Linus Slideshow

We went to visit Grandma in the nursing home today.  I put together this slideshow and brought my laptop to the nursing home so Grandma could see pictures of Linus.  It's the first slideshow I've made, and I love it, so I thought I'd share it with everyone.

Make sure your volume is up so you can hear the music.  Enjoy!

Merlyn's Birthday List

Last Friday Merlyn picked me flowers and put them in a glass on the counter.  Next to them was a note which simply read "To Mommy. From Merlyn. Send a thank you note. Love, Merlyn".  She's been on a letter writing kick, and they're quite amusing.  I'll have to post a picture of one of them when I get my camera back (I lent it to a friend so she could take pictures of her brand new niece).

My beautiful flowers. 

Today Merlyn is home from school sick and she passed some time writing her birthday list.  I thought I would share it with you (exactly as written) so you can see what I mean when I say her writing is amusing.

Blank papers

a farmer's hat 

Barn Bots  (boots)

a pare of glovs

a baby Doll

a toy fone

a toy Arplan

Pant my room  (paint)

a webken  (Webkinz)

a fish

and fish stuf

and I want Iea cearem samwich cack   (ice cream sandwich cake)

          Love 

          Merlyn 

  Most of it doesn't even need translation.  Pretty good for a six year old!

Meeting Linus

On Saturday, September 18th, we drove to Vermont to visit the newest member of the family, and Kelley and Jason, of course!  It was also our first time seeing their new house, a cozy log cabin on the side of a mountain.

   

The kids meet their new cousin.

They can't take their hands off him!

 

Linus David was born 9/16, weighing 8lbs, 4oz. We had the honor of being able to share in his first days at home.

Merlyn and Berkleigh were very excited  to hold Linus for the first time.

So were Carter and Myles.

So were Bryan and I. 

I know you're asking, "Where's the picture of your first time holding this sweet baby?" Well, I did (of course!) hold him, and there is a picture of that first moment, but Bryan took the picture, and it was very blurry.  Unlike me (who takes dozens of shots of the same picture to account for closed eyes, unnatural expressions, etc) Bryan takes one picture and he's done.  So, instead of a picture of me holding Linus, here are a couple of pictures of Linus wearing the hat that I knit for him.

What a handsome model!

Comfy hat/warm head = sound sleep!

More pictures of Linus, just because I know many of you are starved for pictures, since (as Alison says) Kelley and Jason live in Narnia now.  Plus it's easy to take pictures of such a cute little man.

"Hhmmm..."

Look at the adorable frown lines!

Linus is precious.

The first of many traditional "cousin pictures".

Hopefully we'll be able to get more pictures soon.  It's been more than a week since we've seen Linus, and I'm sure he's changed already.  Congratulations to the proud new parents!

First Day of School, First Day of Renewed Blogging

This year's first day of school was quite memorable: it was Carter's first year of middle school, Berkleigh's first day of kindergarten, and my first day with absolutely no children in the house.  I'm still not accustomed to being alone in the quiet house, so I thought I'd start up the blog again with my extra free time.  I know some of you have continued to check back faithfully from time to time.  I thank you for your interest in my blog and apologize for my lack thereof!

Carter is in 5th grade this year, in the middle school, and has started playing the clarinet.  He rides an earlier bus (the other kids don't even get up until after Carter has already left) and is home almost an hour before the other three get home in the afternoon.  He and I are enjoying the time alone together; after all, the last time we had regular blocks of time with just the two of us was before he turned three months old.

Carter Gerald

Myles Raymond

I'll have to find the picture of Carter's first day of kindergarten so you can see how much both he and his tree have grown.





Myles is in 3rd grade now and is really doing well.  This year he is learning the recorder and having swimming in school.

Merlyn Rose

Berkleigh June

Merlyn is in 1st grade and absolutely loves school.  She has the same teacher that both boys had for first grade, which we are very happy about.  Notice her lack of top front teeth!




Berkleigh is in kindergarten and has the same teacher (who we love!) Merlyn had last year.

Since Berkleigh had never been to preschool and kindergarten is a whole day, starting school was a very exciting experience.  She had been impatiently awaiting school since last spring, but as the day approached she got a little nervous.  She's doing wonderfully now, though, and tells me she always has fun at school and never misses me at all.  Of course, that makes me both happy and sad!

Berkleigh's not quite sure.

Merlyn's ready.

Bryan and I drove the kids down to the road the first day since it was raining and we didn't know if the bus would be on time.  You can tell by the girls' faces as they watched for the bus how much more nervous Berkleigh was.

The bus is here.

Carter and I walked down the driveway to welcome the younger kids home the first afternoon.  When they got off the bus, Myles and Merlyn were busy watching the bus driver to see if it was okay to cross, while Berkleigh was busy waving to me.  It was very cute!

Myles, Berkleigh, and Merlyn getting home from the first day of school.

This year was the first time since Carter started kindergarten that I didn't have daycare kids and their parents waiting for the bus with us the first day.  It's been a little strange not to have a house full of kids, but I am enjoying the less chaotic mornings (and afternoons, and evenings!) with just my own kids.