New Hampshire

Culture is a funny thing. Since most of my undergrad and postgrad work was spent analyzing culture (not ours-Russia and Europe's!), I have to admit that a little bit of my academia still affects me. Since this was my third time in New Hampshire with Bard, I think I am starting to get a feel of the culture there-both of the area and of his family. One of my professors once described culture as that which affects our choices when we don't even realize that we have made a choice. I really like that and have stuck with it-maybe one of these days I'll get back to the lovely world of academia, but until then you are all just stuck with my wandering thoughts that have no place else to go!

New Hampshire's state motto is, "Live free or die" that right there, and the fact that they do not have a law requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets should tell you something pretty big about their culture. Two words. Let's go with "Back off!" They really seem to like things they way they are. Although dependant on tourism, they have responded to it very differently than neighboring Vermont (which we drove through to go visit Bard's other grandparents in Albany New York.) They will not cater to tourists and in fact, while taking their money, seem to resent their influx. Status quo rules. Small community, a focus on nature and the arts, and the importance slowing down.

Bard's family definitely fits into this culture and I learn more about what that means each time we visit with them. Is it art imitating life or life imitating art? Who knows, but the best part is that with each visit I get little glimpses and say to myself, Ahh, now I understand! It's amazing how much our families and upbringing influence us from big things like how Bard was brought up in this beautiful environment which instilled in him a deep appreciation for the outdoors. To small and comical aspects such as the fact that Bard's odd habit of leaving kitchen and bathroom cupboard doors open drives me crazy so I almost die laughing (on the inside) when I see that his grandpa does the same thing! How great is that?!

We are like sponges, we soak up the environment around us. So hopefully it is a good environment that we are taking in-which of course is our job as parents. And I'm excited for Evelyn to take in New Hampshire. After all, it's in her blood.

Baby!

Haha, made you look : ) This is Nora, nickname, Nadia (I know, some of you are thinking, "Oh no, they didn't"-Oh yes, we did! And are you really surprised?!)

She is three months old, full of personality and snuggling and has already learned to hide under the shoe rack when she hears Evelyn shrieking, "KITTY KITTY KITTY!"

TV, Bard the Builder and Sports Camp

The things you think you'll never do as a parent. I'm sure I will have broken all of them by them time my kids are grown! One rule in particular that Bard and I talked about before even having children was how much television our children would watch. We grew up with pretty different tv experiences (ahh how I "fondly" remember my limit of 30 minutes a day and when my parents would move the TV into the closet!) But we are both pretty much on the same page now-very little TV. In fact we've switched, Bard watches less than I do! Of course we have our fairly notable and obvious exception! We actually watch about two shows a week and I watch a bit of news in the morning (gotta love Matt Lauer!) but that's about it. I haven't let Evelyn watch TV and wasn't really planning on it for a while. So it was pretty funny a few weeks ago when she woke up early and was sitting in my lap while I finished breakfast. I was flipping from the Today Show and went past PBS, where Elmo was doing his thing. In just the few seconds that I left it on Sesame Street, she fell in love. Now it's "Elmo Elmo Elmo!" She recognizes him everywhere we go-on the cracker box at the store and in the book at the Doctor's office. She loves that little red monster! So, every few days we will watch a clip of the Elmo's World song on Youtube. It's about 3 minutes, so it's probably not rotting too much of her brain ; ) and I can handle it too. Just out of curiosity I've turned on other cartoons, to see if they catch her attention. Nope, she is a one monster girl! Who would have thought?!

This afternoon Evelyn had just gotten up from nap and was sitting with me. We heard pounding in the basement and Evelyn says, "Dada, Dada!" Yup, she is a smart kid. I think for most of her life Bard has been down pounding in the basement. We are now almost ready to cross the finish line. Of course, I said that before and permits set us back 6 months, but here we are again and it's so close I can taste it (literally, sheet rock dust gets everywhere!) We've had some great help, but mostly it's been Bard down there on his own, triumphing over one completed task after another. All this work for only one room but it will be so amazing to be able to say that we did this. To tell kids when they're older, Hey, be careful with that closet door, your father framed it in, hung the sheet rock, textured, and put in the door. Kids just love that sort of thing!

Sports Camp is over. Thank God! Thank God because of all the greatness He accomplished throughout the week and thank God because it was incredibly exhausting, I missed my baby, had nerves frayed to the breaking point, was waking up at 4am every day and having panic attacks. Ahhh. Sports Camp. We had two records over a hundred-over a hundred kids came and the weather was over a hundred degrees! Yikes! The kids had a blast and thanks to some amazing volunteers who had water stations, industrial fans, foot ice baths, and water misters, we all stayed cool. Evelyn came one day and I'll post some hilarious video on facebook of her dancing during our worship time. This is actually her second time at Sports Camp, last year I carried her around in a front pack. This year she toddled around the gym, climbing on the mats and falling off (Bard!), played on the fields, and was spoiled and coddled over by everyone-she loved it! Every year kids have a blast at Sports Camp and (IMHO) it's one of the best traditions our church has. I can't wait til Evelyn is old enough to run around playing soccer, hitting baseballs, and catching footballs with other kids. And then I won't miss her so much! I can see her now, a female mini Bard up on stage for drama, singing the loudest during worship, and going crazy over the sports. Well, you know her, am I wrong?!