summer Goodies

(July-August)

need i say more? 

fishing with daddy & uncle dan  

7 months and stepping

 Mickey D's and the airplane park: saying goodbye to daddy

one swimsuit. two variations.

we swam almost daily. girls became avid diving board jumpers and finally lost the floaties and swam! 

 butterfly museum with aunt liz 

  more than one 3D movie thanks to grampa joe.

 (above) boating in annapolis & paddle boats in baltimore (below)...

best workout of my life

Block Island

(mid August)

 definitely a highlight of our summer. returning to the place i spent my summer watching the Stover kids.  it was almost a perfect weekend...we missed Clair!!

 i really love this family.

Do you believe in fairies?

 we do. so when summer comes (we were a little late this year), we know its that time. time to leave little fairy size treats in attractive bowls and thimble size drinks of fairy tea (sugar water) in hopes thatwe'd see a little magic and maybe even get a few sparkly gifts in return. the next morning, do they come??...

yes! 

and do we believe they'll come again next summer??

those eyes shout "Yes"!!

and we're happy to wait.

(yes those are kitty whiskers on her cheeks from the night before)

Lake Winnipesaukee, NH

(end of August)

 (an almost family photo. close enough!)

a perfect way to end a great summer 2010.

Visit the Provinces

(as we road trip home)

Sweet days. Cute moments.

(September)

Hannah turns 5 !!!

(October 4th)

 and celebrates with a "pink piggy party"...a hannah original...that was in her mind, evolving since her 4th birthday.  inspired by her special pink piggy (who sat next to her in a "throne")

each piglet was given a nose (oops! to pealing paint) and a curly pink tail...crafted by the girl of the hour 

other hannah touches included her hand-drawn pig for pin the tail, her homemade pinata (which we will not be doing again...daddy braved the excited piglets with sticks to hold the pinata with his bare hands after the top ripped off). 

 each piglet left like any piggy should: stuffed to the brim with cake and jello from the pig-out contest.

Happy Birthday Hannah!!!!

We love our spunky, passionate, creative, law abiding, determined, soft-hearted, wise beyond her years, independent little girl. But hope I can call you "little" for atleast a few more years before you reprimand us.  XOXO

Grant being cute...as usual.

and with a runny/crusty nose...also pretty typical.

(October...9months old)

  

Fall Festival & Hike

(mid October)

 (left) a not-so-rare hannah moment. 

(right) a not-so-rare, making my "stista" feel "betta", madeline moment.  

Deep Creek
 with the Bills

 a much needed, mid-week, getaway!
we had so much fun playing by day and gaming by night.
steve and shane got to do a little fly fishing with the kids and hannah and i actually got to complete our list of things to talk about. while the kids kept very busy giggling in the wild...

nature houses

 still wish we could have ease dropped on this conversation

H a l l o w e e n

a roarin' lion, a pumpkin fairy, and the red witch.  boo!

this year we enjoyed trunk-or-treating with our Church and then trick-or-treating in Georgetown (a favorite!) with the Bills  

First Steps!!

(at a determined 9 1/2 months)

Some December To Do's

Dear Santa

 Hannah: rainbow dash airplane
Madeline: pink cowgirl boots & a pink skirt

Trains at the Botanical Garden

National Christmas Tree
& Penny Toss Competition

steve and i celebrated our 7th anniversary!!
no seven year itch here!




Christmas Eve

 she loves him so much it hurts!

the Nativity & caroling
grant was the stand-in joseph

a fervently praying mary

 a wandering shepherd

a herolding angel

Christmas Morning

 finding Santa's "footprints" by the fireplace, cookie crumbs on the plate, and a few smidges of carrot the reindeers left behind.  magic!

Santa pulled through.

 Madeline kept gasping in disbelief, "aaaahhh, i always wanted these!" over. and over.

and this little tank was happy to have something to push with wheels, thanks to grampa & gramma.




Late Night Snowball Fight

 aren't you curious? what is that pink cowgirl boot wearing blondie up to and where she is headed?
mischievous is written all over that face.




Enjoying a New Year: 2011

in this family, this little man can do no wrong.
 if i ever need to distract the girls from a broken cookie, 
or help them "re-wake-up" to the right side of the bed
or get them to smile for a picture,
i simply ask,
"what is that cutie pie grant doing??!"
and laughter erupts.

Schools Out:
veggie snowmen, igloos, & sledding
(end of January)

Be Ours

 a "romantic" Valentine's dinner...chef mommy prepared spaghetti and daddy waited the candlelight table

and he charmed.




Love Note

"mom can i tell you that i love you     do not erase"




Ballet recital
& post-recital tea party
(mid February)

hannah practice so much at home for this recital...she was pretty serious about the whole thing.
oh i love her. 

and this little ballerina could hardly keep still for a picture.

thank you madame julianne!!!


Spring Tease
(end of February)

hannah was determined to ride this bike on our long family bike ride and she wouldn't take no for an answer.  so we compromised. i told her that she could take this bike if she was able to ride 100 laps around this big loop.  she made it to lap #7 and didn't ask me again.

and despite his face, he really was having fun...he LOVES to ride this bike

Brrrr

is for broom

 he's obsessed.




Egg-cellent!
(March)

week 1:  hannah passes her egg challenge. 

celebrate with hard cooked eggs!

week 2: hannah passes her peanut challenge!

celebrate with peanut butter balls and reeses!!

officially food allergy free. wa-hoo-ee!

wow. done. caught up. and feeling good.