Love is in the air -- another congrats :)

Congrats to Dan! He and Danielle are engaged and getting married on November 4th!

Groomsmen Dan at my wedding in 2004

Tender heart and sillyness too

From Landon, riding bikes on the way to school.

"... I was thinking of something just so loving and it made me cry a little bit... I was thinking of writing a sweet note for dad."

And from Ellie, for 10 minutes in the bike trailer on our way to pick up Landon from school.

bike - gike -- that rhymes!

Owen - goin -- that rhymes!

trash can - grash gan -- that rhymes!

sidewalk -- gide walk -- that rhymes!

roundabout -- goundabout -- that rhymes!

octopus -- goctopus -- that rhymes!

Summertime to-do's

I made a quick list at the beginning of the summer of some fun things I wanted to do... then put it in my 'to-do' drawer and quickly forgot about it. Happily, when I sorted the drawer and came across my list a few weeks ago, I found that we had lots of fun activities to check off. Here are the completed summertime to-do's:

Aspen Grove

'Aspen Grove' by Landon -- I'll have to ask him to remember what everything is :)

Just before Landon started school, Jordan had to go on a last minute trip out to New York. So before he went, we decided to make the most of our last school-free family time, and we went on a somewhat last minute trip ourselves to Aspen Grove.

It looked like it would be the perfect family vacation for us, and it really was.

We spent the week playing pingpong, tennis, badminton, pool, shuffleboard, basketball, chutes and ladders, go fish... hiking, swimming, rock (wall) climbing, crafting, eating yummy food, throwing rocks in the river, talking and being together (debbie and jordan), being pushed on the swings to her hearts content (ellie), being held and held and held (owen), making friends (Landon), hiking between the cabin and camp, sharing giant creamery ice creams, reading, enjoying the gorgeous days in the beautiful mountains (such incredible views!)...

A wonderful end-of-summer vacation!

Lots of pics in no particular order --

Watching for Landon and listening for his cheer - "We are the kittens! And we say meow...No! We say ROAR!!"

At a picnic lunch by the 'pirate ship'

Figuring out the drinking fountain at the center of camp

Landon & Daddy time

Landon and his indian friends locking up their teacher at the Frontier Village jailhouse

On the way back to our cabin

Climbing... Jordan was much tougher than me though :)

Cute guy! :)

Throwing rocks in the river - possibly the week's highlight :)

So long sweet summer - so soon?

Not long ago, I was downstairs in Jordan's office and realized that his New York wall calendar was still hanging on April (!) That's kind of how things have gone these days. Our leaves are turning a bright red on a few of our trees. The tree lined street leading up to our house has just a hint of yellow creeping in on the edges. I'm sure those trees just barely turned green - didn't they? This morning, after leaving our windows open last night to cool down the house, we had to turn on the fireplace to warm up our chilly fingers and toes.

We've had a busy time since Owen was born. Visitors and visiting, traveling and returning, sick and recovering, planning and prepping, packing and unpacking... and trying to find a schedule, routine, rhythm for our life with three children!

I had a line from a book I read in college taped up on my wall "...on the verge of a great adventure!" That seemed to me then the happiest place to be in life. These days I often feel like we are in a constant state of adventure, and waiting hopefully, expectantly, quite possibly foolishly :) for the slower days to come -- 'on the verge of a great calm'.

But we sure are enjoying the sweet little moments of these busy days.

Like the happy smiles and giggles from this little guy -

The energy and enthusiasm and great ideas and questions and discoveries from Landon
And the ever-learning, do things in her own way, precious sweetness of Ellie. My mornings spent with Ellie this week have helped me slow down, focus, enjoy.

Center stage

Ellie has been pretty happy to have some more focused one-on-one mommy time in the mornings while Landon is at school and Owen naps. We've had some fun pretending time ('you be Ellie and I'll be Mommy'), playing catch, coloring... and some happy working time for me w/ a sweet Ellie trailing beside me.

Ellie is also pretty happy when Landon comes home! :)

(I love this picture - Ellie happily and watchfully looking to her brother for what the next fun event will be, Landon happily giving direction in his 'i'm taking care of ellie' manner.)

Adventure awaits!