First Day of Kindergarten

Less than 30 minutes old, here are the photos from Elena going to her first day of Kindergarten.






(I am kicking myself for taking the small camera, not the good one because the pictures aren't in focus!!!!!)

Elena was up at 6am this morning (and midnight last night) in anticipation of the big day. She picked her clothes out. Bunny was stashed in the backpack for the first week. Lunch packed. Jake and I walked her (and our bikes) to school. We were told to say goodbye on the walk way where the kids get off the bus and not to go inside. so that is what we did. After she kissed us goodbye she walked all the way down by herself and right in the door. She didn't even glance back at us. We both managed not to cry, although I seriously thought I was going to have to get off my bike because I felt sick! I can't believe our little girl is a brave kindergartener.

We'll post full details later....but wanted to get the 'newsbreak' out right away.

Grandma Joan

Grandma Joan
AKA Cannonball Grandma, Garage Sale Grandma, Hip Grandma
April 12, 1934 - August 15, 2009

My favorite memories of Grandma Joan:
- Flying kites on the beach at Neskowin Oregon on vacation with my grandparents and my brother Seth when I was around 10 years old.
- Spying on Aunt Kim and Mom through binoculars to see if they had stopped for icecream on their walk
- Playing taboo and rummikub by the pool at Greaegle
- Egan kicking Grandma through my belly last summer as we snuggled on the couch
- The way she could say 'huh' and try to look innocent when she had done something - like hide the tootsie rolls
- That she rather than share her movie treats - always popcorn, diet coke, and junior mints - with you,she would just hand you money to buy your own. Even if you just wanted one sip, or a single junior mint.
- Having a Grandma who dressed so well that I loved to 'shop' in her closet
- When she and Grandpa Dwaine garage sale shopped for weeks and drove the pickup over to Santa Cruz to help me furnish my first apartment in graduate school
- That when ever she was with you, the perfect parking spot always magically appeared
- All of the weekends Jake and I would stay in Reno to ski in Tahoe and they would have dinner waiting for us
- Having all my grandparents at my PhD defense
- That Grandma and Grandpa never let a birthday, anniversary, or important event pass without a card. In fact the very day after Grandma died, we checked the mail to find Jake's birthday package.

Jake's favorite memory of Grandma Joan is when she accidently gave him Grandpa's winter coat as a present (she thought she'd bought it at a garage sale for $5) and then once we all realized what happened, tried to convince Jake to keep it. (he mailed it back, in case you were wondering)

Elena's favorite memory is going to the pool and getting her bike with a kids seat. (and I will also note that though she didn't mention it - she keeps all the musical cards that they have sent over the years and plays them until their little batteries run out).

Egan's memory of Grandma is through the gentle tummy rubs when he was still incubating and that his first piece of mail ever came from them.

Over the past few days I've unpacked enough boxes to find a few photo albums and the picture that Grandma Joan painted for me. It is extraordinarily difficult to not be with my extended family right now in Reno - I know they are all sharing some really wonderful memories.

You can read the her official obituary
http://waltons.lifefiles.com/registryMain.php?i_memorialid=1250546601&override=1024090316&PHPSESSID=73d605486ffc372f0334d52b3540c8bb

A few of my favorite pictures

Berenstain Bears Moving Day

Since Elena is a veteran of so many moves, we have a library of moving books to help with the transition. There are the little critters moving, books of maps, books about the places we have been and then are going. By far, the most popular is The Berenstain Bears Moving Day.

The Berenstain Bears live up in a cave on Great Bear Mountain - and though there are many wonderful things, it's time to move. Everything goes in the truck, but the friends. When the Bears arrive at their new home, they have a new little tree house, that needs a bit of work, but momma and poppa bear have 'big plans' (sound familiar?). The truck is unloaded and the bears start to settle in. Then they are greeted by their neighbors, the local bird, squirrel, and bear families come rushing to meet them with gifts of honey and nuts and there are tons of cubs to play with.

Now it is usually here in the story that we explain to Elena that your moving van is not met by hoards to people bringing gifts, it is just a way of showing that with time you will make new friends. That is unless you happen to be moving to Kutztown. In the first week that we arrived Kurt (new colleague and chair of the search committee that hired us) brought over a 6 pack of homebrew and a loaf of fresh bread, Lara and Sierra (new geology faculty who lives down the street with her daughter) brought an apple pie, Richard (next door neighbor) loaded us his pick up truck for a dump run, Jon and Perma (across the street) brought a coffee cake, Donna and Jim (across the alley) a plate of cookies, and, my personal favorite because it was hot and he heard we were painting, Earl (across the ally) brought us a cold case of miller lite (and really cold beer in PA is no small feat, we have learned). What am I forgetting? Oh yes, the cubs...within three houses, there are two other kindergarteners, a 2nd and 5th grader who run around in the evenings together catching fire flies and playing hide and seek. Elena used all her courage and ran off with them - to be rewarded with arms around her shoulders and pats on her back from the bigger kids before the screaming games continued.

Who knew that page of the book could be true.

Austin Highlights

The kids and I had a great time in Austin. A few highlights were:

**Warning blogger is doing some weird crop of my photos, so you'll have to use your imagination on some of them**

Having morning coffee/hot cocoa with Gram on the front porch and reading the paper.



Catching up with the Dennington Family.

Aaron and I were buds back in junior high and high school and have stayed in touch over the years.

He and his wonderful wife Jessica have three great kids. We met up at the pool one evening and the kids all had a blast playing together.

Titus, Elena, and Aaris hit it off right away and spend most of the evening running around like crazy.


While Skylyn and Egan just focused on hanging out and chewing on their hands.


Making popcorn in the popcorn machine with gram



Wagon rides in the back yard


Father's day in the park with Uncle Seth and Aunt Shell. Especially the part where uncle Seth backed into the fountain and got all wet!

Ktown and Beantown

After our whirlwind tour of Austin, Jake drove to meet us as the Philly airport (love that direct Southwest flight!) We took the nice drive (just a bit over an hour) to the Kutztown area. The next morning we closed on our house (see previous post), then enjoyed some time exploring our new stomping grounds.

Kutztown University has a great fountain to play in. The kids loved it. It is right outside Jake and I's office building. Why do I think we'll need to keep a towel and dry clothes in our offices?




Then it was off for a drive to Boston...My first trip to Beantown!...So that we could attend a wedding for Jason Warburg. Jake and Jason were best friends in 1st grade, so there were a lot of funny stories to hear. It was a nice time and we enjoyed the city a great deal!


We stayed at the Colonnade - it was a lovely hotel. Their 'mascot' is Collette the rubber ducky. There were extra duckies everywhere once they learned we had kids. Three in Egan's pack-n-play, on the bed, in the bath. And extras from the waiters at every meal! Egan thinks ducks are tasty.


Speaking of ducks...there's a family of ducks! We visited the much anticipated Make way for ducklings statues in the Boston Common and Elena took a swan boat ride with Big Opa.

Our House

is a very very very fine house.


With two [kids] in the yard.



It was not easy, there ended up being real estate lawyers involved, but on June 24th we closed on our first home! (and hopefully last--we aren't keen on repeating this process soon.)

It's a three bedroom 'oversized' cape (that's oversized for the 50's). One and half bath. The house has original plaster walls and arched doors. Wood floors in every room but the kitchen and bathrooms. Basement has been partially renovated (future playroom). Detached garage. It sits on a half acre, exactly between the Kutztown schools (elementary, middle, and high school) and our office building on campus. A five minute walk to each. Eventually (in the next two years) we will need to add on a larger kitchen, mudroom, make the full bath a half bath, and a 4th bedroom - but for now, we are just excited to get moved in! August 1st, here we come!

On Earth as it is in Austin....

If this is not a slice of brisket heavan with a mug of joy, I don't know what is.


I love it that my parents live in Austin, it is a fabulous place to visit. The kids and I have been having a wonderful time hanging out at the pool, eating at all my favorite spots (Artz, Maria's Taco Express, Amy's...just to name a few!), and getting spoiled by Gram and Opa. We've been able to hang out with friends and family. Yes, it is hot. Damn hot. Africa hot. I am reminded why I was glad to not spend my first summer here, but that is what cold Shiner is for, right?

A few select photos of our trip so far:

The kids dig in to their Artz Ribs at dinner with Uncle Seth and Aunt Shell. Egan liked the chopped beef and wonder bread. Elena liked the 'pig' and rootbeer.


Elena and Opa checking out the Austin Zoo (a rescue zoo). Up close and personal with the lions.


Egan goes to town in the Austin Children's Museum (very cool place!)


Elena takes in her first live music show at Maria's Taco Express while we wait for our order...it was Gospel Sunday with the Hippie Church playing.