We don't mess around.

Since we decided to stick around Rochester for a bit longer, we bought a house.

Just like that.



The opportunity fell into our laps, and we decided to jump on it. We are in escrow, with the estimated closing date of April 30, should everything go smoothly.

It may have been the awesome turquoise half bath that really cemented it for us.


Or the big 0.45 acre lot where our children will run wild and barefoot for as long as the weather permits.

So, we are up to our armpits and eyeballs (R1 and K1, respectively) in painting, flooring, refinishing, and decorating plans. And W1 has already scoped out the backyard for the ideal tree house spot.

L1's third birthday

On February 27th, we celebrated L1's birthday.

When I offered to make him a cake for his birthday, he said no. When I offered to take him to Wegman's to pick out a birthday cake, he answered yes quite emphatically. I might have been hurt, and felt that my baking skills had been slighted, had I not been so relieved.


And then, with no prompting from me, he picked out a delicious coconut cake. Such good taste for one so young.

He was a little excited about his gifts.


His favorite gift was W1's beloved (but outgrown) "Space is the place" t-shirt, which W1 had reluctantly and tearfully wrapped up.

February is the longest month, don't tell me differently.

I feel a bit like we are hibernating, or at least that we should be hibernating...

But since hibernating involves lots of sleeping, and we certainly aren't doing lots of sleeping, it must be something else.

Things-we-do-to-ignore-the-snow-and-bitter-cold-outside?

1. Bathe.


2. Find H1 on top of the dining room table six thousand times a day. Set H1 back on the ground six thousand times.


3. Take W1 and a friend to see the Eastman Wind Ensemble.


4. Celebrate R1's birthday.


5. Family exercising. W1 is surprisingly coordinated. H1? Not so much.

thanks g. and g.

For the V-day cards.

They were a hit!

What to do when the wind chill is below zero?

Bring a bucket of snow inside and dig, move, carve, sculpt and eat it.



And then put it in cups and melt it on the heating vent, watching the temperature as it changes.


He's a science nerd already.

Our work here is done.

San Gimignano, Italy

A perfect medieval hilltop town. It's known for it's towers, 14 in all. This was one of my favorite days in Italy (although, if you asked me, I might say they were all my favorite.) It was sunny, we had a great little town to explore, and we got to climb to the top of a tower for some stunning views.


This town is also where we got to buy L1 a new pair of shoes. We had searched in vain all morning for one shoe that had mysteriously disappeared. Carrying him on our backs could only work for so long...



The Palazzo Comunale, built in the 1300's, contains a museum and the tallest tower. We climbed the many steps to the top. I may have seen R1 hugging the wall a bit when we got there, but don't tell him I told you.



Beautiful, no?

On the ground floor of the building is a courtyard dating from 1323, decorated with the coats of arms of those who held public office there.


And a well, for convenience. And for little boys to yell into to hear the echo.


Oh, and the shoe? We found it later that night, wedged between the mattress and bed frame of our bed, covered with the comforter. Apparently that is where you put things if you don't want anyone to find them.

In fact, that's where I'll be hiding the Christmas presents next year.

Family Pictures from October 2010

High time I shared these, eh? This was the first time we had professionally taken family photos, and I am so very very glad that we did.

As you can see, H1 was, and continues to be, the star of the show.