Quiet Time

I've needed some quiet time away from blogging to gather myself, take care of my family, and just plain be without worrying about getting the right photo or writing the perfect description to catalog the events in our lives. I know it's been a long time since I've expressed myself here. I keep coming here and wondering if I even know how any more. I'll start with some pictures . . . mostly of Hannah, of course.

Hannah visits her cousin's first grade class and fits right in . . . 

 

My favorite birthday card:

 

 My 27th birthday at the Cheesecake Factory:

 Kevin is commissioned into the US Marine Corps, and the "three little boys" don't look so little any more:

Hannah keeps her cousin Rivers entertained . . . 

 

 The technicolor dreamcoat . . .

 

 Hair just out of curlers . . .

 

Lunch at my favorite Greek restaurant after grad school auditions:

 

And last but not least, some crafts that have occupied my time:

I think I'll close with the rainbow dragon. He represents what my life has been lately . . . colorful, precious, and a little scaly. What? I have much to catch up on - the job hunt, the journey toward grad school, more potty training anecdotes (I know these are what people really come here to read), and maybe, just maybe, a little philosophy and introspection. That is my empty promise . . . for now. :)

8 weeks, 6 days and 13 hours later . . .

No excuses, except I have a life! Here's what's in it:

1. Hannah looks like this:

. . . and it kills me to see her getting so pretty, so big, so fast.

2. We went to the Renaissance Festival and met these guys:

 . . . and Hannah got to ride an "Element."

3. Halloween looked something like this:

Hannah couldn't choose between the dragon costume, the tutu, and the butterfly wings, so we told people she was a "dragon-fly."

4. I've been crocheting a lot. Unfortunately I can't post many pictures because I'm giving my projects away as Christmas gifts, but here's a preview of cuteness to come:

 

5. Hannah has been working hard on Christmas gifts as well. Here are some sneak peeks of her beautiful watercolor work:

6. We had a new addition to the family for about a day. A little woolly bear caterpillar we affectionately named "Hairy." Hannah still asks about him long after we set him free.

7. I submitted my application for grad school yesterday! Yay!