Words.

Hi. Are you still here? Coming to The Hut? Life around here has been busy and full and we have been sick and healthy and sick again and you know, I have an unpublished post waiting in the queue-something I wanted to share with you that I've been working on but all this sort of is irrelevant because a friend of mine, Amy, has horribly and tragically died in a car accident. So sudden, so painfully sad. I will miss her because, well, of course any reason you would miss a friend but you know, you can't imagine how lovely Amy's spirit is. And the thing I think of every time I close my eyes or wake up or sit quietly in any space since her accident is this: that darkness in grief, that split second of realization and then lingering period of complete agony of not having this person in your physical space anymore, that scary cavern of empty space where she no longer is, that fear of life without her, that list of unanswered questions, that questioning why her, that not being able to say goodbye? Amy's family feels that right now. It makes me physically ill to know people I care about are hurting like this. I've been there feeling that and it's just awful. Anyways, maybe more on this later (I'd sure like to share some fun stuff about Amy)...maybe not. This wound is fresh and has privately torn open an old one for me.

Escape To Alcatraz.

What do you ask for your 10th birthday if you are Savannah? To go the Alcatraz with your best friend! So early Saturday morning Savannah and I picked up Wrenna and Krista and headed off to the city. Because it is Fleet Week in San Fransisco we knew the traffic would be crazy, we took the ferry.

Little and big Girls were spooked by the haunting audio tour inside the prison.

We all marveled at the view of the bay from this standpoint. Such breathtaking views.

We returned to the piers just in time for an incredible air show! The girls splashed in the water while Thunderbirds, Blue Angeles and a biplane performed ridiculous tricks and stunts in the bay.

Savannah's request for lunch was to eat at Greens. Our food was delicious and the view, lovely.

 

Thank you Savannah for choosing a fantastic way to celebrate a big birthday and to Krista and Wrenna for joining us in the fun.

Gardenwood.

Tara's new house in Poulsbo has a name! I swoon at a property with a name, don't you? The previous owner and builder of this lovely spot was a Master Gardener. The acreage is lush and vibrant, curated meticulously with a variety of plants, trees, flowers, fruit and vegetables. There is a tree house, rope swing, island with moat(!), acreage enough for a hike, barn, ponds, large living space...

(Tara on a hike around property)

AND A SHE SHED!! Yes, Tara has her own little cottage! Previously a potting shed, I can't wait to see what she makes of it.

I cannot tell you how lovely a feeling it was to sit at Tara's kitchen table and chat over coffee while Littles played nearby. Such peace and comfort to drink from those same mugs and share in the newness of this Washington life.

Oh, and Georgia (one of the Morris' cats) made herself right at home in Ivy's suitcase. I guess she needed a little bit of Camino to feel at home.

Seattle Trip.

Ivy and I flew North to Seattle for a few days, reuniting with our best girls Tara and Olive. This is our first trip together, just the 2 of us. So lovely to connect with Ivy in a way I could not have done at home.





Ivy and Olive headed to Pike's Place.

Gum Wall.

Tara! So good to see this face.

Dahlias aplenty.

Balloon Man.

Ferry to Bainbridge Island, on our way to Tara and Olive's new house.

A perfect Autumn day. Space Needle in the distance, beyond these silly Little Girls.

10.

Savannah Jane is 10 years old! She was awake and ready to meet this new year at 5:30 this morning. There has been a lot of anticipation about this birthday. She has been squeaking her seal call (a excited sound she started making at 6 months old) bouncing around the house in excited expectation of this day.

She wanted me to make Whoopie Pies to share with her class, but told me this after I had already made chocolate-dipped meringues. She really didn't care too much but then her teacher forgot to celebrate her birthday during school! SO, I guess the treats have to wait until tomorrow. Speaking of school...it is ridiculously sad and difficult for me to send My Littles to school on their birthdays. I hate spending the majority of the day away from them. It was brutal this morning to see Savannah go. 

Tonight we celebrated with homemade cheesecake, brownies and ice cream. Grandpa Dan, Sylvia and The Potter's came for dessert and in celebration of this sweet girl. 

I can't believe she is 10 years old...
Happy Birthday Savannah Jane!

A Little Problem

Ivy swallowed a key. Yep...a key. Her diary key to be exact. And no, I don't know why. But once it happened, absolute panic ensued. Ivy scream-crying at me, Savannah crying on the couch and Goo right at my side, in confusion. Ivy ran from living room to bathroom while I called an advice nurse and trembled in slow motion. While holding for the nurse, all 3 Littles sat on the couch. Ivy clinging to Savannah asked, "Savannah, am I going to die? I don't want to die right now. Can I have one last hug?" Then both Little Girls crumbled into a sobbing mess. It was heartbreaking. When Tim got home a few minutes later, we loaded up The Littles and drove to the Emergency Room. Since the key isn't lodged in her esophagus and looks to be headed through the digestive system without any trouble so far, Ivy will have to pass it naturally. We are so relieved. And so I am on stool patrol for the next 3-5 days. Yep. I consider myself lucky as this is the very first time any of My Littles has swallowed a foreign object, at least that I know of anyway.

Hope Valley.

This weekend we met up with our college friends-The Whitcomb, Evans and Chinnock families- in Hope Valley for our second annual camping trip. There were 19 of us all together, it was such fun!

We took a small hike following the river alongside the campground. Littles waded, fished, held snakes and frogs. We hunted for treasures like broken glass pieces and carving sticks. Ivy and Abby painted rocks and glass pieces, Little boys rode bikes and climbed trees.

"Mister Fix It"

Tim's favorite: Games! These buddies playing "Puerto Rico".

Littles playing games too.

Right before we all headed home, we found an old dump site. Broken glass and rusting cans exposed to the elements. Littles thought it all treasure and collected their favorite pieces, mementos of such a fun time together.