Busy Fall

During the first week of September, the four of us flew in an airplane to New Hampshire to visit Melinda's father. It was the first time we had been back there in 3 years! The last time, Melinda was pregnant with Sequoia. It was a good visit; we were reunited with some old friends and family and the Keene Baha'i community. We also had a couple of adventures such as a trip to Green Acre. We saw the new Reimer Hall and we were able to go into Abdu'l-Baha's room and say a few prayers together. (Sequoia decided to hand us every prayer book on the table.) The kids loved rolling down the hill. After Green Acre, we spent time at the beach and saw an amazing sunset and the kids had their first tastes of Maine lobster. (Sequoia thought she liked the lobster -Tristan thought it was gross.. )

When we came home, our cucumbers had just about doubled in size during that week! (We really enjoyed our summer project of planting a vegetable garden) -We are still eating tomatoes..even in late October. Tristan has now added growing plants to his favorite things to do, besides playing with balloons, painting, and riding his bike.

Life "got hectic" very soon after our trip to NH. Tristan started back to his preschool-transitioning very easily this year. He was very happy with his new teacher and being able to play with his friends who he missed during the summer.

We also started having a neighborhood Baha'i school in our home. Mike and Melinda teach a 0-5 children's class upstairs every Saturday morning while someone else faciliates an adult ruhi one class downstairs. We had to finish unpacking boxes downstairs to make more room for the class. We had put the moving-in process on hold so we could "play" a little this summer-now, we feel much more settled. Mike unpacked his drums and now has a place to drum (those drums haven't seen light for 3 years!) Melinda also has a place to do some artwork if she can make the time to do it! In her spare time she has discovered http://www.facebook.com/ and been reconnected with many old friends. It has been a wonderful journey of reconnecting with her life "before kids" It's like rediscovering email all over again.

Now after nearly 2 months since the NH trip; we are hoping to find some time to play again. Our weekends have been almost completely filled with important events to attend-birthdays, a wedding (Congrats Tia!), a memorial, etc.. We started this past Sunday with a trip to the Pumpkin Patch and on Monday night, Mike and Melinda went on a date!

Very recently, Melinda's cousin, Nancy had her first child-Anna Remembrance Gunter! We hope to go up to Olympia soon to meet her! After we do that; perhaps we'll finally take a trip to the Oregon coast for a day.

Also in December, we are looking forward to celebrating our 7 year anniversary by taking a weekend trip while Grandmama watches the kids!