Sunday, November 27, 2016

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Iowa 2016

To be perfectly honest, I wasn't thrilled with the idea of spending Thanksgiving in Iowa. The election was still a little to recent, and for us it's personal -- key components of the Republican agenda is to back out of the Paris Agreement (which Allen worked on extensively) and repeal the ACA (which I worked on somewhat) not to mention they keep suggesting we're swamp dwellers. Knowing that my home state of Iowa voted in such a way, felt a bit like a personal affront, but then knowing to get to Iowa we have to drive through Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana? Well that just seemed like the 2016 version of the Trail of Tears.

But given that the alternative was staying in DC and the fact that deep down, we are Iowans and as such, to quote Dar Williams, "we don't like to make our passions other people's concern," we made the drive.

We kept things fairly low-key, and my parents largely handled us with kid gloves. Allen ventured out a bit more, and had a couple of conversations that were frustrating to say the least, but for the most part, Thanksgiving was a welcome distraction from the reality we faced back home: there was a ditch digging project at the pond to distract Allen (and the kids); an awards ceremony for corn eating; baking; and lots of silliness.

But mostly there was family, which as Dar Williams also says, can fix a broken heart.

(To see all the pictures, please click here.)

Friday, November 18, 2016

Publishing Pumba

Publishing Pumba

Nora had another Publishing Party, and this time her story was all about Pumba and the very complicated relationship she has with her favorite dog ;-)

Saturday, November 12, 2016

The Days After

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We had a really hard time processing the election. To be honest, we didn't really see the result coming and as it will have significant, and in all likelihood negative, impacts on our professional, and possibly personal lives, we've been a little shell-shocked since.

And that's why, while I am always grateful for the service of our men and women of the armed forces, I was particularly grateful for Veteran's Day this year occurring three days after the election, and allowing us a break from work and the world. Allen and I took the kids and Owen's friend Adam to Great Falls where we met Brad, Mia and Ben. It was a beautiful fall day, and we spent it climbing with friends, communing with nature, and hoping that everything will turn out ok.
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(To see all the pictures, please click here)