Long Time No Blog

Today Devi took herself to school on her scooter for the first time!! What a big girl. This moment of overwhelming motherly panic and pride inspired me to revitalize our family blog as I do truly wish to share these momentous events with all of our loved ones!

I Don't think I have blogged in about a year, I will go over a few key events that have happened then get to the here and now!

The most exciting thing that happened for our family this summer is that we bought our new house. We searched and searched and sure enough we found ourselves a lovely Craftsman style home with a beautiful yard, a wonderful park down the road and within walking distance to town (scootering distance to school) and lots of room for all of us to spread out and grow up. We had to do a little work on it but not to much and we are now thoughtfully moving toward the finishing touches that will most likely take us as long as we live here to complete.

We were able to visit North Carolina to see Mom, Joe and Briana in June and before that we had a fun trip to San Antonio to visit the Norton's. I had never been to Texas before and I loved it, I love the architecture and the natural landscape. Its a little hot for my tastes but definitely a place I look forward to visiting again in the future.

We have had several visitors from the west coast since we moved in to our house! It was really an eventful summer. One of the highlights was the "wedding party" that was arranged for Lawrence and I by our friend Mandy's kids and devi. They out fitted me in a white dress and a garland in my hair, they arranged flowers and even made a little alter for us to be "married" in front of. It was really fun, and good practice for the big day. They had Lawrence put on a tie and suit jacket over his tee shirt and shorts, all in all it was very sweet and we were successfully "married" by an 8 year old. Though there was one slip on the vows when she told Lawrence to say that he would love me "unfaithfully" until death do us part, we all had a good laugh over that.

I spent the summer exploring the culinary possibilities that came from Fairfield's amazing farmers market. I have been doing a lot of baking and cooking, I made several different pestos and fresh sauces this summer and ate enough tomatoes hopefully to get me through until next summer. We had a few very successful dinner parties, the lobster party being the most exciting. We ordered live lobsters from Maine, sure enough they showed up the next morning. The UPS driver was a little alarmed by the fact that there we scratching sounds coming from the box. It was one of the most memorable dinner parties I have had or attended and all 14 of our guests were happily sated! For the record, the lobsters did not scream.

Devi started school this year as a fourth grader and so far has been having an absolutely perfect school year. She has a best friend named Beatrice who goes by Bea. Bea comes over frequently and her little sister named Emily does as well. With Devi being our only child it is really nice to have the girls come over and visit, it fills and warms our home. I look at Devi and feel so pleased that she is having the kind of child hood that she so deserves, living in a small town where it is safe to walk to the park with her friends or to the square. I am able to stay home and focus on looking after her which I am eternally grateful for, and I think she is to! Her school mates are all very sweet girls, while there is some social drama it is very little compared to other schools and mostly the girls are kind to each other. Devi is happy! Her life is constant, safe and there is always a constant flow of love in our home.

Devi's biggest wish for Christmas this year is to stay home, we have traveled over the holidays for the last several years. We are getting really excited to do a tree and decorate our house. Eggnog, cookie and pie baking and Christmas carols will surely keep us busy over the holiday break. On her Christmas list is one of those FAO Swartz Giraffes that are nearly to big to have indoors. Even as she is growing up she is still just a little girl who dreams of having the most gigantic stuffed animal ever. This fact makes me go all fuzzy inside.

I was lucky to be able to go to Mexico with my friend Thomas again this fall. It was absolutely beautiful, I spent the entire week reading books swimming in the ocean and collecting pieces of coral for Devi.

Today is the day before Halloween and we are attending a Halloween party fundraiser event for Devi's School, we are all going in costumes, there will be a band and dancing! Then tomorrow Devi will be preforming the Thriller dance routine at the local theater with her dance class. Then its trick or treating after dark. Devi is dressing as a "goth un-dead vampire" and its has been requested that Lo and I do the same. We ordered caps for our teeth so we will have very realistic looking fangs! Lots of pictures will be taken.

We have not confirmed a wedding date yet, but we will in good time. I think we are close, we are thinking the end of May and we are still thinking to have the wedding here in Fairfield.

The photo posted above is Devi and Bea making Halloween cookies, taken a couple of weeks ago.