Almost Halloween...Almost November

Who store the cookie from the cookie jar????

The time is moving quickly these days. We have been adjusting to the cooler temperatures in the afternoons and the darkness that is creeping into the evenings earlier and earlier. I guess I don't have much to complain about when I'm talking to my friends in Anchorage and Fairbanks, but that doesn't mean I have to be a fan of Winter's onset!

We are looking forward to Thanksgiving in Virginia with my Aunt Irene and Uncle Fred. This will be my 12th time visiting, and it just seems to get better every year. There is something very special to me about this tradition and I am very pleased to be involving Kim and Audrey in this year's trip!

Audrey opening a birthday gift from Richmond, VA! Also receiving her first pair of EXTRATUFF Boots from Nana in Alaska! Very Alaskan!

Looking at some of the pictures on today's post reminds me of previous years. It is strange how these cyclical patterns are starting to emerge now that I have a child. Sure, I remember many falls past, but the pictures of leaves just brings back images of Audrey as a one-year-old lying in the leaves with the dog!

Audrey and aunt Beth playing in the leaves!

Aunt Beth seems to be a little more into the leaves than Audrey!

Everywhere we go, people tell us to "enjoy" this age and these moments, and I smile and nod because I really am taking every opportunity to do so. I hope this short blog finds everyone in good spirits and cozy company.

-a

A Day in the Park

Today is one of those fall days that feels as if it is taken out of an old childhood memory. The day is hazy, yet full of warmth and happiness. The leaves are turning, and the colors indicate the beginning of colder days.

Things since Audrey's second birthday have been just fine. I have been really concentrating on teaching and figuring out what makes my students learn best. I have also been working on my grad classes. It is nice to know that I will be done in June! While I don't know exactly when I want to enter administration, I can definitely see myself in that position in the future.

Audrey is enjoying all of her birthday gifts. Thank you again to everyone for all of your love and generosity! We have moved all the furniture around our living room to create a larger play space and a more comfortable fit for everything!

I look forward to some nice fall days on the farm in Indiana, as well as our final walks around the neighborhood before the snow starts in. I am also excited about Thanksgiving in Richmond with my family there, but I have quite a few more papers to grade before I can allow myself to entertain thoughts of Turkey and mashed potatoes!

Well, I hope all of you are well in your lives. Here are some videos of Audrey at the park today. It was a nice day to just enjoy some daddy/daughter time and relax around the house on this Columbus day!

-a

Birthday Girls

Audrey turning 2

It has been a nice last few weeks. Audrey has turned two and Kim is 30! It is amazing to think that two years ago Audrey was born. There has been so much that has happened, and yet it all feels like an eye blink. I feel so blessed to have so much support and love from all of my family and friends. Audrey is lucky to have such caring, wonderful people in her life. Thank you everyone for your kind words, gifts, and thoughts. More later, but for now, I am enjoying the satisfying warmth of my family while the crisp fall air blankets outside.

Audrey and Grandpa Cip


Audrey and her birthday cake!


Take a big breath!



Blowing out the candles!


Audrey blew them all out!


Birthday Girl



Smiling for the camera. Happy Birthday Audrey!


Playing in the rain


Audrey playing in the yard in South Bend.

The Last Few Weeks

Audrey and the Pacific

Nana and Audrey in Newport, Oregon walking along the coast.

It has been pretty quiet on the Orelove family front. While both Audrey's and Kim's birthdays loom near, we are quite content going about our lives in a fun and loving fashion. Audrey is settling back into her routine of childcare during the day and then time with mom and dad in the evening. She is talking more and more in complete sentences, expressing her feelings, and giving more accurate descriptions of where things are positioned or located. For example, instead of shouting "BUNNY!" on our walks, she no whispers and explains to me that the "Bunny is under the tree eating the grass."

Haunted Lighthouse in Newport, OR

Another lighthouse in Newport, OR

Catch of the Day! We explore along the beach in Newport!

Last week we traveled down to Indianapolis for my friend's 30th birthday. It is always nice to travel down I-65 and visit friends and family. We spent the weekend with Beth and Mark, lots of laughing and running around the house. Audrey especially likes visiting the chinchillas, Fitz and Alomar. I also purchased a mindless videogame where the objective is to eliminate as many zombies as possible from a local shopping mall. Needless to say, I was entertained thoroughly last weekend!


My friend Mike and me at Sara's wedding outside of Portland, OR

My new 5th grade class is going well. As always, there is a plethora of personalities, and we are all learning how to live and learn together. I think I have a very good class, though, and am excited to really get into our curriculum this year. We have a lot of new testing tools and data tools to help me drive instruction and improve scores. I am also enjoying the last semester of my graduate studies. It will be nice to have this second master's completed in June! Who knows, maybe one day it will be DR. ORELOVE! :-)

The Portland Rose Garden in Oregon

The seasons are changing, and soon all of the fall colors will drape the trees and prairies all around. Football season has been greeted with great celebration here in Chicago. While the Bears have improved their roster, it looks to be another tough season in the Northern division. While the new season is heating up, the weather is cooling down and there is definitely a new crispness to the air and a lack of humidity in the afternoons at the warmest points of the day. While we still have some time before the first snowflakes hit, I think everyone is starting to prepare mentally for the next winter. Sigh.

Audrey in Indy playing in the Atom Ball


Audrey at the party with some buddies!


Aunt Beth at her birthday party that we also celebrated in Indy last week!

Today's pictures are a combination of our trip to Indy and the remainder of our summer vacation to the coast.

-a

Back from the Coast

We have returned from our trip to Washington and Oregon! It was a very successful trip, with many visits to family and friends. Our journey began at 4am as we headed to the Chicago O'Hare Airport with bags and baby seat in hand. The flights were mostly uneventful. Audrey enjoyed the portable DVD player with her favorite shows lined-up and a continual supply of snacks throughout the flight.

The fam at the pig in Pike's Place Market in Seattle!


Audrey chasing and feeding the seagulls in Seattle after we landed.

We arrived in Seattle at roughly 11am and were greeted by my sister, Eden, and mother, Diane. It is always a wonderful feeling to see my family and reconnect. We immediately drove to Pikes Place Market and had lunch, bought some cherries, and watched a few fish fly through the air! Next, we dove to West Seattle to visit my Aunt Sheryl and Uncle Don. We were lucky enough to also catch my cousins, Jeanie and Matt, who happened to be in the neighborhood. The sweetest moment, though, was introducing Audrey to her great grandmother, who recently turned 95. Both Audrey and Nana were a little unsure of each other, but became comfortable enough for a few quick hugs and some laughter.

Daddy, Audrey, Nanna, and Great Nanna

With family bases being touched, we headed out onto the open roads of Interstate 5 to Olympia for the night. There we had a wonderful dinner with my cousin Jonathan and his wife, Pam, and their daughter, Hannah. Audrey was immediately impressed with all of Hannah's talents and outgoing personalty. We savored our evening in Olympia, drinking soda and licking the plate clean after our desert of homemade rhubarb and strawberry cake with whip cream.

Audrey playing with the meditation fountain in Olympia at the Turlove household!

The next morning we drove to Newport. Along the way we stopped at Tillamock, the town famous for its cheese. After that we stopped to see the infamous Haystack Rocks on the coast. We eventually made our way to Newport, where we spent three days with my Uncle Terry and Aunt Amy. We stayed in a friend's house about a block from the ocean.

Abel and Eden (above) and the family at the Newport Aquarium.

It was very relaxing and refreshing just having some time to watch the waves roll in and out. Uncle Terry showed us all around Newport, including the harbor with its sea lions and the local aquarium, which was quite impressive!

Audrey and Daddy at the Haystack Rocks on the Oregon coast.

Entering the a-frame we stayed at in Newport. So cozy!

After our time on the coast, we headed to Portland, where we stayed at a nice hotel in the heart of the city. We had a great time at my friend's wedding, which was quite small in size, but very enjoyable and full of love. We had a chance to meet-up with my Uncle Michael and see some of his amazing solar system projects within the community. It was such a blur, was Portland, that it felt like an eye blink. We enjoyed our time there, but, to me, the coast was the most enjoyable experience of this trip.

Mom and Audrey watching the sea lions in Newport harbor!

Now we have returned, and I have embarked upon another school year. It is always strange beginning a new year, starting new relationships with students and learning how to move around a classroom again. This past week I've been pretty sick, but am recovering. I look forward to new challenges and learning experiences. More updates and pictures as the school year progresses and we transition into fall.

-a

Audrey playing in the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

The End of Summer

It is the end of summer. While some may argue that August still holds a few days without responsibility, I believe that it is also the time that my mind begins to prepare for a new school year and all that comes with it: I start waking up earlier, going to bed earlier, thinking about school supplies and lesson plans, tension and nerves begin to build in my subconscious, etc. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE teaching and I am actually quite excited to embark on another year. It is just a different routine and set of conditions to live by, as well as a drastic reduction in afternoon naps!

These past few weeks have been busy in their own sense. Our little family has been seizing the remaining summer days and been in constant motion. Last weekend we were set for a trip to Michigan to visit a friend's lake house and enjoy some time outside of our usual stomping grounds. With my Honda Civic packed to the gills with coolers and sleeping gear, our family headed out onto the highway on the hottest day of the year, with a heat index of about 110 degrees! In the middle of the trip, just outside of Gary, Indiana, my little Civic just died! We feared that the transmission gave out again. Ultimately, we were rescued by friends and family and re-routed to South Bend as my car was towed to Gary for the night. The auto shop couldn't find any problem with the car, so we were left with an unreliable mode of transportation. We stayed the weekend in south Bend and scrapped the trip to Michigan. With over 185,000 miles on my car, I decided it was time to trade it in and we drove back to Illinois in a 2009 Hundai Santa Fe! It was difficult to say goodbye to my first car, with so many adventures and good memories. However, I believe that this new vehicle is best for the family and will provide many wonderful experiences, as well!

We have also continued to walk and run every day, which has also encouraged the family to pursue healthier eating habits all around. Not that we survive on carrots and wheat toast or anything, but we are trying to be more consciensious of what goes into our bodies and what we need to do to drop some pounds!


Today we visited the Brookfiend Zoo. Despite the humidity, it was actually quite enjoyable. Audrey enjoyed the lemurs and got to see a zoo handler display a fruit bat for close viewing! Audrey talks and repeats pretty much everything she hears, and is quite good at holding basic conversations. One of her new favorite activities is spotting VW Bugs as we drive out and about, and yelling the colors of trucks as they pass on the highway. We stack blocks, color, put items away and take them out again in the food pantry, brush the cats, walk the dog, get the mail, watch airplanes, count, watch bunnies, and chase toads at night in the driveway!


Soon we will depart for the West Coast to visit some of my family and also take a trip to Oregon for a friend's wedding. While we're not particularly looking forward to the long flight, it will be joyous to see my mother and sister and spend some time by the ocean on the Oregon coast. There is something rejuvenating about water and nature, and I believe this trip will be a fitting end to my summer and a nice way to rev my enthusiasm for a return to the classroom and nine more months of being addressed as "Mr. Orelove".

-a

Short July Update

The sun has set into the night,
The moon begins its rise.
But I think about the things today,
That have passed before my eyes.

Waking to the morning light,
A snoring cat upon my chest.
An early walk with the dog
Allows my daughter more rest.

But soon the coffee bubbles and brews,
The oatmeal dressed in cream.
The first crackles of laughter from her room,
And the first smiles do beam.

We dress, eat up, and pack.
For we must be on our way!
To visit our friends down the road,
And swim and eat and play!

The radio humms along happily,
As the car bumps down the drive.
And as I look in my rear view mirror,
I am so thankful to be alive.

We swim and eat cookies and nap,
As the sun beats down on our backs.
But the sunblock and bug spray allow us,
To simply enjoy our snacks.

At the end of the day we hug.
Give kisses and say goodbye.
It was fun to share a day with you,
But I can see the sleep in her eye.

So we pack up and stand up and go.
Back down the road in our car once more.
As the sun sets below the horizon,
My ears detect a faint snore.

We look back and both begin to smile,
A blanket and binky we see.
And while she sleeps cool in the night breeze,
My love burns eternally.



-audrey dancing with her buddies to the tunes!

-a