annoucing...

Baby Bo is officially Cooper James Bowen. I will definitely put on pictures as soon as I can. What a week !! Both girls moving into their new homes down here in Phoenix. Kelly and Bo have been in an apartment here since July, and sort of forgot that when one moves one prepacks ones stuff in boxes. Throw in a brand new baby and his parents on a learning curve ( and they are catching on nicely.) Porters family traveled down to help with their move-in. Bo's family - those who aren't currently living in Arizona - came down as well. A fabulous turkey dinner was truly on the back burner this year..and thats ok. The weather has been devine..although the natives are complaining about it being chilly. Seriously?! It feels lovely.
I have taken pictures, and I Will get them on.
My blessings, and the gratitude I feel for all of them have never been more apparent than they were this year.

baby bo

WELCOME LITTLE ONE !! After laboring since friday, Kelly finally gave birth to baby bo at 3:15 pm this day...november 23rd...her actual due date. The baby remains un-named, but odds are on "Dallin" for at- very least- the middle name. He is a very charming little guy. Kelly was simply beaming with him in her arms. As the post-partum nurse settled the two into their room for the night, she said to Kelly "do you feel as good as you look?" And so true - Kelly looked absolutely fabulous even without make-up on and having just gone through a marathon of labor. I loved seeing this new beginning for her and papa bo...she seemed to be taking to the motherhood role beautifully. So glad the little man is finally here - we feel complete again.

vital statistics : 6 lbs 15 ounces....20 3/4 inches....little bit of hair....ten fingers and ten toes

Hopefully a name tomorrow !

summer memories..

It is snowing..I am already nostalgic about last summer. What an amazing summer it was. What a lucky gal I am. Blessed with a fun-loving husband and a big chunk of wide open time. The children were done with another school year,no one was on a sports team and Kevin wasn't working. So why not write up a list of places we have always wanted to see, or go back to and share with others. And that is what we did..hit the road running with the whole dang summer Open in front of us. We paced ourselves and far from exhausting, the adventure became energizing. What better way to spend our money ( after writing out the Waterford tuition check of course ) than to see America with our family?!! I will never regret that we took this time and had ourselves a Real adventure.

There are so many new things to see in this world ! Imagine experiencing Both the Redwood National Forest and Acadia National Park in the same summer ! It was wonderful to let the little goats see Boston, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine for the first time. To see how incredibly different the northeast is from home.One only truly understands this first hand. To visit historical sites from Concord&Lexington, to the John F Kennedy library and Fenway Park.

We traveled by plane, car, kayak, bus, hydro-jet, subway and tram for a total of 20,000 miles (includes a parental finale in Hawaii.) The dogs were the least excited about our travel plans since they had to stay home! I really wish that they could have come to Tahoe with us..they would have Loved the lake. Even in Tahoe, with all our traditional " have-to's" we found new and wonderful things this year.

Allrighty..some of the-best-of-the-best..

1. The art supplies at the University of Oregon's student bookstore..FABULOUS !!

2 . A funky little beach in Kauai COVERED with sea glass- WOW.

3. Kayaking on Long Pond in Maine.

4. Finding this little restaurant way late at night in Tahoe..an old ski cabin that someone turned into a dining spot..complete with twinkle lights in the trees and Excellent food.

5. Being so Impressed with the classic charm of Dartmouth..beautiful.

6. Whiskey Town lake in No. Cal. Why have I never even heard of it?!! Absolutely gorgeous.

7. How darling javalinas are when they trot/bounce along a desert skyline.

8. Wondering if sharon Vermont is THE most beautiful place in America.

9. Sailboats in the late afternoon sun ,they are the definition of summer.

10 .How many stunning shades of blue are there ? Each state has its own particular hue.

11. Is seafood better in Maine or Hawaii ? Not sure, further investigation is needed !!

12. Are blueberries or pineapple the best fruit ?! ( see #11 )

The list goes on and on..and i wouldn't have known any of it without traveling. My cup of gratitude runneth over. Thanks Kev..

Even in Tahoe, with all our traditional " have-to's"we found new and wonderful things to do

oak trees and november sunshine

This entry finds me in Sacramento. Kevin's father dick passed away on the 29th, and we are all out here for the funeral. Kevin has been out here since last monday when the doctors disn't think he would make it through the day. He lasted the week on a morphine drip,but no feeding tube. Not the best way to go...hard on his immediate family standing vigil - they could have used a morphine drip by mid-week as well.

My mom had her 85th birthday in the middle of all this, and even Kevin was saying," I hope he doesn't pass on her actual b-day. She gets rather - I don't even know what the right word is here - about these kind of things. So my mind has been all caught up in dying,death and reactions. Years ago, ok decades really, my best friend mom died on my mom's birthday. Not just next-door-neighbors but inseperable buddies she and I. My dad brought home a brand new deep cooper colored Grand Prix for moms birthday. It was a very sweet gesture of course - just rather awkward timing. The Allens were flooded with family and friends coming to the house to see how the family was doing etc. Holly and I were in second grade. She finally escaped the sadness/tears/cheek-pinching and came up to myhouse. And there we were oohing and ahhing over moms new car. When they left us alone we got in the car and shut the door. I was trying to say how sorry I was about her mom, and of course at 8 years old doing a lousy job. She starting crying again and so did I...and then suddenly we were crying/laughing and completely unable to stop. I remember us saying how glad we were that the doors were closed and no one could hear us. It wasn't at all mean spirited - more like a release, and not knowing what else to do.

Reacting to death is complicated..its messy..it is so personal. One of my little goats was feeling bad that he didn't cry when we told him gramps had died. Oh yes, reacting to death is also a real guilt swirly. I tried to reassure him that everyone responds differently..and honestly ever death that occurs in one's life is a new experience. With Dick, most of us are just so glad that he is out of pain and his worn-out body.Dick was crazy about his first family and childhood in Pangiutch..and I like to picture his mom and siblings welcoming him home. It is hard to cry when he is in such a good place now.

Oh, this indian summer weather brings back great memories !! An outstanding time of year, when we headed back to Berkeley. Typically after four months of working hard at a summer job and being away from my Theta gals, I would be Beyond psyched to get back across the bay. It always started the same..with Rush Week. Unlike fraternities drunken revelies , the sororities put on these elaborate parties with themes and flower arrangements and lovely food. They were super organized and had been planned out in minute detail for months. It was intense and all-consuming, but it was also a wonderful bonding time and tons of fun. In particular, the Rush of our junior year is one of my All favorite time memories. You know how seniors are all ready to finish and move on..yeah, it was like that x10..our class ruled the house. Not to mention that our class was just the best group of women- I mean seriously outstanding and way cool. The stars alined when this group came to the Theta house..they are probably still talking about us!! I was the Rush Chairman and Murph was, of course, my constant right-hand gal. We would opened the door at 2723 Durrant and charm the throng waiting out front,"Welcome to the Theta house..please come in". Like I said it was very organized from the ( well..what were they called?!)university org. side too. Hundreds of girls who had signed up and then were housed in a nice hotel..put into groups and then went from house to house,meeting girls,trying to be at their best Without being snobby (ok, certain houses liked those who were snobby.) And then at an appointed time I -as well as the Rush chairmen in every other house - would say how lovely it had been having them but our time was up, and they would move onto another house.The first two days were brutally long because you were going to every house, but then the "cuts" came and every ensuing day you only go back to the houses that invited you. It gets down to two houses and then the girl chooses which house she wants to join. It worked both ways however, and the girl rushing can "cut" your house as well. Oh yeah..intense. so why was it SO much fun?!!! After the daily parties, we fortified ourselves and sat down to Hours of discussion and voting..more often than not into the wee hours of the morning. Then we had to get the next days party ready (think- themes) and do it all over again. We just weren't sleeping. Those nightly sessions were accompanied by a slide show with each rushee's picture that would come up and then I would say,"who met her today" and then we would discuss her. This is going to be hard to picture but I would make comments after each picture- mostly humorous ones. Oh yes, I was ON. The whole group was having such fun. No, of course, there were those individual gals who probably thought I was so obnoxious and out-of-control. I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt and acknowledge that...but WOW it sure was Fun!! I love those sisters..and we all knew this was our time because soon all those girls that we were working so hard on getting were going to move into our house and change the dynamics. I least that is how I saw it. I was nostalgic and liked things just they way they were. So I lived each moment to the max that week and perhaps always.Because I am eternally nostalgic. And when indian summer rears it lovely head, my heart goes back to Berkeley and my eyes get misty.

Lake Tahoe 2010

Tahoe is magical. Not only for Kevin and I, but now it holds a place in our children's hearts as well. Our first week there was full of family-including my siblings- and sun and activities. Then people had to trickle back to school and work. It wasn't just our group. California schools started earlier than usual, and our second week there was so quiet. The temperatures cooled off too. The end of summer eminent...but what a great summer it was. Kerriann began her 12th grade year by missing the first three days of school-wow, senioritis setting in early !! We made the most of each remaining day..and really it was lovely The kayaking was devine-the lake is so crystal clear ( Keep Tahoe Blue.) Our place was right on the beach. We kept the kayaks right outside the front door and it was so easy and lovely to just take them out whenever the urge came. We rented a speed boat one day, and that was fun but I so prefer the kayaks. I love all the traditional things we do (float down the truckee, hike northstar,go to the bridgetender for an alfresco lunch,kings beach marathons etc.) but it is just as great to find wonderful new items ( funny how most of that revolved around food/restaurants!! but some real yummy ones.) We love Tahoe!

Kelly is 6 months along and hiding the little Bo in baggy sweatshirts. She feels great and is still our energizer-bunny.

Baby Jane took her first hike at Northstar and did really good. ok, her mom was the Real trooper!!

next oops

So, my cell phone is missing. As I was about to fly down to arizona, Kevin says I need a phone, and offers up Denvers. How sweet. Well, now I have gone and misplaced that one. Wait, it gets worse. So I borrow Dallins and -BAM- yeah, that is missing too. Am I cursed, or what is going on?!! Now when I use Bo's phone he wont let me leave the room. Aside from that it has been great to see the kids. Their place is so clean and organized-definitely Bo's good influence. We went floating down the salt river on inner tubes. Gorgeous view-oh man. I really stood out in this floating crowd though...1. I was the oldest gal out there by a good 10-20 years (except a few hippie women but I am not putting myself in that category..yet) 2. I was -for sure- the only person wearing a one piece swimsuit ( bringing modesty to the salt river"several" pounds at a time!!) and 3. I was definitely the only person without a tattoo or 100 of them all over my body. But I was ok with all that and just had mucho fun. We have had lots of yummy food. Enjoyed a farmers market and gone shopping at cool spots. And I haven't even been to Smeeks orFrances yet.