It was a great trip. We have widdled our Minnesota trips down to just one or two in the summer for cabin fun and once for Christmas. I must say it's so nice to go without much agenda, just to enjoy and relax a bit. Ian and I were able to go to TWO weddings WITHOUT our children. The girls had SO much fun with their grandparents and cousins, Felix too of course. We enjoyed hunkering down on the cold rainy days and getting out and playing on the crisp bright ones. I took a long run one morning along a path I used to take in cross country. It was gorgeous, wonderful, fun fun fun.
More than any other trip in the last 6 years this trip truly felt like the beginning of something new, a homecoming of sorts. We were able to see most all of our best old friends from college. Reconnecting felt so good. It's so easy to get so bundled up in our family cocoon down here, too easy to assume everyone else has changed and grown so much, when really? we all stay pretty much the same. It all felt so delightful and refreshing and warm and fuzzy.
The Friday before we headed home we took a day trip to Stillwater. It's a place on our radar for a potential move and we wanted to check it out. We drove the hour from my parents' house, looping around the cities and up along the St Croix. We dove down the steep streets to the riverfront, the main strip of town, and completely fell in love.
The town is vibrant but quaint. Main street is lined with adorable shops, a DQ for Ian, a food co-op and knitting shop for me, coffee for us all, book and toy stores for the kids. We ate lunch at Smalley's where I had the best BBQ sandwich I've ever had (and I've had a lot). We then got back in the car and drove around, seeing lots of for sale signs in front of adorable beautiful 100 year old homes. We're smitten. When we got in the car on Sunday to drive home it's the first time in years that I felt sad about leaving, like we were heading further from home, rather than towards it.
Now we're back and I feel at peace. Before our trip I was so frazzled about the what ifs and whens of this next year, but now I just know it will fall into place. My panic has calmed and my heart has settled. Right now I am thankful for here and fall and a great trip behind us and lots of fun in front of us.
And right now right now...
LOTS of making.
Ainsley's finished In Threes
new mittens whipped up last night when the need for new ones arose, made from my stash with a simple hand traced pattern.
perhaps my favorite kind of making, necessary, adorable, quick and well loved (ainsley slept with hers on)
A luuk for the girls (my new favorite hat pattern for sure)
Felix's new luuk necessitated by the accidental felting of his gray one, made from the leftovers of Ainsley's new sweater (alongside fresh bakery bread and pumpkin donuts because that's just how we roll on Tuesdays)
Halloween costumes in construction...really hoping at least a few people will recognize our little Totoro crew...they are SO cute
a cleaned out knitting basket still filled to the brim. Louise's 3/4 finished In Threes, a third luuk cast on, yarn for Felix's Christmas stocking, Ian's sweater vest, my cap sleeve Tea Leaves ...oh boy, LOVING all the making going on.
As for the kiddos? They are great. A bit sad to leave all their beloved family in Minnesota, but happy to be home. The past two days of school have gone so well, they missed their friends and teachers. Ainsley May wrote her first book on the drive to and from. She illustrated the pictures, then I wrote her dictations for the first three pages and she wrote the last half all on her own, sounding out words letter by letter with us most of the way home on Sunday. I am so thrilled for her excitement learning how to read and write. It's such a marvel to watch.
Louise still has her sass pants on at some point most days, but is the same old happy gal underneath. She is so snuggly lately and wants to be held lots. I take her up on that every chance I get. She is very into her numbers right now and loves to count and do simple math. Perhaps Ainsley will be our linguist and Louise our mathematician? It's so fun to watch them grow.
And Felix boy just popped her first tooth yesterday! Thank goodness, I feel like it's been coming for two months straight. He's still not sleeping well at all so we finally decided to let him cry a bit at night. It's been hard but more sleep for all is worth it. I tried to introduce some formula to him while we were in Minneosta to see if it would help him sleep better to have a big bottle before bed and he HATED it. Spit it out and looked at me like "what are you giving me?!!?!?!" Ahh my boy, so easy and sweet in most ways, SO difficult in others. I'm blazing a trail here with him since both girls happily took bottles at 6 months. I guess it'll just be him and me for some time longer! He must know he's my last little baby, making sure we both get our fill while we can.
Ah home, and my favorite time of year and my happy little family. Life is pretty good right now. I hope the same for you all!
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