just a quick note: we don't have internet at our house yet (that would be our new house!), so that's why i'm a little behind. we did move a week after we got back from canada! Mom and Bob came down and worked like dogs, we could not have done it without them. As well as everybody else that's helped over the past few months. Even though it's been disorganized, messy and hot in our house, i am deliriously happy to be there. we finally got a stove and countertops this week, so we really are making progress. much more on that later.
the next little while will be busy, big surprise. We are having a little party for Hannah this weekend, then the kids and i are going to my mom's, then we're coming back and planning charlie's big first birthday, and also creating and planting a fall garden, starting preschool with hannah, and hopefully starting violin lessons for me. before we know it, it'll be thanksgiving. again, though we are tired and still overwhelmed with what needs to be done, we are together, we are grateful to be together and to be in our house, and happy!

before i get into our trip, the big news is that our closing is scheduled for tomorrow! so if it does go through this time, i will be a little busy for awhile. we've been unsettled for 4 months now, and assuming it'll take awhile to get resettled in our new house, we should feel better by the fall. and we are so ready for that.
ok, we covered an awful lot of miles during the 10 days we were away, but made it home in relatively good health (if incredibly sleep deprived, and somewhat low on patience) with all of our luggage intact. i used to really enjoy traveling, even flying. alas, there is no starbucks and a magazine anymore. we had really good itineraries both ways, with just the right amount of layover. people helped with the luggage, but it was still a miserable experience. especially on the way back, from toronto to wichita, going through customs in the airport: wearing charlie in the carrier, hannah and the carryons in the double stroller, balancng the 2 car seats on top, pulling our checked bag. so embarassing. why i still persist in wearing heels in such a situation is just beyond me. and why i have to take off charlie's shoes to go through security? seriously?

it was a good trip. so so so busy. i'd love to document it thoroughly, so we can
remember in the future, but i'm doing good to even get the pictures up right now. i'm supposed to be packing, but if i don't do this now i may never. soooo, above you see the first morning of our trip. auntie lara was incredibly gracious and helpful as we tore apart her beautiful new condo. hannah had an absolute blast playing with her cousins, even though she and parker act like brother and sister and fight quite a bit! coming from pratt (pop. 7,000 or something) to boston was fun: all the people, the food, the view from the apartment, the food, the trains, the food!

making forts out of the coffee tables.

unfortunately this is all the food i got a picture of! but the bakeries, oh my gosh. amazing stuff, made from scratch. if you ever go to boston, eat at flour bakery and cafe. sooooooooo good.

lar has lived in boston for 3 yrs now, she moved there just before hannah was born. she fell in love with her new city immediately, and has become pretty familiar with it. however, navigating the city with 5 small children is a whole nother ball game. we eventually got everywhere we were supposed to go. every 10 minutes meghan or i would say, " how do people with kids do it in this place?" :-)

i'm still surprised nobody got lost. not just boston but ottawa too. this was the train to and from the beach.

manchester by the sea is this little town on the coast, just like it says :-). if you ever flipped through a pottery barn magazine and said, who lives in beach houses like that? well, they're all here, in lovely manchester by the sea. i am not easily impressed, but this place was truly storybook.

in case anyone else is familiar with the area, this proves we were really there. this little spot is very close to the train station, then you have quite a hike to the beach, nearly a mile. our ice cream melted while we were trying to maneuver the double strollers up those hills.

but it was worth it! hannah and i hadn't been to the ocean in 2 yrs, and charlie never, so even though we were only there for a few hours it was a special occasion.

the kids entertained themselves really well.

i could not stop this kid from eating sand by the fistfulls. and you could tell, the next day!

we weren't even in boston for 48 hrs, then we headed out for canada. lara, the kids and i in one car, meg and her kids in the other. it was supposed to be a 7 hr trip, but turned into 10 1/2. crossing the border on the eve of canada day didn't help. of course we stopped for poutine at harvey's right across the border, too. charlie did not handle the trip well, maybe something to do with the copious amounts of sand he consumed. i would love to do that roadtrip again, under different circumstances. i adore new england, the picturesque towns, the food, the landscape.

such a male. only happy if he's behind the wheel!

in the midst of the charming antique stores, local food stores, beautiful farms, and farmers markets, a walmart truck pulled up beside us as we were waiting for the ferry. it kind of ruined my moment!

on the ferry across lake champlain. we got into ottawa really late, around 11.30. Hannah does not do well waking up in the middle of the night and not being in a bed. so waking up and being in a hotel, with lots of people but no daddy, she had a meltdown of all meltdowns. i was walking around trying to get situated and she was just holding onto me so tightly, i wasn't even holding her and i couldn't shake her off. thankfully my family helped me get the packnplays set up and everybody in their pjs. this was the first installment, more to come!