Tuesday, October 31, 2006

A grown-up weekend

This last weekend has proven how quickly we turn into grown-ups doing grown-up stuff. As those of you who have read Taylor Street this week know, we spent the weekend in Urbana (and Champaign), Illinois with our good friend Colin Taylor, who was born and raised in said town. We stayed with Colin's parents John and Barb and passed the time with them, Colin's younger sister Abby, and his good friend Ben.

Saturday morning brought the Hartichs (Nate, Laura, Simon, Theo) for a breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, fruit and cinnamon crumble cake, followed by chasing children and dogs in the backyard. Simon has opened up to everyone and showed his true colors while running around the yard in circles yelling things like, "I like your grass!!! I like this yard!!!" Theo impressed me (and others) with his intelligent baby babble and chill demenor. Lily was her usual intense self, sticking to missions like: Pull all the toys out of the box, Eat the leaf, and everyone's favorite, Growl really loudly.


Lily has definitely reached a new stage in which she recognizes that she can exert her will on the world. No longer does she cry when something she wants is out of her reach; rather, she sees something she wants and immediately focuses all attention on obtaining that thing, even if that requires crawling over large obstacles. This goes for when she wants to be held by someone in particular. When she's tired, she won't let non-mommy/daddy people hold her. If someone else picks her up, she knows all she has to do is stretch her arms out to mom/dad and she's home free. Today in the bath she demonstrated another fun example of how she has realized her physical abilities. Lily sometimes sucks on her washcloth full of warm water. Usually when it dries up, she wines and shakes it. Today she just dipped it back in the warm water and put it back to her lips; she did this several times. Like Short Circuit, Lily craves input and she is learning.

Back to Urbana-Champaign...Colin and I took Oli on a tour of campus and campustown, complete with stops at Espresso Royale and Murphy's. While sitting on the sidewalk sipping our Royale mint hot chocolates, we witnessed a Bar Scramble, which I can only guess is equivalent to what we called a Bar Crawl in my day. Members of some co-ed organization wore matching T-shirts listing the bars they had to go to as part of this scramble. At each they were required to take a different type of shot. I don't know what the prize was or what organization they were part of, but let me say that I took great pleasure in watching them flip their blonde hair, adjust their baseball caps and talk in loud cutesy voices all the while feeling superior...and nostalgic.

On Saturday night we went to the Eastins' with the family and Ben for a chilli cook-off in which many guests brought chilli for everyone to try. Then we all voted for our favorite recipe as we sat around the campfire, drinking beer, eating caramel apples and brownies. Lily slept on me the whole night and I have to say, a great way to spend a Saturday night is by a campfire with your friends and other great people, eating comfort food, cuddling a very cute warm sleeping baby. Beats a night out at a club any time.

Sunday was more chill. John took Lily on a 6-mile walk; it's good Lily LOVES taking walks. Colin, Oli, Abby and I went for a walk on a sculpture trail and stopped by the Japan House and garden. This was followed up with watching Hocus Pocus with the family and Colin's friend Ben.

(Don't we look like two pairs of brother and sister?)



Between all the good food provided by the Hughes-Taylors and the relaxed flow of events, we're feeling like we've just come back from 7 days on some beach. What else could you expect from a town with gas stations like this one:

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Espagna, España, Espain, Spain.
















We've decided to move back to Spain.

The plan:
1. Tell employer (Done)
2. Withdraw from classes and continues auditing them (attending without having to do the work) until the end of the semester (in progress)
3. Take Spanish course in Spring
4. Spend as much time with American family and friends as possible
5. Go to England for the month of August 07
6. Move to Barcelona in September 07
7. Play with Lily on the beach, teach English, travel, scout next location to live in (rural España?)

The point: Lily will be in school in 4.5 years so now is the time to spend time and have adventures with her. University is good and we plan to go back, but we also believe in informal education. Who knows where our travels will take us and what opportunities lie ahead? Olé.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Horror Movie Friday?

Come to our place Friday night around 8pm for:
- Horror movies
- Beers
- Fun

Please bring with you: a horror movie, some beers, and, oh what the heck, some fun.


PS - We only have a DVD player, not VHS...but if you have a VHS you really love, bring a VHS player and we'll hook it up in the name of fun.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Thanks...

...to Cassie, Caleb and Colin for babysitting on Friday. They had a nice night of working on their theses and lesson plans while baby Lily slept peacefully in the next room.

If anyone had tried to break in to steal our baby, they would have had not one, but three intellectual babysitters to get through. I doubt the average Chicago baby thief could have coped.

Well done, guys.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Babysit? On a Friday? You must be...desperate.

Hi. My name is Angela.

I want to go on a date with my husband Oliver.

I have a lot of cool friends and I bet one of them wouldn't mind hanging out in my house on this Friday the thirteenth while my baby sleeps and I go out with said husband.

Food and drink provided.

Give us an email or phone call if interested.

Thanks!

The amazing crawling carpet monster


It crawls, it searches and it destroys. Watch Lily fall on her face with an almighty bump in her latest video.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Must to work

Oli's work permit has come through. He can pick it up shortly.

As he said, "No immunity from working now. Ha."

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