Grandma was in town for the wedding and just left yesterday. I always enjoy getting to spend time with her; she's one amazing woman. Before she left we got a four-generations picture. It's so amazing to think of the legacy of strong, wonderful women that Emily has (and not just on my side, but on Joe's as well). Equally amazing to think of our maiden names and all that they symbolize: Caroselli. Fielhauer. Morgan. Langemann. There are such memories contained in those names. I am so grateful for the stories and the heritage that I've been given.
This boy celebrated his half-birthday on Tuesday: two and a half! He's growing up so much. He sings, talks on the phone, tells me stories, still loves his garages and trucks and fire engines. The slides at the park are a favorite. His latest occupation is to get out all the brooms and either ask me to sweep with him ("mommy broom?") or "vacuum" the floor with them, often using the wrong end. I'm relieved that he is starting to use a lower-pitched tone for his vacuum imitation.
We celebrated 10 months of Emily on Monday. What a little character she is. She's still not interested in normal modes of locomotion such as crawling, but she's learning to scoot herself around on her tummy or her seat. And she races all over in the walker. She's going to talk early, I think. She just started dropping things (intentionally) and looking up with brows furrowed: "Uh-uh!" Emily looooves her daddy and just about jumps out of her skin with delight when he gets home from work. Watching them dance together melts my heart. She's been getting a lot more interactive with her dolls, talking to them and playing with them.
I've been doing a lot more crocheting lately, preparing gifts for various friends and family. It's nice to put in a movie during naptime and work away. The above is what happens when I'm halfway through one project and decide that I really need to use that yarn for another posthaste: working from both ends of the skein at ones. Slightly awkward but certainly workable. I'll have to post pictures of some of my projects, once the designated recipients have them in hand.
Speaking of movies--I just watched the 2007 Persuasion. I've seen the old one (1995?) a couple of times but hadn't experienced the new yet. I was favorably impressed! Though I think that's because my expectations, set by various reviews I'd read, were quite low. Acting was good; Wentworth and Sir Walter stood out especially. Costuming overall good (though why were Anne's so very different than her family's in quality?), locations lovely. The pacing though...ugh. I felt like the writers, who so far had done well with accuracy, suddenly had to wrap it up posthaste. Cramming the last quarter to third of the book into one last mad run through Bath (in which one meets all the right people at all the right times!) just doesn't quite cut it for me. The iconic drawing room/letter writing scene, which was left out entirely (though the substance thereof was distributed throughout the movie) is much more...subdued, to be sure, but deeply heartfelt and subtly romantic.
Anna came over yesterday and watched Anne of Green Gables with me while the littles slept. Sister time is always good and it's treasured even more now that we're all growing up and getting jobs and husbands and kids and things like that. We drank tea and ate lots of biscotti...I think there were only two left on this plate by the time we were done. Left to right: chocolate espresso, almond with chocolate drizzle, anise dipped in chocolate. I just went to town with the chocolate while I had some melted. It's great on the almond ones, but the anise are so delicately flavored that the chocolate kind of overpowers them. Maybe not quite everything is better dipped in chocolate.
I'm going to wrap this up. It's been a long though good and productive day. My sweet man is finishing the dishes while I finish here and the kids are already in bed...time to brew some tea and do something relaxing. Cheers!
Rachel
Joe and I on a date at the lake this week
Whaat? Just watched Anne of Green Gables on Friday with Sarah. Reading Jane of Lantern Hill kinda put me in the mood for it. ;) Love reading your posts, as always!
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