Day Fifty-Five

Dinner Party of Four

After hiking, Maya and Tom came over our house to make a delicious dinner of pork, potatoes, squash, and beans. The best part was our apple crisp dessert. Real whipped cream, homemade.

Good food. Good friends. Good fun.

MMMMMMmmmmmmmmm...... How spoiled I feel.

Day Fifty-Four

Fantastic fall fun, Part two

In Black and White

Day Fifty-Three

Fantastic fall fun, Part One



This week-end has been as relaxing as necessary and as fun as possible. With Maya and Tom visiting we have made the most of this cool and wet weather.


Yesterday we went on a waterfall hike (mollie is still recovering) and saw the falls gorged by all the recent rain. This is the Race Brook Falls in Sheffield, MA- a worthy hike. Beautiful view from above and below.

Day Fifty-Two

Self portraits after shower

Day Fifty-One

If I were a different person, all this rain might give me the blues... but all I feel is some glorious fall splendor. Todd amd I had breakfast out this morning and dodged the raindrops as we ran errands to the post office, library, and grocery store. I feel fully loaded because last night I went through my clothes and did the seasonal switch, summer clothes away, winter clothes out. I atleast feel I have a few more daily options now.
My iPod sings. The rain is dreamy--- pittery pattery on the air conditioner that is still in place for its last few warm fall days. I completed almost every item on a long to do list and rewarded myself with a luxuious nap on the couch after beginning a new book. This afternoon will be filled with a hot iron, a steamy bowl of chili waiting for me in the crock pot, a sub-titled movie, and the hum of my sewing machine. Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.................

Day Fifty

Todd, on cuddling: "If we were in space, we could hug with both arms".


Todd is the nicest husband ever. I guess I could just be saying that because he is mine... but he leaves me nice little good morning notes and kisses me good night each night as he tucks me in...

Yesterday, he also bought me a nice, just because present. A new iPod Nano. This toy is incredibly cool and also very motivating at the gym. I am a work-out queen and have to resist singing electronica and pop music out loud while I run. The mellower stretching playlist is a bit easier to chill with... but I often wish the world could hear what I was listening to and be happy and rock out with me.

This is my new tiny nano on top of Todd's iPod. Amazing the technology. It only holds 1000 songs, but it came in a really cute bag!

Day forty-nine

We are also celebrating Halloween a little early! Maggie's bib reads "My first Boo".



We of course have lots of treats... but check out these costumes... Kitty cat Maggie and Elmo. Maggie was drowning inside her tiny kitty costume and it took three grown ups to handle the beast to take the photos. I decided she was a baby panther rather than some domesticated breed.


Willy was facinated by Elmo's eyes and nose... Feeling them up on his own head.



He's been a bit cranky this visit so we have been entertaining him however we can. Teething. He is growing is fangs.

Day Forty-Seven

Visit to Chicago, Part two

We also celebrated Maggie's Christening.
Auntie Em gets to be her God mama.
She got Mary Jane's.
Does it get any cuter?

Day Forty-Six

Visit to Chicago

So many things to celebrate... On October 23rd, Willy will be two. We celebrated while the Wilcox clan was here. Lucky boy blew out his candles about 12 times. "Blow, blow".

He also got lots of presents... including book from his auntie em. That's all he gets from her... she's a teacher after all.

Day Forty-four

Greetings from Chicago-land. I have no pictures to post today, but I am having a fun time visiting the family... and am taking plenty. Mom and I woke up at 4 a.m. to take the 6:00 flight and arrived here at 7:00. I just enjoyed family nap to try to recooperate from this little bug that has found its way into my nose and throat. Six hours sleep (if I got that many) is not very much.

I had a great classroom week last week, but am tired out by trying to keep up with my crew. I am finished now with all my parent "listening meetings", so things should slow down a bit as I settle them into their routine. If anyone out there has a dead bees nest or animal dwelling, I am in the collection process. Anyone?