I am the girl who had a stamp collection at seven years old and a life long pen-pal at eleven. I have stayed in touch with friends as they moved across country or overseas and wrote love letters galore to Joe while living in France (a box full- I swear). I am currently in themidst of a postcard project with a friend and have a letter to write back to from Judy in SF. I love mail!

And now it looks like that is being passed along to Paul who was dying to have a pen pal. So he decided his first attempt would be a good friend in Pasadena who he sent a letter to last week.

She is his only friend with a treehouse and he is super jealous. He also refused to write “love” because “she’s a girl.”

Today he got a reply.

Yay for the beauty of mail. The waiting is part of the fun and he is eager to write back, even when I suggested giving her a call. He is opting for a letter with a stamp please.

for my dear friend Melissa in collaboration with some of her friends – We pulled it off.
Olivine was very confused about this baby. She did wind up snagging it’s pacifier  (Her first one every and no we didn’t bring it home).
I am thrilled to have been invited to join the fun of planning and crafting and shopping and designing. I think this could totally be my job in another life: party planner.In these days of homework and grading and cooking and cleaning and being a grown up with many responsibilities, I have had a break over the last couple weeks as I set aside time to thinking up the details.And there were many…handmade of course
The DIY of the baby shower was selecting a book we provided and writing a baby dedication inside- to build a library for this little one.
There were decorations along the theme
games: “Match bible babies to their parents”all very “literacy based”- this was the get to know you gameit is what my master’s degree is in folks..come on..I wasn’t going to blind fold anyone or make anyone act crazy. I much more prefer to stick to what I know: reading and writing. This game “Alternate Titles to Children’s Books” like the Unattractive Aquatic Bird also could be The Ugly Duckling. Lots of fun and yup..I am a nerd.Four games in total that each were rewarded with a library pocket card, due date included. I tucked a Starbuck’s gift card inside.There were favors
and yes macaroons are gluten free as wellattached to a bookmark with a quote I love.
Her mom took care of the food- including the gluten free cake
and opened up her living room. She had homemade kiefer on hand for many of us to try.She even sent me home with a bottle (Yum!)We had a sharing “momma wisdom” time and there were tears and laughter. At the end of it all I feel like “mission accomplished” because so many of us love this baby and couple and this is just one way we wanted to gather together to bless them.

A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

I used my costume from last year to wear to work. We had a parade and a “trunk or treat” event. We went out trick or treating around 6:30 pm in the neighborhood.
Grammy bought them each a glow stick that kicked off the night.Paul was the most nervous and cautious of the decorations. He’s not too fond of the blood, bones, witches, sights, and sounds that are creepy.Papa came back from the store while we were out and Olivine was done with walking and the stroller.
She was even done with saying “candy.” She just wanted to play with the cool light ring that was passed out. So he put her on the bike seat.Papa told the little ones he had to go up a mountain on his bike to see a witch and so when we came back from trick or treating he showed them the drink she gave him.Be careful baby girl (she has no idea that there is dry ice in there). Momma loves the last minute Papa stories he weaves for these babies. But even more ,I love that they didn’t believe him. They told him there was no such thing as a witch and that it was green fruit punch. But they loved it just the same.