Happy Halloween

Austin's work hosted a trick or treat and party for Halloween. The twins dressed as salt and pepper shakers. They charmed everyone:), and loved getting to see where Dada works and meeting his coworkers. 



Work horse

Special photo bomb by Addy. :)



Goodbye, apartment

We moved into our house last weekend, yay! Here is a picture of all of us outside the apartment. The one where no one is looking is great, so typical of life with two littles, a dog, and one on the way-and we love it!!

Little helpers

Who needs professional unpackers with these two around? :) I love that Addy is in on the action too!

A day at the park

The twins love to go to the park. They are mastering the slide. 






Pumpkin Patch

We took the twins to a local pumpkin patch. They had a calf, pig, lamb to view. The twins both said doggie when they saw each animal. There was a hay ride to the pumpkin patch, which they were a little unsure of but did great. 






Both

I love that work and play are the same at this age. 



Best Friends

They get me every time with their sweet hugs and love for each other. 

Stuffed

Both Alden and Asa love plush toys, the softer the better. Last weekend we went to ikea and, even though we couldnt take them home, they couldn't resist giving these dogs some love. 

To Everything

Today, Anna and I celebrate our eighth wedding anniversary.  We are not where we used to be.

In fact, we are in Atlanta, where I've taken a position with a law firm, and our home in Ohio is for sale.  These are recent developments, which happened quickly and, in some ways, unexpectedly.  We recently took a quick trip to the Ohio homestead to visit the house and some friends, and we were reminded that all things have a season.

When we left, there was a small nest in one of our trees, built by a red-breasted robin for her three beautiful light blue eggs.  That mother robin faithfully tended our yard for worms, sang songs for us in the mornings and evenings, and I was worried to find the nest on our driveway when we came home.  To be clear, I know absolutely nothing about birds and their life cycles - with the exception of what I learned about pigeons in this book.


I was worried that something would knock the nest out of the tree, and it looked like the day had come.  Turn, turn, turn.  I had been looking forward to visiting the home and seeing the little baby robins in the nest and the day they would spread their wings.  Now, all that I knew about the robins was on the ground and emptied of all but a thin layer of down. The robins hatched and flew off so quickly.

As it turns out, this nest was best suited for the little brood's early lives, to get the birds used to their new world and on their way to build their own nests and dig their own worms.  I was thrilled to find that mother robin had created an even larger fortress - cobbled together from twigs, lawn dander, and fake Easter basket grass.


The little nest had not been cast aside as useless.  It had served its purpose, and mother robin can now focus on the larger roost and the next round of chicks she would send to the skies.  Amidst all of this change, all is well in the Ohio tree limbs.

We have relocated our family to Atlanta, and we are looking forward to the new opportunities and relationships we will build here.   And if you know us, you know that we will continue to cultivate those relationships we have built in our various stops on our way here.

After eight years of marriage, we are celebrating the confluence of three major events in our lives (consciously avoiding a Pittsburgh/Three Rivers reference here).  First, we are celebrating eight years of building perennial relationships with each other, our family, and our friends and taking extraordinary and entirely ordinary adventures together.  Second, we are celebrating what will come in the next years with our new geographic location, the people Asa and Alden will become here, and the events that will occur here.

Finally, we are celebrating exciting and deep change in our lives.  To make the announcement formal, we are expecting to bring a new life into this world in early February 2014.    We will certainly provide more posts and information about the new baby, but it seemed fit to announce our excitement within the context of all that is happening.

We are becoming different people.  Growing and shedding, here and there.  I cannot imagine what I will be thinking in a year, when I sit down to draft the next anniversary post (note to self - it is the pottery anniversary).  Until then, to eight years.  To old nests.  To new nests.  To family and friends.

Hats

Thank you Harris family for our adorable hats! 




Unapproved

Austin and I went to do work, freshening up, on our house in Ohio. We were very blessed to have people help us with so much of the work, thank you! Here I caught Austin on the roof cleaning gutters. 

Too cool

Austin let Asa wear his sunglasses. Alden had an eye dr appointment last week. They dilated her eyes, so she got some cool shades to wear. (All is good with her eyes.) 

Bubbles







Best friends

Alden and Asa love hugs and kisses. Asa makes a sweet mmm sound when giving kisses and Alden puts her arms around your neck and her cheek on your cheek. It is the best thing in the world! It is super sweet when they give them to each other, which they do unprompted through the day, as captured below.