And we're back, at long last!

Thanks, Cassie, for the encouragement to revive this site!!























Spring and summer were packed with moving into a new house, unpacking our stuff, sightseeing and rediscovering old haunts, planting things, catching lightning bugs, and swatting a lot of mosquitoes.

The kids are enjoying the late summer and the start of a new year of preschool. Ellie will be going on Wednesday mornings and she's very excited! When we get ready to drop Ben off she gets her new shoes on and packs her little backpack with random books and declares 'ready go school'!





We had a fantastic vacation over the month of August in Maine. Lots of firsts, including Ben swimming to the floating dock,and also trying the big rope swing for the first time.



Pop Pop fixed up an old wagon that turned out to be great fun to ride down the hill!







We had a few campfires and roasted marshmallows. Aunt Donna came up for a week and it was fun to hike and hang out with her!

She took some really amazing pictures including this one, of Jessie.




We got to see family from CA, MD and VA, all kinds of weather, and on the last day a newly born miniature horse.

That last day I also got to choose some raw wool from a neighboring farmer so we'll see if I can see the process through from washing the wool, carding, spinning and then making something out of it. Right now it's in the garage imparting an essence that makes it smell more like a barn than a garage. I'm going to a spinning class in November. I almost did this in Montana, but it was too pricey.

The best find this year in the rounds of yard sales and flea markets in Maine was the old Dave Barry book "Babies and Other Hazards of Sex". It's a great read and should probably be given to every new parent instead of all the other 'what to expect' literature that just makes you worry and obsess about everything.

Before leaving for Maine we got to see Jamie and meet her kids at long last!! Hope to see you guys before so much time gets away from us again!


We planted a garden right after we moved in. Ben grew a mammoth sunflower from a seedling started in his preschool class. Tomatoes thrive here, so far no luck with the pumpkins, but the eggplant, peppers and peas worked. We've also been having fun vermicomposting with our worm bin, which is also in the garage but will be headed for the basement this winter if Mike will let me. He's not a big fan of the worms so far.


I've gotten into woodworking and made some flower boxes and a very rustic looking chair. Shelves are next on the list.


I'm also pretty hooked on the local Freecycle network. Getting rid of stuff by giving it away is more fun than it sounds. And of course getting stuff for free is pretty fun, too!


We've made 2 trips to the beach so far this summer, and we'll head back there hopefully next weekend.

It's almost 1 year now since we left Los Angeles and a lot has happened, and yet life is so unbusy compared to those days. There are lots of things I miss, but mostly people. I haven't been very good at keeping in touch but I think of you LA folks often and hope to see you again! More to come...