Pumpkin Patching

October it is.

 I love October.  Back in San Diego, October meant another month of tiresome heat paired with warm Santa Ana winds.  With the a/c running, my summer wardrobe still in full swing, and only a handful of trees turning color, it was hard to tap into the traditions of Fall.  In the midwest, October is the month that bridges the rituals of summer with those of colder days.  You drink the last of your stash of summer brews after picking apples from a local tree.  As I write this, I am nibbling on freshly baked pumpkin bread.  The leaves are turning before our eyes and we're enjoying the last days of warmth and sun and shoes with no socks.  On this particular beautiful 2nd day of October, we headed out to 'the farm' for a Whiskey Farm rehearsal and family potluck.  We stuff our faces with comfort food while the kids mill about, guitars get strung, and harmonies sorted.  It is a few hours of the simplest of pleasures as we reflect on another summer's passing and completely ignore that after glorious fall comes...

If you look closely you'll notice Veda has been testing the strength of her forehead against various hard surfaces.

Clearly, this girl is ready to rock.

VP is loving this new bipedal method of exploring the world.

Growth spurt means new clothes.  Fun for all (well, at least fun for mama anyway.)

Fun with sun.

I'm with the band.

The dog is with the band too.

In the world of frenetic toddlering, finding time for food can be a tricky task.  These organic food pouches are the saving grace when sitting down for lunch is just too much to ask.

This girl likes her some honey grahams.

I suppose a break must be taken at some point.

Chris being swarmed by the little ones, including dog.

Agua!

Remiss.

Since our last post, Veda has celebrated her first birthday, learned to walk, and started 'la escuela' full time. Mama is 3 weeks back into full-time work, and all are trying their best to adjust to all the newness. Pics, video and more updates soon!

E-O-Waaaa!

All three Colorado nieces were in for a midwestern grandma & grandpa summer visit, so we drove down to Blue Grass to join in the fun. Fiona, Addison, and Ellis are stellar big cousins. It was awesome to see Veda passed from cousin to cousin, and there's little doubt she loved it too. Fun fun. My only regret is not taking more photos!

What's a summer in Iowa without a ride on a John Deere?

Kiddie pool, cricker style.

Veda preferred guarding the "pool" as opposed to being in it. Can't say I blame her.

Places to go. Things to do.

Happy Camper.

The last weekend of June brought camping, music, and northwoods fun. The Whiskey Farm was scheduled to play the North Branch Music Festival, so we packed up obscene amounts of gear (borrowed from generous friends) and headed north to Wabeno, WI in the Nicolet National Forest. It was a blast from start to finish. The 4 hour drive each way was a surprising breeze. Veda loved being outside and around people all day. We all enjoyed some time out of the city. One of the best parts was the amount and diversity of live music we got to expose Veda to. She happily stayed up late on Friday night to watch her pops play the show, and across the weekend she watched several singer-songwriters, a jazz combo, and african drumming and chanting. Good stuff it was. I would pack us up and do it all again this weekend if I could.