So ...how are you doing?

I love this question.

Mostly I try and answer it concise, short answers.

"Fine"
"Tired but good"
or when people pass us in the streets and utter "Whew. Your your are hands full!" I always answer "Yep. And our hearts!"

I figure that is as much as most folks want. But recently my mother asked this popular question and I decided to level a bit more with her...so for those who are wondering... here is "how we are really doing". An excerpt from my letter to her:


Hey
yeah...its a pretty busy time. The play has proven to be pretty enormous...complete with a live string quartet, beautiful (rented) 1800's style costumes, and some hefty scene changes. We are in the midst of that "working it out phase" and I gotta tell ya its pretty stressful. We are so happy that we have a short week ahead. We both work only half days on Wednesday. Thursday we are heading up to Sue and Shirleys. We are very excited.We may even spend the night up in their cabin. Friday and Saturday sounds like a fun day down in Fairhaven. Victorian Christmas events - with carolers, Victorian Santas, etc. My students will be performing scenes from Jane Eyre down in the Village Green (behind Village Books). We hope to bring the little ones down for a bit of the fun - weather pending of course.

Jonas and Jember are becoming more mobile every day. Jember is almost crawling. She actually crawls a few inches...then get pretty screechy. Its not her favorite mode of transportation. (She'd much rather you carry her...) But the point is - she can do it. She seems far more interested in standing and has started maneuvering her way around the coffee table. Her new trick is clapping and waving "bye-bye". And have I mentioned she now says: mamamamama. Pretty thrilling. Jonas is really, really busy. I mean - he tears up this place. He loves to be chased. He crawls so fast and wants you to "come and get him". Of course, he loves to stop and watch you chase him...which sort of defeats the purpose. He plays hockey around the kitchen floor. He does this with any toy he can find. He's pretty good at it. He loves climbing. He climbs everything - including his sister. His favorite toy is anything that Jember is playing with. He loves to grab things away from her - which is starting to really infuriate her. He also is good at finding every little thing he isn't supposed to have...the kid is like - amazing. He found is way to a bottle of lotion on the floor. It was closed - but he just knew. He looked up at me....saw me looking at him...(checking to make sure the lid was closed!) and then when he saw I wasn't jumping up to grab it from him (my god. I was exhausted!) he started to laugh and laugh. (God. Getting away with things is FUN!) (siiiiiigh).

They both are very affectionate. Jember gives big open mouth kisses and loves her snuggly time - especially in the morning. Jonas crawls after me...pulls himself to standing and wants to hug, hug, hug. You pick him up - he cackles with glee - and hugs your neck. He is such a character.

They are cheerio junkies. Ross and I call it "baby heroin". And we are their dealers. I ain't kiddin here. A handful of cheerios buys me minutes in the bathroom in the mornings. 2 handfuls gets me a shower...complete with blow drying my hair. Cheerios are everywhere. On the carpet, in the cracks of the couch, under the table...and little Jonas finds them all. Its like an Easter egg hunt...only with stale cheerios. siiigh.

They are really not sleeping much. At night or during the day. All I want for Christmas is a night of uninterrupted sleep...well...that and a day at a spa...and maid service...and for someone to replace the yuccky wine/spit up/flea infested and coffee stained living room carpet with wood floors.

Anyway. Thats how we are. Thanksgiving pictures coming...until then - remember we love and cherish you all.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!


Vicki

Happy Halloween!

"The Great Pumpkin Bathtub Ghost"



I'm sitting here nibbling roasted pumpkin seeds - the remains of our Halloween revelry. Hundreds of little witches and goblins filled the streets in our little neighborhood community - trick or treating to local merchants. They roamed up and down the sidewalks in really - some of the most spectacular costumes I have ever seen. (Remember the days of those silly plastic costumes and awful plastic masks the grocery stores used to sell? It only took one year of wearing plastic all night for a kid to decide that NEXT year they would create their own costume. No more suffocating behind plastic masks.) I remember my first Halloween costume. I was around 4 years old. I think I was a gypsy. My mother dressed me up in a lot of her scarves and beaded necklaces. I loved it. This is ironic because I still dress like a gypsy most of the time. Woah. I wonder if there is some weird connection for my love of fringe and my first Halloween costume? Wierd.

Anyway...I digress...sorry. :0)

Our own little goblins stayed in last night - wearing their Halloween jammies they received from Grandma Myrna. We carved pumpkins, roasted pumpkin seeds and danced around to "Night on Bald Mountain" music - provided of course by daddy. They seemed delighted with all the little trick-or- treaters. It made Ross and I very excited for next year. I'm not sure but I think Ross is already planning his costume - for what he will wear when he takes the kids out to join those throngs of little ones in our neighborhood.

I think I may dress up like a gypsy.

Anyway - one last glimpse of our wonderful October!

Elizabeth and I took the babies to a pumpkin patch last weekend









Big pumpkins and li'l punkins - Our fun Halloween night




Halloween Sillies

"Oh Daddy. You are sooo funny"



Giggley girl



"Look Jember. Daddy has a camera. Lets go GET HIM!!"




"Its not a party until someone is wearing their bowl of cheerios on their head..."

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Novemer 1st. Rested from our family Halloween party.

Happy Birthday Jonas and Jember

"Babies first leaves. They're crunchy and so colorful...and mmmmm....they don't taste bad either!"


Jonas and Jember turned 9 months old on October 20th! We celebrated over the weekend by spending it with our beloved friends (and adopted aunties) Sue and Shirley. Sue and Shirley live in a little cabin on the edge of a meadow - right on the edge of the foothills. We love being with them. For me, it is like returning home each time we drive out to see them. Its such a wonderful place to be. Sue and Shirley are so loving and kind. I love their home and I really love bringing the babies into the heart of nature. We sat in the sun, enjoying an absolutely stunning autumn afternoon. Ross dug around a little in Sue's garden. Shirley and I split a bowl full of garden fresh garlic. We made a thick pot of autumn soup (broccoli cheese) and had a really warm dinner over soup and wine. Here are some pics from our wonderful afternoon:


Jember shares a secret with Ranger



Sue and Ross decide where to plant next years garden


Playing in the tall grasses


Daddy and Jember
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Jonas loves being outside


Jember helps Sue prepare the oats for the apple crisp


Jonas loves garlic! (Both kids were chewing on garlic stems and LOVING it)



Crawling boy - catch me if you can!



sleepy Jember at the end of the day



In other news its been a week of firsts:



First shoulder ride in the mountains



First week with our new nanny: Lori!! (We looooove Lori!)



First Cheerios!





And finally: First time standing!

October

Its been a very full week for us all. I held auditions for my fall theater production of Jane Eyre. Taking on directing a production (in addition to my class load) feels like an awful lot for me right now, I won't lie. Balancing my role as mother and teacher is proving to be a tiring challenge. My days feel so packed. But, it is also my job to direct 2 productions a year (a job I might add, that I usually love...) The auditions were successful (over 60 kids auditioned) and I have what I believe will be an awesome cast. But the week was draining emotionally and physically (and it was only the audition!) We will rehearse the show for roughly 2 months ~ until in opens in early December.

So what happens when things get busier for me? I'll tell you what. My hard working husband (who is also a teacher) takes up the slack and spends extra time on baby detail while I am at rehearsals. I have to tell you ~ that if it wasn't for the support and love of this beautiful man - I often have wondered if I would simply dry up like the autumn leaves and blow away.
He is truly a kind and gentle soul - a wonderful father and loving best friend.

And now from our past week:

Ross and Jember make a thick autumn soup




Jammin on the piano. The babies give new definition to "Heart and Soul".


Super Daddy


I have taken to bringing my camera with me on my walks. Its been such a pretty autumn that I don't even mind the days when the rains have returned. Today we had a visit from Chris, Anna and Tristan. Visits with these best friends turn our little apartment into a place of happy chaos. We always enjoy a little lunch and a walk down to the boardwalk park. It was such a pretty Saturday. Chris and Ross wore the twins in backpacks while Anna pushed Tristan in his stroller.
It was a perfect day.


Autumn Sunshine


Babies get ready for a ride in the backpacks


Chris and Ross ready for their autumn walk


Anna and Jonas in the park


Anna and Tristan (We love our little Tristan!)




Mommy and Jonas


Daddy and Jember



Happy little ones - ready for another trip down the slide.



Ross and Jember - headin home.


Autumn colors - how I love this time of year