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Dorthe is not our only friend who sent us some good photos recently- Bill and Mad also sent some photos of the boys from the weekend -





We just got back this long weekend from a visit to Valdosta; we did not get a lot of photos trying to chase the boys around and visit with everyone. Luckily, Aunt Mimi did get some shots of 'Pebbles and Bam Bam' as we called Frances Faith and Will-she is truly a delicate flower that we tried to keep safe from Willy's rough and tumble ways...



James had a great time at the farm during the family reunion and came back full of skinned knees and bruised legs. We experimented on the drive back with leaving at their normal bedtime (6pm or so) but it did not play out as we hoped in the car on the 5 hour drive back to Charleston- James asked questions for 2 hours and Will woke up periodically until about 10pm. We are still planning to go overnight when we go to CT in a couple of weeks.

More photos

Our friend Dorthe is an actual professional photographer so it is great when she comes to some event and sends you her 'candid' photos which are way better composed than most peoples. Here are some of what she sent from the 'Willy weekend'...

A very busy room-
Kyle, Jim, and Olivia-


Baby Will clapping-
Will loved our friend Julie immediately-




Katharine, Will, and Laurens-

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Long-

Willy's long weekend

Many, many events in recent days. Today is actually Katharine's birthday and she is relaxing on the couch with her book after our birthday dinner of rock shrimp, littleneck clams, and andouille over angel hair. It has been a busy week or so- the thesis is mostly finished but for some final comments and editing, our five year anniversary was Sunday- which was also the day we had Will baptised. My brother Bill(godfather) and his wife Madeline came down from NJ and Katharine's cousin Laurens (godmother) and her husband Rick came in from Manhattan to celebrate with us. Monday morning James woke up and said 'we having party today?' We were going pretty strong from Thursday night through Sunday evening. We had a great couple of days though and really achieved our goal of keeping things relatively small and being able to really spend time with the boys and the godparents. Saturday morning was ideal weather and we all made it out to Folly beach for a couple hours. Will fell asleep on the beach and we were even able to get a nice lunch in with Bill and Mad. Both boys did really well all weekend and had great time getting to know this big extended family we are always telling them about. The surf was nice and calm and I walked out with James into the waves a little bit- he never wants to leave the beach- he is crazy for the surf and sand. Saturday was a party/impromptu baby shower for Laurens and we had about 15 people over for low country boil (easiest coastal party dish- also called Frogmore stew- shrimp, keilbasa, corn on the cob, and potatoes boiled with Old Bay and crab seasoning). Sunday morning was a very small and early service at the Circular Church. James was pleasantly subdued and Will made it through the entire service until the last 2 minutes when he broke down, had a bottle and promptly fell asleep. As Bill and Madeline so generously took both boys out to the beach again, Kat and I had the extremely rare brunch of adults with Laurens and Rick.
There are some great pictures out there of all this but what ended up on our camera was the beach and some stuff from today when we played outside. I can't believe we will be leaving for Connecticut in a month. All a little surreal.
Big thanks to the godparents and spouses for an exceptionally entertaining weekend. And happy birthday Katharine! I'm unbelievably fortunate to ever have met you and I thank my lucky stars every day that we are together.







Will with the respective godparents-

Photos from the Farm

Dressed in our French boots [and Mr Happy shirt] for Fun Farm Friday


Some of the kids feeding the goats


James and Madyson happily chasing some farm fowl



Piling in the hay wagon


Eating field peas the all-natural way


During the hour long hay ride (that's right HOUR long-- I think the farmer overestimated his tour group)



Still plugging away here... the dissertation is not complete, but I am truly hopeful that it will be by the end of this week. Celebratory dinner reservations have been made in anticipation... so that is something to work towards. One of Mike's very kind clients gave him a 'tip' in the form of a certificate to the restaurant FIG. We've already read the menu numerous times in anticipation.

Mike has handed in his tool belt with the handyman connection. All the driving (and gas money) really destroyed his hourly profits. He has set up enough work with a few clients to last him until we leave for CT. A much more mellow and honest living (he hated the feeling of gouging the customer at that 60$ an hour rate-- especially considering half went to the boss man).

The veg is still incredible-- this week the strawberries are phasing out and the baby squash are making their first appearance. More collards, more bok choi and tat soi (spelling??), broccoli, sweet onions, and still lots of salad greens. Radishes and turnips abound. We're digging it.

I was wrong about our farm trip-- it was not to our CSA farm, but to a rival farm on Wadmalaw. Still it was a fun day. Not so much working animal farm as petting zoo with vegetables, herbs, and flowers. The kids had an amazing time and mom got a WHOLE NEW level of respect for the teachers at the Island School. Bless their hearts! After the Thursday field trip was Fun Farm Friday, including kids dressed as farmers. James wore his wellingtons from the Netherlands-- the were made by a French company and I am afraid it shows. Only the manliest of farmers dare wear their green and yellow apple boots!

We have finally found a school in Hartford for James-- actually the Bloomfield Congregational Church Nursery School. They were SO kind on the phone, and I found out during the conversation that one of the teachers is the wife of the Dean who made the "you're hired" phone call to me in December. I met with him during my interview, and like everyone I met there I really liked him. So, that is somewhat reassuring.

That is it for now... more to come but probably not until the dissertation is finished!

End of April

Mom and Will


Every parent hold your baby.


Kat with Maya, James, and Will


The guys in action


James giving Maya one of MANY kisses. Everytime he was scolded during our visit to the Lopez-Alstrups he would run over and kiss Maya. he knows his target audience.


Playing next to the garden


Finding turtles in the canal


Willy in the Stokke chair for a bite to eat


I know what you are thinking. In addition to realizing it is Koninginnedag, you are thinking-- hey, isn't Katharine supposed to be finished with her dissertation by the end of April. The answer is yes, but the real answer is not quite. Very close but not quite there yet.

Nine of eleven chapters have been submitted for what we hope is the final read, the two remaining chapters-- one case study, and the conclusions-- are right around the corner. The conclusions should be simple, the final case study will require a bit more work. In the mean time I am grading the papers for my students. That should take at least another day... and then on to the dissertation, again. We may have to sign up for another week of babysitting to get through this last bit, but if that is what it takes then so be it.

Tomorrow I (Katharine) am taking a much needed break from school and writing to accompany James on his first field trip--to the farm. It is actually THE FARM-- OUR FARM that supplies our weekly fruit and veg, so we are thrilled to make a visit. On a side note the farm family are also local shrimpers, and caught their first shrimp of the season last week. We bought a pound of fresh, local, preservative free shrimp and Mike cooked them up. My was it delicious. You can arrange to have a set amount added onto your weekly veg pickup, but we have not yet done that.

Here are some photos to share, taken by Maya's Mormor (Danish for grandmother) during her visit. We went over for homemade pizza one night and it was DeLICIOUS.

Headbanger's Ball