Happy Holiday Season! It does continue into the New Year, right?

Today is December 27, and I'm finally beginning to write the letter I started composing in my head around Thanksgiving. It's tempting to express my surprise that the year is once again racing to an end, but it may be more accurate to admit that we are the ones doing the racing. Evan recently reminded me how each of us perceives the passage of time differently. We were driving home from my sister's house on December 23 (Christmas Eve Eve), and he was looking wistful. When I asked if anything was wrong, he said, “Mom, days before special days like Christmas just go so slowly. It feels like they last a lot longer than regular days, because you kind of can't wait for them to be over.” I had to hide my smile because I was feeling exactly the opposite: there was so much I was hoping to do in two days I knew would go far too quickly, and I was trying to reconcile myself to the reality that I couldn't complete it all.

I'd like to say that was the moment I decided to let my letter wait, but in fact I kept imagining I could find the time to get to it before Christmas Day. And yet here I sit, several days later, all alone in my house for once. I'm elevating a colorfully bruised foot because on Christmas night it was brought rather painfully to my attention that perhaps I'm doing a little too much racing: I went for a run with the dog and rolled my ankle. The bruise is impressive and I am rocking a bit of a limp, but it is forcing me to stay home and rest while the rest of the family (even the dog!) is out. This is evidently the nudge I need to get going on my holiday rite of passage, a recap of our year.

On December 31, 2010, my mother proposed an exercise that we all enjoyed. We each listed memories of the closing year: important accomplishments, funny moments, sad moments, and times we specifically wanted to remember. Then we added intentions for the year to come. Reading our “reports” aloud prompted reflection and a lot of laughter. I looked at them again a few weeks ago and I'm glad I saved them. Because as I think back on all that we did this year, it still makes me laugh to see that one of Evan's (unfulfilled) goals for 2011 was to go to Texas. On the other hand, Andrew did tile the screen room (something that's been on his list for years), and I've established a more consistent routine of daily walks (on temporary hiatus until the ankle heals). I hope Lydia is proud to have achieved several of her goals: she made lots of jewelry, did more swimming, and expanded her exploits in the kitchen.

Lydia entered her teens this year, turning 13 earlier this month. For me, recognition of how much she's grown has been literal: over Easter weekend (which we spent in Mendocino County with Aunt Karen, Uncle Chris, and cousin Jacob) I realized she was taller than I am! She has gained more inches in the months since and is now nearly 5'10”. Her height and long arms are assets for a swimmer, and she had a great second season with the Seals Swim Club. She shifted her focus to freestyle and discovered that she especially enjoys swimming with relay teams. She brought home several first-place ribbons for relay events and competed in the end-of-season East Bay Swim League Championship Meet. Several of her swim team friends attend the junior high school where she is currently in 8^th grade, making for an active social life. This year the formal Winter Dance took place on her actual birthday, serving as the kick-off to a busy weekend of manicures, movies, and a girls' excursion to San Francisco.

Lydia has definitely embraced the stereotypical teenage girl's love of shopping, and exhibits a correlating fixation with fashion (as regards both personal style and home design). She likes to experiment with jewelry design, using all sorts of materials, and is generous with her creations, regularly making gifts for friends and family. She has also made a name for herself as a baker, often bringing homemade treats to share at school or weekend hangouts. One recent success was a recipe for Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookies that were practically irresistible. She took most of them to school as holiday gifts for her teachers. When I spoke with her teachers at this year's conferences, they all said she is a dedicated and intelligent student who grasps material quickly, and that they would like her to participate more in class discussions. She retains the reserve I think she inherited from her Granny Mary.

Evan didn't make it to the Lone Star State this year. He did, however, care for what may have been the longest-lived mealworm beetle ever sent home by his second grade teacher. Jake the beetle lived in a custom cardboard home in Evan's room for several months, an apparently unprecedented old age for such a critter. Evan continues to be fascinated by all forms of animal life, and the books by his bed often offer clues about the species currently piquing his interest. We did some redecorating in his room this year, partly to showcase his baseball mementos. He played his third season in the Cal Ripken Baseball league; he was a team captain and starting shortstop for the Rookie White Sox. Andrew convinced him to go to All Star tryouts and he was invited to join the 2011 8U All Star Team. This reunited him with his coach from last year, and introduced him to new coaches and new teammates. It also extended his baseball season into the middle of July! Evan turned 8 in June, right after our family trip to Bodega Bay, and his gift from my brother led to the other major décor change in his room: vintage Star Wars prints that my dad got in the '70's, which had been in my brother's custody since the '90's, have officially been passed to the youngest Jedi in the family and now cover the largest wall in Evan's room. They look very cool, and also provide a unique link to my dad.

Evan started third grade in September. So far it has been another good school year for him. When I met with his teacher in November she told me he has a flair for public speaking and usually does his best work when he knows he will be presenting it to the class. I was not surprised to hear that he is doing very well in science and PE, but I was pleased when the music teacher sought me out a few weeks ago to tell me he'd made significant improvement in her class. Evan is currently in the middle of his first season with the City of Fremont Youth Basketball League, and he and Andrew are preparing to adopt a snake. So, even without a trip to Texas, it has been a good year for the youngest member of the family!

Actually, Evan is no longer the youngest Dadd. We have a new, furry, four-legged baby. Our beloved dog, Cleo, suffered a terrible broken leg and had to be put to sleep in March. She was approximately 17 years old and had been a very special member of our family for nearly 14 years. Andrew and I were with her at the end, sobbing uncontrollably. Thankfully our wonderful neighbor and carpool buddy kept the kids with her until we could collect ourselves enough to get back home. In July we began the search for a new dog, and our sweet, boisterous Maggie found us when we visited the Berkeley Animal Shelter. The kids and I brought her home two days later and she is now fully integrated into the family, making friends everywhere we go. She's encouraged all of us to get out and walk/hike/run more often, though I think in the future I will do my running in daylight hours.

That brings me up to date, in the home stretch of a busy but happy holiday season. We've hosted several family gatherings, starting with Thanksgiving when Auntie Alice, Uncle Chris (Dadd), Aunt Karen, and cousins Jonathan, Jacob, and Jeremy (Taylor) came for dinner. My mom arrived in December, and on the 18^th we met her, Auntie Alice, Uncle Dave, and cousin Ava in San Francisco to see A Christmas Carol. The four of them also came for dinner on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day was a quiet day for me and Andrew and the kids (and Maggie), followed by our traditional Boxing Day get-together with Uncle Chris, Aunt Karen, and cousins Jonathan and Jacob. This year we decided to do brunch instead of dinner, which was a nice change. We were joined by Jonathan's girlfriend, Karina, and my mom was here as well. She'd spent the first part of her time here with my sister, and now it is “our turn” to have her.

We have no firm plans for the final few days of 2011. Andrew and I began the year at a lovely wedding in Carmel on 1/1/11, and went on to celebrate many different milestones with friends and family: baby showers, birthdays, baseball parties, housewarmings, Halloween parties, and I even made it to the east coast for my 20^th college reunion. One special milestone was our 16^th anniversary on 11/11/11! As we look ahead to another year sure to be filled with adventures and surprises, we hope you're enjoying some relaxing down time before 2012 gets into full swing. We send our love and wish you the best throughout the coming year...

It's Christmas Eve Eve! Today is December 23, and those were Evan's first words to me this morning. I am a little embarrassed to admit that even as I recognized and appreciated his excitement, I felt a wave of panic as I realized how much I still hope to accomplish before Christmas morning. I really was cheered by his greeting, though, especially since he'd spent the previous 36 hours lying on the floor under the Christmas tree, literally struck down by a (terribly inconveniently timed) stomach bug. This has left me even further behind schedule than I was when the kids got out of school last Friday...

I knew this year would come down to the wire in terms of holiday preparations, and I considered not doing a letter. But it still doesn't really feel like Christmas, so perhaps I actually need to write my year-end recap to get myself properly into the spirit. This is my celebration of 2010, a look at its highlights in this final week. I will do my best to mail it before year's end, and will try not to feel guilty for its (my) lateness.

It has been another eventful year for all of us, thankfully filled with happy stories and high points and no major injuries. In January we traveled to Bear Valley with my sister and her family ~ we were there for a HUGE blizzard and the kids (Lydia, Evan, and cousin Ava) got a real taste of Sierra snow. One of our goals this year was to plan special times with family and friends, and this was a great start! We rented a house across the street (actually a snow-mobile track in winter) from our friends Dave and Nena and their girls, McKenzie and Sarah. We all had fun playing out in the snow and coming back in to get warm.

Our next family adventure was Easter weekend on the Mendocino Coast with Aunt Karen, Uncle Chris, and cousins Jonathan and Jacob. They've been going to a magical place called Mar Vista (a group of rustic cabins north of Gualala) for years, and this was our first time tagging along with them. The weather was WET: though it was sunny when we arrived, it was pouring rain by the next morning. The cabins are indeed rustic: no tv or video games, a real step back in time. Disaster, you may think? Not at all! While the two dads (Dadds!) and Karen went for a hike, I stayed in our cabin with the kids and was thoroughly entertained by their marathon game of Monopoly. It lasted several hours. Evan dropped out fairly early on, in favor of cheering on the others (he is a fair-weather fan and took turns rooting for each of his cousins and his sister, depending on who was doing better), but they were all absorbed and completely happy. The whole weekend in that beautiful place was truly wonderful.

Spring and summer were dominated by Evan's baseball and Lydia's swimming. Evan moved up from t-ball to play kid-pitched fastball for the Cal Ripken Rookie Dodgers, and Lydia joined a local team called the Seals. Their schedules kept me and Andrew busy, but we were proud of their commitment and the growth they showed in each of their sports. Evan was placed on a team with some very strong players, which was a challenge. He is good at baseball, but was much newer to the game than his teammates. He learned a lot, thanks in large part to his terrific coach. He earned his team's Sportsmanship Award, and was also named Most Improved Player. He is looking forward to playing again this spring. Lydia was brand-new to competitive swimming at the start of her season. She was nervous at her first meet, but her nerves didn't show and she was recognized as “Swimmer of the Meet” by the Head Coach. Over the course of the summer she improved time on all of her strokes. She plans to continue with the team in 2011, so I anticipate many early Saturday mornings at local pools this summer.

Another significant event was my sister Alice's graduation from California College of Art. In May she earned a BFA in Photography, and our family gathered to celebrate: Mom (Gigi), Uncle John, and our brother, Chris, all came into town. There was an entire weekend of festivities! With the excitement of everyone on one coast for a change, it was quite a whirlwind. The one bummer was that Alice's fiance, Dave, was out of town for the actual graduation ceremony. Although he may be glad to have missed the obligatory attempt at a family photo...

The next milestone was Evan's 7^th birthday in June: we hosted a small party at the new waterpark here in Fremont. We ended up spending a lot of time there over the summer. We had terrific weather and I finally got to live the life I'd envisioned having as a stay-home mom: I spent many a lovely afternoon in a lounge chair, watching the kids play in the water. Often we were joined by friends, and it was always a good time. Ahhhh....

Soon enough the school year began again, and Lydia was off to junior high! She has transitioned well to 7^th grade and her social life is getting busier. We celebrated her 12^th birthday earlier this month with a private lesson/party at a local bead shop. It was very cool. She baked delicious spice cupcakes to serve to her guests.

Andrew and I marked our 15^th anniversary on 11/11/10. We spent the day with the kids and have planned a special getaway just for us on 1/1/11. My mother is in town (her first time here for the holiday!) and will stay with the kids while we're gone. But first we have Alice and Dave coming for dinner (and presents) on Christmas Eve; Christmas Day with Gigi; and Boxing Day is always reserved for Chris, Karen, Jonathan, and Jacob (they're coming to our house this year). I've got lots to do, and it appears Evan is on the mend!

We hope you have enjoyed a healthy and happy holiday season, and we wish you much laughter and joy in 2011.

December 21, 2009

The holiday season is well underway (I missed Hanukkah completely!) and another year is coming to a close. It's been a busy one filled with joys and frustrations, milestones met and challenges overcome, and plenty of mundane moments to balance the highs and lows. It is always a struggle to condense 365 days into a couple of pages, and this year the process isn't coming easily. So I am hoping a picture really is worth 1,000 words. If that is the case I'll never have to speak or write again, as the family tendency to document everything in photos would translate into millions of words. Here are a few of the stories of this waning year...

We celebrated many family highlights this year, including Alice and Dave's engagement and Alice's installation of her BFA thesis show at California College of Art. Evan joined his first t-ball team; Lydia discovered a talent for working behind the scenes in her school play. Andrew's chickens and garden are thriving, and he bought a sit-on-top kayak which he's taken out on local lakes and looks forward to launching in the Bay and, eventually, the ocean. I continue to be an active volunteer at the kids' school, and appreciate that they are on the same campus and have the same schedule this year. That will change when Lydia moves on to junior high next year.

We also weathered another of Uncle Chris's (Tullar, not Dadd) life-threatening adventures. In March, after moving back to Montana, he set off and survived an avalanche. We are grateful for the tree that stopped his wild ride (even though it broke his left femur) and the one other crazy soul who was up on the mountain that day (who got him out of the tree and called in the rescue helicopter). Chris must have several extra guardian angels on his personal squad. He was back on his feet in characteristic record time, and joined our family retreat to Bodega Bay in June...

It was a true “family cuddle” (as my grandmother called such gatherings) when nine of us headed up to the Sonoma Coast: Tara, Andrew, Lydia, Evan, Alice, Dave, Ava, Gigi, and Chris (Tullar) enjoyed a week of sun, sand, surf, and seafood in a beautiful house above Doran Beach.

The rest of the summer passed in a whirlwind of swim lessons, trips to the roller rink and water park, play dates and barbecues with family and friends, and even a trip to Bear Valley for Andrew and the kids. September returned us to the routine of school where Evan is now in first grade, Lydia is in sixth, and I am in my second term as PTA President. I was a bit too enthusiastic in the first months of the school year, and intend to scale back starting in January. I do enjoy the ways I contribute at school, especially the time I spend in the classrooms.

Gigi came again in November, just in time for Thanksgiving which we hosted at our house. It was a big group! Aunt Karen, Uncle Chris (Dadd), cousins Jonathan and Jacob, Auntie Alice, Uncle Dave, and Gigi were all here for a huge turkey and too much other food to list. Alice's photography show opened the following week, and the week after that was Lydia's 11^th birthday. No wonder it took me until now to get started on this letter...

This year has filled me with an appreciation of family, which I believe is created by birth, by choice, and by serendipity. Family is one of nature's masterpieces, and we wish you joy in yours during this season and throughout the coming year.

Do undocumented milestones mean I'm a bad mom?

Just putting the words together makes the question look ridiculous. Yet it has been lurking in the back of my mind since the first day of school ~ to which I did actually remember to bring my camera, and yet I only managed to take two pictures of Evan at his new, first-grade desk and a few more at recess (I was still at school at 10:00, after finishing up First-Day Orientation and then cleaning up and putting things away). I don't have a single photo of Lydia, or of the two of them together. Still, I'm trying to tell myself it is better than last year, when I forgot completely to even bring my camera to the FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN. I know. Who forgets the camera on the first day of Kindergarten? Me. I do. I felt so bad last year... and I took pictures on the second day! But it's not the same.

Back to the present. A week into the school year I am still experiencing two reactions: my common-sensical side says, enthusiastically, “You were there! You saw your kids head off to their new classrooms on a gorgeous September morning. They had yummy, nutritious lunches and looked super-cool in their new school clothes. You hugged and kissed them both, told them you loved them, and wished each of them a great first day. And you were there to collect them at the end of that first day (just 5 hours later ~ minimum day), with more hugs and kisses and open ears for all the stories of the start of a new school year. That is what was important, not the fact that there isn't a photographic record.” But just as I start to relax, my “I'm never doing enough” voice whispers, wickedly, “How could you not have taken two seconds to get a photo of your two children with their smiling, clean, sunscreened faces as you left the house, right on schedule, with a little time to spare, even? How hard would it have been to stop for a minute in front of the school marquee, or the Warwick Wizard Spirit banner, for one quick shot? That was a big day, and you had your camera right in your bag! What an ass you are!”

Bottom line, I cannot turn back the clock and re-do last Wednesday. That ship has sailed. And I do know, even as I beat myself up for missed moments like these, that it doesn't make me a bad mom to have not taken more photos. I realize that the root of this angst is that I am disappointed that I haven't established some sort of “first day of school” tradition. After all, this is Lydia's sixth grade year! I've had plenty of first days by now. I certainly started off well when she entered Kindergarten ~ that momentous day is well documented, even the trip we took to Cold Stone Creamery for ice cream after school. And this is the one year that both kids will attend the same school and follow the same schedule. So I'm making a two-part promise to myself: one is to keep my camera with me and remember to take it out of my bag, and the second is to try to get over it (and myself) when I forget. Which I know I will. Acceptance of my own mistakes has always been a challenge. I'm sure there's a big old significant message in that statement...

Well, I must be off to collect the kids. At the same time, from the same place. I'm going to enjoy this while it lasts.


Happy start of the school year to all you students and parents and teachers out there!

~Tara

"The family is one of nature's masterpieces"

That's a quote from George Santayana, a Spanish-born philosopher who lived and wrote in the US during the late 1800's and early 1900's. I didn't know who he was until I looked him up online (I love the internet), though when I went to his Wikipedia page I immediately recognized a few of his other aphorisms ("Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" was one).

Recently I've been looking up quotations on particular themes. The last time I remember doing this was before my wedding in 1995. It is so much easier now, thanks to the internet! It can also suck me down the rabbit hole... more than once I've looked up from my computer and realized I'm spending waaaay too much time seeking out someone else's words to perfectly capture something I hope to communicate.

I am constantly reminded of the power of words. It reminds me so much of my dad to think about language and expression, both verbal and written. I think as much as I wish for world peace, I wish for the world to acknowledge the gift and power of words. In fact, I doubt the former will ever be possible without the latter. One quote I'd love to erase from all recognition (and from all schoolyards) is "sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me." Bull. Words can cripple. It's interesting to me that I can't find a source for this particular bit of "wisdom." Not even on the internet!

I wish I knew (or could find!) a similarly catchy phrase to convey the opposite, more positive concept: words given kindly and at the right time can heal many wounds. Words can't erase pain or undo damage, but they can ease and soften things gone wrong.

I'm sure this seems especially resonant to me since I'm coming to the end of summer vacation. I've spent many weeks in the almost constant company of my two children, with all the associated ups and downs of siblings in proximity and inconsistent schedules. I've heard the full spectrum of their interactions, from the heartwarming to the infuriating. I am pleased that they are mostly kind to each other, and even when fighting they rarely call each other names or attack each other verbally. But they do get on each other's nerves, and I've realized the bigger trangression in my eyes than physically striking out is using words meant to hurt.

And while I know I maintain a level of control (on both the verbal and the physical) in our home and within our family, I also recognize we're in the countdown to back-to-school. The playground is a whole new territory for Evan, which he'll share 3 times each day with hundreds of other first through third graders. Lydia will be in the sixth grade this year, and I wonder how she will inhabit the role of "big kid on campus." I hope my children will continue to be thoughtful of each other and all others. I hope they will think before reacting to whatever frustrations they encounter. I hope Andrew and I have done right by them and given them the foundations they need to be good citizens.

Well, I've gotten far off topic from my Santayana quote. It's a quiet August weekend and Andrew and the kids are away. I'm home alone (deja vu from last August). Yet this whole rambling flight of words all makes perfect sense to me and the paths my thoughts are travelling. I see so much responsibility in the role of family. I know things cannot get measurably better in the "outside world" if we aren't working on the things in our inner worlds.

I'll close with these words of (somebody else's) wisdom: "Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them." ~Richard L. Evans

Happy almost end of summer to all...

Ahhh... Summer.

I must say I've been enjoying our summer weather this year. It has been really great... I'm almost afraid to write that for fear of upsetting the cosmic balance (like when Andrew remarks how well traffic is moving on 880 and suddenly it seizes up completely), but it has to be acknowledged. Almost every day has been sunny and warm, but not too hot. I've actually been cool enough some days to wear long sleeves mid-day! There was a pretty good heat wave in the end of June, which we managed to enjoy because we were in Bodega Bay: while it was 90-plus around the Bay it was more like 75 on the Sonoma coast. We also had a few sprinkles of rain earlier this month (unheard of in July in our area), and we had a few hot days the week Lydia was in Girl Scout camp. But overall it really has been wonderful, particularly when compared with the weather I experienced in July last year, when the kids and I were travelling throughout MA, CT, NY and NH. Humidity. Rain. Thunderstorms. Oppressive heat. Anyone who has spent more than three days in the northeast in July will know what I mean, because while there certainly can be beautiful summer weather there, it rarely lasts more than a day or two before the humidity rolls in again. Seventeen years in the northern CA climate have spoiled me.

But I'd brave that weather again if I could, because it was such a special trip. We went so many places and managed to arrange a remarkable number of visits and reunions with so many people... I find myself missing all that a year later. The way my memory modifies events is funny: we walked miles through sunny, muggy Boston and I remember the kids' hot red cheeks and tired faces, and I know they complained about walking so far, but when I look back I am more likely to recall how much they loved the gelato we got in the North End and ate soooo sloooowly as we walked across the Charlestown Bridge on our way to see the USS Constitution. I remember returning to our hotel all sweaty and jet-lagged, and feeling surprisingly revived to see my friend Paul had beaten us there and was ready to join us for dinner. We ate mediocre Mexican food (again, CA has spoiled me) but the company and conversation more than made up for any culinary shortcomings.

After Boston we headed down to CT, where we stayed with my uncle John in his beautiful house in Short Beach (outside New Haven). It was muggy there too, but that is not what comes to mind when I look back: I remember how much we love the little playground down the street from the house, and the day we spent exploring Mystic Seaport, and walking to "Uncle John's beaches" every day. Evan used his Spiderman umbrella for the first time there, and we ate every meal on John's perfect front porch.
We then spent two days on Long Island, reconnecting with my college friend Sheila and her family. I had the best night's sleep of the entire trip in her home, and Lydia and Evan were in heaven playing with Olivia and Harrison (Sheila's children). The hours flew by in their gorgeous back yard (one word: trampoline), and even Evan had fun poking though the shops in Northport. We enjoyed the loooong train trip to upstate NY, where we were collected by Evan's dear friend Patrick (and his mother, my dear friend Kate). Patrick's family left Fremont in 2006 and shortly thereafter doubled in size when his two brothers and sister were born in April, 2007. This was our first meeting with the triplets and it was a boisterous visit, yet in many ways it seemed as though we'd hardly been apart. It was indeed a reunion, but it felt completely seamless to merge our families again. This was the point at which Andrew's absence was especially hard. We were more than halfway through our trip, and we missed him a lot.

From New York we headed to New Hampshire for a full week with Gigi! Lydia attended an art camp and Evan accompanied Gigi to her fitness classes. I should have done more of that, but I took advantage of my first opportunities to be alone! I also got to visit a bit with my brother, who was giving New England one more try. As I've noted in other posts, he has since confirmed that his true home will always be where the mountains are much bigger. While in NH we wound our way to Cornish, to see another high school friend. Chet Newbold and his wife and sons were great company, and an afternoon in Chet's parents' pool was delightful. As we were preparing to leave Evan discovered the tiny toads that live under their porch, and it took some major persuasion to get him home that night!

All too soon we were down to our last few days, which we'd decided to spend in Gloucester, MA. We got there just in time to have lunch at the Bass Rocks Beach Club, courtesy of another high school friend. Larry Oaks introduced me to Good Harbor Beach back in 1987, and so it made perfect sense to meet up with him and his wife and sons there ~ another highlight. The kids played on the beach and then in the pool while the adults chatted and laughed (and ate!), and when my two finally crawled into their beds at the Good Harbor Beach Inn they slept like logs. The weather turned absolutely gorgeous and we had a picture-postcard north shore beach weekend, a story-book end to our time on the east coast.

We flew home on July 31, one year ago today. It is hard to believe a full year has passed, and I would so love to see all those friends again! At the same time so much has happened and the kids have grown so much. I'll have to be more conscientious about posting, since there always seems to be so much to share...

Happy summer wishes to all! I hope to enjoy these last few weeks before school starts up again...

There's no place like home

We returned yesterday from a week on the beach in Bodega Bay. As anyone familiar with northern CA weather knows, June on the coast can actually be quite foggy and dreary, but we had gorgeous weather. It was a great trip and a welcome family reunion: my mother flew in from NH, my brother came from NH via MT (he had to see his MT doctor for a post-broken-femur check up ~ see my April 9 post for some backstory), and my sister, her fiance, and my niece came up from Oakland, too. We had rented a beautiful house with stunning views and I look forward to reflecting and writing more about our time there, but for now it just feels really good to be home.

This morning, after waking up in his own bed, Evan spent nearly an hour playing happily in his room. Lydia also got a good night's sleep, which she sorely needed after some midnight allergy attacks on the road. She's caught up on missed episodes of "So You Think You Can Dance" (thanks to our DVR) and is planning to create a photo journal of our adventures.

I'm grateful that I was able to do enough laundry at the rental house that I don't have to get straight into that chore at home. I'll likely start tomorrow, though, since there is never a lack of laundry with this family. Andrew is already back at work, but is glad to have a long weekend ahead.

Happy summer to all!