Back in the water again

The way the rain has been coming down these past few days we've all been feeling a bit like ducks, but Calvin and his dad took it a step further today and acted like fish.  We can't truthfully say that this was Calvin's first swimming class, but we also wouldn't go so far as to call him a seasoned veteran of the swimming community.  Last year at this time Calvin entered into and then graduated from the infant swim class at our community rec center, and today he proudly (or at least with interest) splashed into the toddler group.  The class, which is aptly named otters and pups, since it is a class with parent participation, is taught by the same energetic woman we enjoyed last year, and if you've seen any of Calvin's pictures you will not be surprised to hear that she remembered him immediately thanks to his rosy cheeks.  Of course last year those rosy cheeks graced a rather serious and brooding face, as Calvin spent most of time enjoying the pool from a state of deep contemplation.  For a brief moment we thought this year was going to be much the same, but it did not take long for him to find his comfort zone this year, and for the rest of class he was all giggles and grins.  Well, until he had to get out, that is, and then he was just cold.  We consider today's return to the pool a soggy success.

Water pictures are in the Jan 12-18 album. 

Tornado warnings and gale force winds

...no we did not move to Florida, and yes it is still January.  So what are powerful thunderstorms doing moving through the state of Michigan in what is arguably supposed to be the coldest month of year?  God only knows.  Seriously.  Sunday was relatively chilly, but Monday brought a spring like thaw, climbing all the way to 63 degrees, and the subsequent thunderstorms and tornado warnings kept us on our toes all night.  Tuesday was not much cooler or dryer, and the wee hours of Wednesday morning brought gale force winds upwards of 50mph that blew our 7 foot (now curbside) Christmas tree down the street.  We've heard of the January thaw, but this is a little ridiculous.

Back to (anything but) routine

It has been a whirlwind two weeks, starting with good friends visiting, then visiting good friends, then Christmas, then family visiting from afar, then visiting family afar... basically we have not been on our routine for over 2 weeks now because we either weren't at home or we had guests at home with us.   Over the course of those two weeks Calvin went on two 2 hour and one 5 hour car trip (adding up to 18 hours of driving), napped in two different cars and four different houses, and spent the night in two houses other than his own (amounting to more nights away than at home), ate in six different restaurants, six different homes, and one car, and attended three different parties packed with strangers, and during all that time nobody lost any of their sleep or sanity.  In all actuality it would appear that Calvin was born to travel and party.

So what was the best part of the holidays?  Seeing friends and family that we see only once a year is always very special to us, and marked our season with a special joy.  And Christmas itself was truly magical this year with Calvin being such an active participant, ripping open packages and squealing with delight over every new gift (even the socks).  We spent the last week of the holiday season in Harbor Springs, our favorite vacation destination, and in addition to our usual enjoyments (such as visiting family, a Mackinaw City trip, local restaurants, and putt putt) we were treated to a week of nearly constantly falling snow (starting with the 10 inches that fell during a snow storm our first night there), giving us a vacation that was beautiful, serene, and oh so fun for a toddler who is learning to sled.  It was exactly what we needed for a strong end to our 2007-2008 holiday season.  Well, that and the fantastic football game we enjoyed from the edges of our seats in our snow encompassed lodgings (think Citrus Bowl goes to Michigan). 

Yes, it has been a magical two weeks, and we were ready to return to our routines today, if only that had happened, but is anything ever really that simple?  What started out as a normal day quickly became muddled by a dead car battery that threw everyone's day for a loop, and an odd evening of mishaps, which included Cortney absent-mindedly mistaking Calvin's soap bottle for lotion and having to start his bath all over again.  Fortunately, whether due to the recent weeks of escape or something in the air (perhaps the beauty of the recent 11 inch snowfall here at home), all three of us remained in good spirits in spite of the frustrating disruptions.  Maybe tomorrow will be more routine, but nobody's holding their breath.

Pictures from Christmas are in the Dec 22-28 album.

Pictures from New Years are in the Dec 29-Jan 4 album.

December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas to all!

What with all the Christmas festivies, a house filled with the joys of special visitors, and then a quick out of town trip, we have been away from our computers for over a week, but there are now newly updated pictures in the Dec 15-21 album, and there are more Christmas Eve pictures in the Dec 22-28 album.  We wish you all a safe, joyous, and blessed Christmas.

A friend by any other name...

Who said internet relationships weren't real?   Today we proved that guy wrong by blazing a new trail on the road of friendship, at least in our lives, that is.  A year ago Cortney joined an online forum of mothers who share a hobby in scrapbooking.  The original board was a relatively large one, but over time some individual friendships started to emerge and a few of the other women from the board started to chat via instant messenger.  Though they are, for the most part, spread across the continent, one other woman on the board lives only two hours away, and today we got up early, packed the car, and trekked over to her house.  Sure, anything could have happened:  the kids could have fought, the husbands could have clashed, and, perhaps worst of all, the two moms could have found that, as compatible as they were across internet, they just couldn't mesh in real life.  Fortunately for us, what happened instead is that the kids loved each other, the husbands exchanged stories, and the two moms picked up in person exactly where they had left off on YIM.  While there we shared bagels and coffee before heading over to the Frederik Meijer Gardens to enjoy the beautiful Christmas displays, especially the Polar Express train exhibit, and on returning to the house the kids (including the husbands) all played while the two moms went out shopping.  The day was a complete success, and we greatly look forward to future outings of all kinds.  So, to whomever it was that thought internet relationships couldn't last, we plan on proving you wrong, too.