christmas in manhattan

"Home" brings a lot of different images to mind. Clint and I have had three homes since we got married and each of us has had 20+ prior to joining forces. For us, home is wherever we are together, especially now that we make three. With the last two years in Manhattan we decided to give Christmas here a try. It was filled with lots of new firsts for us as we merge family traditions and start some of our own. We couldn't help but feel that Manhattan is actually starting to feel like our home. We also had a few days in Salt Lake between Christmas and New Years where we were fortunate to get time with some of my family and all of Clint's. Always a highlight!

Christmas love and bundling (hooray for Leroy and Meli)

Christmas joy

Christmas for Clint (front row seats at Jazz v Sixers--thanks, Joel!) and a 2nd Christmas for Josie

Christmas feasting, here at a Hassell family gathering to celebrate my mom's birthday; Josie finally got to meet my sister and her family who were kind enough to meet up with us for a few hours on their way home to Iowa

autumn reminiscing

We're a bit late in posting these pictures, but we can't resist--it was such a beautiful fall and now reminds us that, yes, spring will be here some day! In bleak January we now miss our regular outings in the mild weather we had all the way through Thanksgiving. The trees all turned brilliant shades of yellow, orange, and red. We decided to stay home for Thanksgiving and were fortunate to have Annie and Cameron (Clint's sister and her husband) join us from Boston. Our first time preparing the whole meal and it was a success--no one left hungry, not even the fish.

Our first "official" family photos--Josie was quite cooperative

Such edible cheeks!

Lots of walks, stroller time, and a visit to the Kandinsky (one of Clint's favorites) exhibit at the Guggenheim

Thanksgiving for us and for the fish

fall, foliage, and family

It is difficult to believe that not only is fall upon us, but it is nearly the end of October. We have had some amazing Indian summer days (one fortunately coincided with our first professional family photo), but some cold, drizzly ones that make me wonder what winter will bring. But the cooler weather brings brilliant colors to Central Park, lots of excuses for hot chocolate, and a chance for Josie to attempt (and sometimes succeed) to eat the fallen leaves. Recently some of Clint's family was in town. We had a great time relaxing with them and Josie enjoyed all of the extra attention.

Josie continues to amaze us as she grows and develops. Her favorite activity is pulling her books from the shelf and then "reading" them with me. She continues to pull herself up at every opportunity, and has recently decided she can stand on her own--of course, this never works very well, but that doesn't stop her from trying. (We think she practices in her bed... Seriously.)

Josie's music class--which one does she like more?

Guess how many times a day she does this?

Trips to Central Park and to art galleries where we found art we could touch, play, and eat

Lots of enjoyment both indoors and out (clearly, sometimes we have more success with her hair than others)

Game time and aunt and uncle time

Good food and good company

grandparents, golf, and growing

September began with a week in Florida to golf a few holes, and my parents graciously agreed to watch Josie while we were gone. It was our first time leaving Josie overnight and she couldn't have been in better hands - they say she never fussed! She immediately took to my parents, got to know some uncles, aunts, and cousins, and learned to sit up on her own. I guess we know who she'll be going to when she gets into those terrible two's...

Florida was wonderful, though "a few holes" of golf was a bit of an understatement. Together with two other couples we actually golfed more than 180 holes (and left with sore hands). Although hot and humid, we couldn't get enough golf, sunshine, or together time.

Life quickly returned to normal after our return. I started working one day-a-week at a nonprofit (ubuntufund.org), Clint continues to work relentlessly, and we both try and keep up with our ever-changing and ever-growing daughter. Recent milestones for 7-month-old Josie include lots of crawling (!), feeding herself Cheerios (hours of entertainment), pulling herself up, lots of "g" sounds, and noticing animals.

I forget how lush and green MN is until I'm there in the summer

Lots of time enjoying grandpa's flowers and abundant raspberry patch

Reading time with grandma and watching football with Uncle Tim

Golfing our brains out with Cam and Annie and Neil and Carly
Night matches at Flushing Meadows are magical - thanks, Joel!

Recent visit to Central Park Zoo where Josie's most enjoyable moment was eating with the big kids

Josie's favorite activities-- eating, sleeping, and swinging

moving and visitors

We got back from Bear Lake at 1am with the news that we could finally move after 8+ months of looking and 2+ months of negotiating! We didn't think the day would ever come. So, 3 days after receiving this news, we'd put everything in boxes, dumped it in our new pad and had ordered furniture. What to do about that 18' wall with floor-to-ceiling mirrors? No problem - we'll do it ourselves (ha). What about not having a bed? No problem - we'll figure it out. No couch, no crib, no dishes, no TV? No problem - we'll figure it out.

And we did - mostly. Just in time to have Bec and her boys come visit us - such a treat. If only the weather had cooperated a bit better. Come back soon!

Little bit of a before/after shot. On the left, we're peeling off the dry wall surface because the mirror epoxy was too tough to sand off. Yes - that means we had to remud it. Dust everywhere. On the right, we're having homemade pizza with the boys in a mostly clean place with furniture. Ah.

Walking to the park and waffles

Egyptian temple in the Met

Cruising around the UWS - so much more resident-friendly than Midtown!

bear lake + fam

Bear Lake is the best. Turquoise waters in pristine mountains with miles of beach. Add toys, milkshakes and family, and it's essentially heaven. So glad we were finally able to go, and what a treat to see family in SLC, too.

Magical

Toys

Beach

The Bear Lake crew

Here's Josie picking her newest cousin's nose, and pool time with the older cousins

Here with her great grandma, Helen.

summertime in the city

My summer childhood memories consist primarily of time on bikes, freshly cut grass, swimming, and, of course, hoping that the ice cream truck would come around (and that its timing would perfectly coincide with Mom feeling generous). I can't say that NY will give Josie all of these same opportunities, but perhaps some. Though she can't ride a bike yet, she likes to watch all of the things on wheels -- unicycles, motorized scooters (basically a push scooter with a battery pack), roller skates (visit Central Park on Sunday afternoons to see them out in full force), and strollers of all shapes, sizes, and costs. I am certain she knows the smell of cut grass since we venture to Central Park's many grassy spots (and sometimes dirt patches) daily. She will eventually enjoy some of the ice cream trucks about every four blocks and yogurt stores galore. As for swimming, that's a bit tougher, but we are trying a few of the splash parks (there's a terrific one on the roof of the Museum of Natural History). I recently had Josie stand in the fountains at Columbus Circle--it didn't seem to be her favorite thing as the water was a bit chilly. So here's to summer in the city and making memories with a five-month-old.

Food, glorious food (sorry Dad, no ice cream, yet)

Walks with Dada and jumping

Joining the many half-naked sunbathers in the park--why not start early, right?

Josie modeling her sweater and headband made by her great-grandmother Joy