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We’re Here….

When we bought our house a few years ago we felt like it needed a name and Joe suggested HBHQ and it seemed to stick. Jump a few years later and to this Christmas when my dad gifted us with a huge, heavy HBHQ sign that he made. (Flipper traditionally likes to give gifts that are nearly impossible to lift and fit through a doorway. When he ‘wrapped it,’ we just opened a small bead and he had to go outside to ‘get the rest of the gift.”)  I’m sure some would smirk at having a nameplate so prominent, but I love it! We were headed out for a walk last weekend and decided to get some pictures of Maggie with the sign….

and before we knew it she had fallen down and nearly rolling down the hill. Of course she was fine, but looking at the series of pictures made us laugh so hard….she went from standing and happy to flat on her back, stunned, in seconds. After her tumble, she got right back up again and was all smiles.

In any case, if you decide that you want to come visit us, and we like visitors, we’re the house with a huge, heavy HBHQ sign and possibly a baby rolling down the hill.

See you soon?

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Dear Dad,

I came across these pictures of you with both Maggie and me. Aren’t they darling? I like that you’ve still got your wire-framed glasses and a hat on after all these years. I also like that both Maggie and I are totally asleep in your arms. Plus, you look pretty content in both the pictures, if I don’t say so myself.

I think you’re a pretty awesome dad and grandpa. Remember when I was little and you’d turn into the Tickle Monster and then eventually the Pinch Monster? Or remember Ray-Tay-Kay-Pay-Are and  Mud Lake? What about when Trafton would freeze over and you’d skate with me riding on a sled attached to a rope around your waist? Then there was that time that mom, Izak and Phil went to Hawaii and you and I stayed home. You had to do my hair and it was the only time I ever remember somebody asking me about my hair style, I think it must of looked strange, real strange.

My brain is full of incredible childhood memories because of you and Mom and your awesomeness. Don’t let this all go to your head because you’ve got to continue being awesome for Maggie. I hope that you guys get to have your own Ray-Tay-Kay-Pay-Are and that you get to let her tag along with whatever projects you’re working on when she’s old enough because I never remember feeling like it wasn’t okay to be by your side.

Keep being awesome, please.

The Little

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Kissy, Kissy

Mags is learning to ‘give loves’ and it is a slobbery mess, but I’ll take ’em. Sometimes her kisses turn into bites and so we’re working to distinguish between the two. Seeing as the poor child has been kissed nearly every minute of her life, you’d think she’s be able to plant a good one here or there.

In other news, we (and I mean Barry) is thisclose to finishing some of our FALL gardening/weeding. I’m not sure I really remember what our garden looks like, it has been so long since I spent a significant amount of time with it. There was a point when Maggie was a few months old and my parents were visiting and I got to go outside and do some major cutting back. It felt so good!

At one point my dad was inside with tiny Maggie walking around the house with her as the rest of us were outside….it started to rain and I kept on cutting back the bushes in front of our house until they really couldn’t be cut back anymore. It was so satisfying to be outside and ripping and tearing, but equally satisfying in a very different way, to come back inside and hold my new baby.

As Maggie learns to give kisses and mixes in a few bites, I think about that day all those months ago where I spent part of my day ferociously cutting down part of our cherry (?) tree and ripping out weeds, only to be called inside to peel off my dirty clothes and tend to my hungry baby. Some moments feel like bites and other like big, sloppy kisses. I’ll take both, thankyouverymuch.