fig tree freedom

With the genius of a contractor, we will be taking our kitchen from this


to something sort of like this.


So I am busy shopping for appliances. Please tell me if you have a fridge, dishwasher, gas range, or range hood that you just love as I am in the market.

Also, cabinets over the range hood or just a range hood? I can't decide. Or maybe, since I'm not set on one or the other, which one is cheaper? =)

One more thing, if you like that light over the table, you can have it.

guest blogger: Lydia

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On Tuesday, we drove out to meet our new cousin, Kaia. While I was holding her, she spit out her pacifier, so I put it back in for her.



(Mama says sorry this is blurry.)


Heidi was very excited to hold Kaia. She may have been a little too excited and squeezed her too hard. She also wouldn't stop kissing Kaia. (Mama says sorry for the blurry photos again, but you can still get the idea of how excited she was.)



Mama was excited to hold Kaia, too. I think she loves babies.


All the cousins.


The proud big brother


and the sleeping baby.


It was fun to meet you, Kaia! We will see you next week at the lake!

Cute photos of my new niece will have to wait (only because the camera is in the bedroom where Heidi is still napping).

So in other news, today, we bought a house. Our new house is a few blocks southwest of where we are now, two blocks from the subway in a neighborhood called Passyunk Square. This beauty (sort of) is officially ours after three months of bidding, negotiating, inspecting, and all the other shenanigans that go along with buying a house.


Now on to the renovating. Because, seriously, do you see those gates? There are plenty more inside just like them. And mirrors. Lots of mirrors. Please standby for more photos of the progress over the next two months. We are out of our rental the end of August, so come September, you will find us there. Until then, just let me know if you want to help pack boxes or babysit or rip up carpet or knock down mirrors or rip out large iron gates and fixtures. =)

I am an aunt once again! But this time, I have a niece! Kaia Jo (Josephine). This is Lauren's photo as I am going to meet her for the first time today!


Kaia arrived on Saturday, June 23rd. I met Keiper when he was three days old, so I'm just trying to be consistent.

Kaia, we are excited to meet you! Lydia keeps saying, "We're going to see Uncle Ryan, Aunt Lauren, Keiper, and . . . need help with the baby's name, Mama?" and "Lydia has a new cousin!"

Please standby for pictures of cuteness overload, assuming I remember my camera and Heidi doesn't burst into insanely-jealous-of-the-baby-syndrome while I'm trying to hold Kaia. =)

guest bloggers: Lydia & Heidi

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Every other Wednesday we go to a playgroup at a local church. After playgroup we have a picnic in the nearby park, Rittenhouse Square.


 After we eat, we run around or chase birds. On this day, we climbed the fence.


Or maybe Joss is trying to escape.


Or maybe she's just helping Heidi with her shoe.


Sage is also our new neighbor. She just moved around the corner last week, so now we see her even more since her nanny is good friends with our Mama.


We love picnics with our friends!

Adrienne, I have another post for you.

Remember this girl a little over a year ago?


Check out her sister.




It's almost scary the same things they do.

guest blogger: Lydia

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There is a new venue in the neighborhood: Sister Cities Park. Well, it's not in our neighborhood, but we've already been there a handful of times. Also, the park isn't new, but it's been transformed. The website can give you the official information, but I'll tell you how we enjoy it.

First, we pack up the stroller with our bathing suits, buckets and shovels, towels, and picnic lunch. Then we hike the nearly two miles across the city to 18th & Logan Square.


When we get there, we change into our bathing suits and hit the pool.




There is a rock garden path that winds around. Brennan and Kuyper enjoy starting their toys at the top of the waterway and chasing them down to the pool where they catch them while I prefer a more stationary position sitting on the steps with my watering can and bucket.


There is also a little fountain we can play in, too.


And - the best part of all - Daddy's office is right there. He can actually see us fro…

guest blogger: Heidi

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Daddy and Mama gave me a new book for my birthday. It's called, "I Kissed the Baby!"


I really love this page.


 Wait, go back.


Let's do this page again!


Look - a squirrel!


I love to quack at the end with the baby, but you can't hear me quack in a photo. I'll read it with you next time I see you if you want, and maybe I'll even quack for you!

Dear Brittany,

I mentioned the need to do this post to you almost two months ago, and I'm finally doing it. It's been in my head for awhile, but I'm attempting to get it out of my head and onto my blog.

dear deidre was my original post of sharing my favorite baby items. I just reread it, and I have a few modifications and additions to it. I was going to update and include that post over here, too, but that task seemed too much. So if you are reading this for the same reason Brittany is reading it (she's pregnant and due in November with her first babe), and you haven't read dear deidre, do that before you read this one. Oh, and buy Baby Bargains (which I tell you about first thing in dear deidre.) I updated all the links from dear deidre at the bottom of this dear brittany page, so you'd have all the links in one place. You're welcome, Bcuz. One last thing, if you aren't Brittany or aren't expecting a baby, you may not be interested at all in this …