Asheville and Drum Circles

I loved Asheville, NC! I had heard wonderful things about it - that is was beautiful, outdoorsy, with a splash of hippy thrown in. Sounds like my kind of town. Our friend, Maggie, grew up in St. Louis with Tyler and she also graduated from Colorado State. She said Asheville was like the Fort Collins of the East, but more artsy.

Asheville was just as pretty as billed being set in the foothills of the Appalachians. There were delicious sounding restaurants, art galleries and cute shops all over the downtown. I was thrilled to eat breakfast at Green Sage where they actually have a compost bin next to their trash and recycling.

After the rehearsal dinner on Friday night, Tyler's mom and dad and I decided to walk back to the hotel. Across the street from the restaurant there was a drum circle going on in a little plaza, so we decided to check it out. I love live music and something about drums gets me in my core, just like the sound of crashing waves.

One thing I love about Tyler's dad is that he will just hop in anywhere. He spotted a vacant drum and just sat down and asked the guy next to him if he could play, no matter that he was wearing a sport coat instead of tie-dye. It was hilarious! I admire his boldness because I wouldn't even think to join in.

Pilot Moose and Pilot BiggiE

One of the highlights for Moose and BiggiE of going to the weddings in September was getting to be "co-pilots" for Grandpere.
I think Moose really thought he was helping fly. Occasionally, he would turn around and give those of us in the back a thumbs up.


BiggiE loved the idea of being a pilot, but when he got a chance in the cockpit he was much more interested in his snacks.
Going to NC we had a much bigger plane, so we took my nephew, B, with us. It was cute seeing the boy cousins all together. I have to say as a pregnant woman with a lot of pressure on my stomach already I much preferred the bigger plane because it wasn't as bumpy. I actually like flying in a smaller plane. As much as I love flying, I often feel hesitant with the take off and landing when I fly commercially. In a small plane you don't even feel the take off or landing at all.

September Weddings

In September we were able to attend two weddings with Os's family. Os was able to take a red eye flight and join us in Pittsburgh for his cousin Katie's wedding. Then a week later the boys went with Os's family to Asheville, NC for the wedding of close family friend, Maggie Weaver.

Three of the five grandkids looking at the camera is not bad odds, especially since the youngest, A, is sleeping. It's a bit sad that this is the only time the family will be together the rest of the year.


Katie and Brian make a grand entrance in Pittsburgh.


Maggie and Jason enjoy a sunset dance.

Tyler's New Job

Tyler is the new winemaker at Pax Wine Cellars. We are so thrilled for this opportunity and he has hit the ground running since harvest is upon us.

Personally, I am really enjoying seeing all of his talents and abilities be put to use. It is fun to watch someone you love and respect really excel in what God has called them to do.

Go get 'em, Babe!

New Preschool

Moose just started a new preschool and he LOVES it. The first day he was so excited to go and meet new friends.

When BiggiE and I went to pick him up, Moose ran up and hugged me and exclaimed, "Mom, I'm in the YELLOW group!" All the way home he told us about circle time, the story of a new duck at school who made a friend, and how he was concerned about the sand bees outside. He wrapped up his recounting with, "I want to go to preschool again!"

I felt choked up with gratitude because of the stark contrast already between preschool this year and last year. I felt unsure about his preschool last year from the beginning. Instead of heeding my reservations I wrote them off as overthinking the issue and we plowed through the year. The situation never improved and it was never the right fit for Moose. I felt such relief when we finally pulled him out in May. I only wished I had done it sooner.

The moment we walked into the new preschool Moose clearly felt comfortable. At the open house last week he walked up to a few kids and said, "Hi, I'm Moose." We're all looking forward to a great year.

This Family Devours Books

Neither one of the boys is reading yet, but somehow Moose managed to devour this book during his rest time.


Let me just say for the record that I have some latent librarian gene that only comes out when a book is vandalized. Seeing a book in the above state enrages me.

Moose shredded several pages of a book about one year ago, so maybe it is a once-a-year school-is-starting-shred-the-books-before-they-shred-you ritual. I don't know, but I am seeing red about they way he read this book.

The Thomas Family Band

Tyler took this little clip of a new band that has recently formed. It looks like BiggiE's on the lyrics and Moose is handling the music.

So far, our forcing of our musical tastes on our children is working just to our liking because they both love The Danielson Familie and Half-Handed Cloud.

(Side Note: It cracks Tyler and me up how BiggiE notices the light and is drawn like a moth.)