Signs of fall

Sunday was the first official day of fall. And it's actually felt like it. For awhile. Crisp, cool air.  Ahh... We've been wearing jeans, leggings, sweaters and coats pretty much every day for the past 2 weeks. It's been starting to look like fall too. Mums and pumpkins on people's doorsteps (I still need to get some for ours). Squash. Sweet potatoes.  Red, orange and yellow popping up on the trees. Guess it's time to dig the fall decor out of the attic.

 

But it really feels like fall to me once we go apple picking. And make lots of yummy apple and pumpkin treats.  We made our first batch of applesauce on after we got back from our first trip to the orchard on Saturday.

Since we don't have the best backyard right now, we decided to stay awhile and play at the orchard's playground. And we were very dirty when we left.

The kids helped me make a second batch of applesauce after we picked Kaelyn up from school this morning. It's simmering in the slow cooker now. Yum!

Concentrating very hard on this

Now I just need to decide what to do with that can of pumpkin sitting in my pantry (and probably buy a few more).

Even the orchards in New Hampshire have a view. From the top of the Audubon Raptor (hawks, not dinosaurs) Observatory.

Happy Fall!

Festivals

We've been in New Hampshire two weeks and we've already been to two festivals.  I've been reading about so many fun things to do around the state and talking to Kaelyn about them to get her excited about the move, so I really want to make sure we take advantage of all the activities available to us and really experience the area.

Our first weekend here, even though we were still surrounded by boxes, we ventured over to Hampton for the annual Seafood Festival. We got there early to beat the crowds - and Brennan's meltdowns.

It was a beautiful day by the ocean.

I'm very thankful to have kids who love seafood, even if it is a little expensive. Brennan's favorite was bacon wrapped scallops.We also indulged in lobster mac n' cheese, lobster roll and fried clams.

Kaelyn was most excited about dipping her toes in the ocean.

 However, they did a little more than dip and Brennan ended up with a wet ride home.

This past weekend I found out about a Butterfly Festival about 20 minutes away at Petals in the Pines. Since we had studied butterflies a lot last year and Kaelyn seems really interested in them I thought this would be a fun adventure.

Unfortunately, we didn't actually see any butterflies. We did get to see one monarch chrysalis and several black swallow tail chrysalis. The botanist informed us there was a big decline in the monarch population this year due to lack of milkweed plants.

The kids still had fun though. Brennan loved the chickens. And we got to see a lot of pretty flowers. Kaelyn and Brennan even got the picture in the Concord Monitor.

What adventure should we go on next weekend?

New Things

Suffice to say, there have been a lot of new things in our lives lately. One very special one we got to meet on our way to New Hampshire. We took a detour to South Carolina to meet Kaelyn's and Brennan's new cousin - Baby Connor (Matt actually had the kids calling him BC for his nickname). He is the new "little tiny" in the family. Brennan has had to relinquish that title. And he is just as precious as can be.

Come visit us soon Baby Connor, we miss you!

And then it was off to "New Hammy," our new home.

Front shot of the duplex we are renting

Back porch

The inside's not quite photo ready yet but I'll post some pictures of that later. It's a slight adjustment living in a house that's more than a hundred years old, but so far we really like it. The kids favorite part is the old doorbell and mail slot. I like that the kids can look out the window and watch the cars when they're taking a bath.

We're also loving the neighborhood. Lots of cool old houses. And we can walk a ton of places. Like the park. We miss Province Park but I think the kids are pretty happy with White Park.

And Kaelyn started at her new school on Monday. Which we can also walk to. Which is really helpful since we only have one car right now.

This is the side door of the school, where Kaelyn goes in right next to her classroom.

Front of the school

We also visited the library this week and Kaelyn got her very own library card. She was very excited. And Bren liked all the toys in the Children's Department.

Sorry, not the greatest picture.

 There have been a lot of big changes and everyone is a little tired, but we're learning our way around and making it home. I think we're going to like it here.

Good-bye's suck

I'm sorry, but there's really not a nicer way to say it. Two weeks ago we left Indiana. A place we went to "temporarily" seven years ago with no intention of staying after Matt's internship at the golf office was up. A place we went to with no family and no friends. A place that became home. The place that saw us get engaged. Married. The place where our kids were born. Where we bought our first house. Where we made friends. Where friends became family. A place that will forever be a part of us. A place with people who will forever be a part of us.

I'm not very good at good-byes. Especially when there's no knowing when, if ever, you'll see someone or some place again. I hope we get to go back and visit. I hope we get to see all our friends again. I hope they know that they are always more than welcome in our home, wherever that may be. But the future holds no guarantees so as I said good-bye to friends and places I just pretended it was the same as every other everyday good-bye. We'll get together again soon.

Thankfully Brennan didn't really understand what was going on. Kaelyn on the other hand, understood just enough to make it hard talking with her about it. She knew we were leaving. She didn't seem too upset about it. But she continued to ask when we'd see people again or go places again. And she'd say things like, "But we can come back and visit when we want to see them again." She understood. But she doesn't understand how far 1,000 miles actually is. We let her have a birthday party with all friends this year. One last big get together before we "come back and visit when we want to."

Our last week was filled with good-bye get togethers. I only wish I had remembered to take pictures at all of them.

The playgroup moms, who have been an amazing source of support and fun the past five years. The mother's of Kaelyn's and Brennan's first friends.

A lot of time was spent with these guys over the summer. Brennan talks about them every day. Kaelyn's future husband. I don't think they stopped holding hands the entire summer.

And where would I be without this lady. I have no words.

Ok. Composure now. Time to say good-bye to some of our favorite places.

Province Park

One last trip to the zoo

Birthday dinner at Pizza King

Franklin Library

Our first home

We will be lucky to find friends in "New Hammy" like we have in Indiana.

On to a new adventure!

Five

Impossible. Yet, this was us five years ago.

Happy Birthday to our beautiful, amazing, intelligent little girl.

Where would we be without you?

Dragons and babies

I can not believe tomorrow is August already. My baby girl will be turning five in two weeks. I am so not ready to discuss that yet.  July has been a very busy month. One of the highlights was our trip to Savannah for Auntie CareCare's baby shower. I won't get into all the details of the party (sorry, I have a lot to do in the next 4 weeks) but did want to share some of the highlights from our week.

Perhaps the thing that will stick with me the longest - possibly forever since I have my personal stereo named Brennan stuck on repeat - is the kids learning and signing Peter, Paul and Mary's Puff the Magic Dragon. It all started with a little book about a reluctant dragon. For whatever reason the kids love this book at Nana and Pop's house. And the second night we were there Brennan was fighting bedtime. In lieu of his usual bedtime lullaby he requested a dragon song. Well, Puff, is the only dragon song I know and I could only remember the first line. So Maya found it on YouTube and played it for them. They very quickly memorized the first verse. Kaelyn has all but the last verse memorized now. And now, for your viewing pleasure, Brennan's performance of Puff the Magic Dragon:

The kids were very affectionate toward the baby in Care Care's belly, hugging and kissing and talking to him every day. But Brennan still has a lot to learn about babies. Evidenced by his very logical-for-a-two-year old question, "Care Care, why you eat your baby?" He also learned the word boobie. Although I don't think he really knows what it is since he often points to my shoulder and says "Boobie!"

Kaelyn also still has a lot to learn to about where babies come from. I wasn't quite prepared when she asked how the baby was going to get out of Care Care's belly. I don't remember who it was that told her it would come out the "Exit" but that seemed to satisfy her curiosity, at least for the moment. (Note to self: come up with a game plan to discuss where babies come from before she asks again.)

And here are some photo highlights from the rest of the trip.

Lots of golf:

A day at the beach:

Baby Time!

Kaelyn and her new buddy Reese:

Beautiful Mommy to Be:

Showing of her manicure:

Cuddling with Daddy to Be:

My dreaming angels: