Minneapolis in the Fall

We were fortunate to take a long weekend in Minneapolis a few weeks ago to visit friends & family. As luck had it, we saw my parents (Nana & Papa Crowell) on a long layover & spent a day with Grandma & Grandpa Leu. Maggie was spoiled by both sets of Grandparents, her Aunt Red (Sarah) & Uncle Dave, and of course cousin Claire & Grace.

I might add that the day we arrived it was sunny & 80 degrees, and when we got out of the car at the airport on our way home it was 30 & snowing!!!! Whew, back home to sunny and warm california to hybernate for the winter.

Cousin Liam Visits San Francisco

Liam (almost 3 years old) just came out for a visit. He LOVES his cousin Maggie! He would melt everytime we had to say good-bye (and I mean MELT!). There is something very warming to watch your own child play with your siblings children. I get this feeling of everything in the world just falling right into place at that very moment when they roll around laughing & playing so innocently. It's as though nothing else matters & nothing else could be more pure. It's quiet beautiful.

World Traveler

We just returned from a long weekend in Minneapolis, and on the way home I was trying to count all the places Maggie has been so far. I think we might stay put for awhile & explore our own back yard!

Mendicino, California for her first overnight away from home (February 2006)
Boston to visit her cousin Liam (March 2006)
Naples, Florida to visit Nana & Papa Crowell (January & April 2006)
Fond du Lac & Madison, Wisconsin to visit all the Leu relatives (June 2006)
Lake Tahoe for her Baptism (July 2006)
Isle of Palm, South Carolina for our annual Crowell reunion (July 2006)
Steamboat, Colorado for Kim & Ken's wedding (August 2006)
Kauai, Hawaii for a family vacation with Chris & Edward Katzin, and Shawna Moriarty & Chad Richard (September 2006)
Minneapolis to visit her cousins Claire & Grace Kuipers, and a few friends (May & October 2006)

This picture was taken on our most recent trip to Minneapolis.

Joanne.

I never thought this day would arrive. Maggie officially met Joanne. Who is Joanne? She is Wendy Brown's childhood doll, who I had the pleasure of rooming with during college. And Joanne isn't any ordinary doll either. She is classy in her own way with that... that face. If only Joanne could speak, she would have quiet a few stories to tell during her stay with us during college.

Year 1 Top Ten

things that make Maggie absolutely light up as she heads into her second year:

1. blueberries. blueberries. and more blueberries. she cannot eat them fast enough, and she can never seem to have enough.

2. the sound of daddy crawling out of bed in the morning. the sound of daddy's keys in the front door. the slight mention of 'daddy' makes maggie just light up!

3. the sight of her bottle when she first wakes up in the morning. or when she is unwinding at night. she gets really giddy.

4. the remote control, my cell phone, my wallet & keys. if that's all that was in her toy box, she'd be happy as a clam.

5. simba & jasper, our kitties. maggie has always loved the cats and, slowly she has learned to pet (more like pat) them in a very gentle way. as of recently she literally squeals at the mere sight of them. she just gets CRAZY, it's as if she communicates to them... and they just lay there waiting for her to give them a little lovin'.

6. her book noisy farm. this book was a gift from bob & charley last thanksgiving, and it remains to be her #1 FAVORITE book!

7. miss socal butterfly LOVES to walk into a room with other babies or toddlers. she LOVES people her size & will start to squeek with delight. definitely a social side to maggie!

8. she loves to accessorize. she will put her arm through bracelets, straps, hair bands, etc., as if she is putting it on. she can do this for a longtime and be so content. oh, and she loves her sunglasses. dare i say she might be a lady of shopping?!?



9. loves her swing on the back porch. she waves to the lemons on the tree, sings to the cats & blissfully sits and watches the wind through the tress.

10. and that brings me to #10. the park. everything about the park makes maggie light up!