We're Back

It has been a very long time since I've felt like I had 30 minutes to sit down and pick up the blog again.  What I've realized is that more than facebook, or email, a blog is more like a diary or journal.  A journal that you can document whats happened in your life, embed photos and videos, and capture the times.  That said there is a lot to talk about. I've changed the look of the blog because the old background was a picture of our old house.  Let's start there.

• The Move: for those not part of our move i've heard "wow, that was quick" several times.  I however feel like the process of looking, selling, buying, moving, etc...has taken 1/4 of 2010.  All I can say is it is behind us and I feel like we won the lottery with our new house.  We went from a very charming 1912 , 2 bed, 1.5 bath house with 1,060 sq ft in San Mateo to a house built in 1974, 3 bed, 2bath, 2 car garage, 1/4 acre lot, 1,900 sq ft home in San Rafael.  We're a block from a private beach, a great market, and back up to some of the best mountain biking in Marin.  Map  I now take the Larkspur ferry to work and I love it.  30 minutes dock to dock and the sites i get to see on my way into work (when theres no fog) are unreal.  It's such a different lifestyle up in Marin and Jodi and I are loving it.  Since we've been here we've already had a huge Acacia tree removed from the front and I've hacked a lot of trees.  You can bet this blog will be full of new yard adventures in the future.  Speaking of which, I've already battled some aggressive raccoons that have been using the dog door to get into the house and take a chocolate bar out of Jodi's purse outside of Maddy's room.  I'll write more about this in the future.

• Madelyn: Maddy is growing up fast.  As I sit and type this she is starting to be able to pivot herself on her tummy and move around a bit.  It's only a matter of time before she's scooting around.  Her new thing this week is making a funny grunting type of fake laugh.  It sounds like "huh, huh, huh"   "huh, huh, huh" (but do it in your deepest voice.  It's hilarious.  She still has her bright blue eyes and we're thinking shes keeping them.  The hair is also starting to fill in.

• Bergie: As many know Grandma Bergie passed away on the morning of August 22nd.  She was in good health and living a complete life up to Friday August 20th.  My parents had had a great meeting with her and she was in great spirits on that Friday.  Things took a sudden turn for the worst later that night.  It's a very sad loss but I am very grateful that it was quick, and she was without pain in the end.   The service was the Saturday of Labor Day weekend and was a perfect tribute to a very honorable and classy woman.  We spent the weekend in Reedley and got some great family time in.