Ev gets a new wagon for Christmas

And mom and dad got a new FlipUltra HD. We shot a little video to try it out!

2010 with the Traveling Powells in 10 minutes

Don't have the 30 mins it might take to read and enjoy our Christmas Letter below?
Well, here's our year- in about 10 minutes!
Enjoy!

2010 for The Traveling Powells in 10 mins from Annie Powell on Vimeo.

...2010 Christmas Letter...

Merry Christmas!

2010 has been a year for the record books. The new year brought with it the anticipation of our baby girl which also meant that whatever we had to do, better get done before her birth. For Annie, this meant wrapping up her thesis for her PhD at OHSU and for me it meant getting our house ready for sale. I kid you not, but Annie turned her thesis in the day before she gave birth. January was a busy month, but on February 8th when Evelyn Anne decided to join us, we couldn't think of anything except how beautiful and perfect she was and how insignificant everything else is. The month to follow brought the blessed assistance of Annie's mom and many visits and meals from friends and family. This was much appreciated as we searched for all the ways under the cloudy sky to quiet the cries of Ev. As you can guess, we didn't get much sleep the first few months but we made it through. Ev was healthy and proved to have healthy lungs. A bit of a crier, she did her best to keep us up and we did our best to put her to sleep. Between the cries though, she brought us smiles and glimmers of peace to come.

In January, Annie was a beautiful full-term pregnant mother to be and in February was a beautiful and beaming new mother. In March and April she was dedicating her all to taking care of Ev. In April, Annie defended her thesis and in June received her PhD from OHSU thus wrapping up 6 years of exhausting and hard work. She was chosen to speak at the commencement ceremonies and we had the honor of our parents in attendance. Annie definitely earned her doctorate degree and was highly commended by the mentors and other faculty we spoke with during the events surrounding the graduation. It is this same hard work that also availed the opportunity to work for a laboratory at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. This opportunity set up the scenario that had us moving to Nashville in June.

For me, the winter was spent preparing our bungalow for sale, wrapping up my woodworking business and learning how to be a father of a newborn. It wasn't the best time in history to sell a home, so we were sure to dot our ‘i's’ to ensure a profitable sale. An economy that isn't good for selling homes is good for shutting down a business however, so I had the perfect amount of work to keep me busy till June and I didn't have to say "no" too many times. It has been a natural shift to go from being business owner to father, both are full-time and require overtime and the benefits are good feelings rather than good bank statements.

In June, we loaded everything we had into a large moving truck. For the most part it fit but it's hard to find a spot for your sense of home, that doesn't just get loaded up. There wasn't any room for family and friends in the truck so they stayed back as well... I was blessed to have my brothers make the drive with me and Khaya. Brian, Patrick and Brent committed to the drive and we were on our way. It was a great way to drive across the country! Annie and Ev would be following in the air and we were set to meet them here in Nashville. The airways were not kind and Annie alone endured over 30 hours between Portland and Nashville with a 4 month old. To use a car metaphor, she made it in on fumes.

Once in Nashville, we settled in pretty quick and had nearly all our boxes unpacked by the end of summer. We rent a home a few miles from Vanderbilt and lucked out to be in a nice, quiet neighborhood. The summer was the hottest in 53 years but we didn't let it keep us from seeing the area, finding places to go and running in Percy Warner Park on the weekends. Soon after moving to Nashville, we were also blessed to have our daughter decide that sleeping all the way through the night would be a good thing. Ever since, she sleeps all night and we count every evening as a blessing.

Not being satisfied only going part way across the country, we drove to Durham, N.C. in July to see some great friends from Portland. We spent a long weekend catching up, eating bbq and seeing a new part of the country. In August we took a trip to Montana. I rode my motorcycle across the state via the continental divide trail with my friends Josh and Chris while Annie, Ev and Khaya hung out with her family in Glacier National Park. After our family joined back up, we spent more time in the park and then some time with Annie's family at Flathead lake. It was a great trip! In September, we flew to Baltimore, MD to meet up with friends and for Annie to run a 1/2 marathon. It was great to see Baltimore and Washington D.C. It was nice to be a tourist and Ev was a good prop to put in front of the many Washington sites. We were tourists for a few days and then Annie and our friend Victoria ran the Woodrow Wilson 1/2 marathon. It was a great day and the ladies enjoyed their run. In October we flew to Portland for a few days so Annie could surprise a friend who was running her 1st marathon. The surprise lasted and Annie was able to run the last 8 miles with her. It was a quick trip but we got to see friends and family for a few days and catch of bit of our old life. Right after the Portland trip, Annie headed to Bar Harbor, ME for a 2 week course and conference. Not being able to turn down a trip to Maine, Ev and Khaya jumped in the car with me and we drove from Nashville up to Bar Harbor. We took a few days and stayed with friends in Durham and Philadelphia. It was a long drive but worth the end result. The leaves were in full fall color and our rental cottage was moments away from Acadia National Park. We had a full week in Maine and were able to have many memories made. Annie joined us for the trip back and we worked it out to spend a night with our friends in Baltimore and then in Durham.

Once we got home from that trip, we were done for awhile and we haven't been more than 2 hours from home since. In early November, our friends from Durham came to visit and spent a long weekend. It was great to have time with them and use them as an excuse to see more of the Nashville area. We spent time downtown, ate at new restaurants and visited the Jack Daniels distillery. This is when we also realized that although the summers are miserable, the fall is stellar. It was November and we were hanging outside in 70+ degree weather. Our friends visit was also an excuse to trial run our Thanksgiving dinner. We've hosted a few over the years, but felt we needed practice cooking some of the classic dishes. Faux Thanksgiving was a hit and we were ready for the real deal.

It was our fortune to have Annie's dad and step-mother drove down from their home in Minnesota for the Thanksgiving weekend. The weather attempted to keep them home, but they saw the storm coming and got out in front of it. It is a solid 2 day drive, and they were glad to be out of the car upon arrival, as was their new dog Bruiser. Ev was glad for the extra attention that only grandparents can give and Khaya was glad for another dog to run around with. The Thanksgiving dinner turned out amazing and left us completely satisfied. Annie coordinated and cooked an amazing meal! Time never slows down for R&R though, and before we wanted it, the weekend was over.

While we were enjoying the impeccable fall weather, we transitioned into December which has thus far been the coldest start to a December since 1942. Recap, it was the hottest summer in 53 years and the coldest December in 68 years....boy are we lucky! Well, we found out our furnace is as good as our AC so no worse for the wear, we are now taking out all the coats that we couldn't have imagined ever using when we move here in June. We've even had some snow! Similar to Portland but even more so, the Nashvillians don't know what to do when the white stuff falls and the news treats it like armageddon. One great thing so far is the lack of rain. More than not, the days are dry and sunny so even though it is cold, we get to enjoy the sunshine and the ability to be out in it.

Christmas this year will be spent here in Nashville as our little family. It is our first spent without extended family and obviously our first with Evelyn. It will be hard to not be with family but we are looking forward to the opportunity to start our own traditions. Even though we are miles from everyone, the tree is sitting atop a mound of presents and Ev can't keep her hands off of them. It will be a joy to watch her work her way through the gifts!

Evelyn in crawling, standing up to things, vocalizing and making sense of this world more and more everyday. We are amazed how transparent and quick her growth is. Every day brings new actions and reactions and everyday heightens our awareness of how blessed we are to have a healthy and happy little girl. If ever there is a need to smile, we just think of the look she gives us in the morning or the sounds she makes brushing her fingers by her sounding mouth.

Our year is wrapping up and we can't believe how much has taken place this year. It seems impossible to have so much happen but it does and I guess this will be commonplace as the years tick by. We would like to thank all of you for your support and interest in our lives and hope you will follow us as we move about. We would also like to hear from you as you continue on your path. With moving as far as we have, we greatly appreciate the value of our friends and family and we greatly miss you all. Have a merry Christmas, a happy new year!

All our love,

Brendon, Annie, Evelyn and Khaya

Snow in Nashville!

It started snowing today and we've got about 2 inches now.

When we moved here, it was the hottest June in 53 years. 

So far, it's also the coldest December since 1942.

We picked a great year to move here, eh?

B's wood pile.

The house mid-afternoon.

Headed out for a walk with Ev tonight. STUFFED her in the Bjorn. 

We're thinking that was the last time for that!

A true accomplishment!

Yesterday, Annie received word that one of her papers will get published. This isn't just any paper, this is the paper that was the bulk of her graduate work at OHSU as well as the main topic of her thesis. Annie has had other publications but this one in particular is the icing on the cake otherwise known as grad school. I just want to say how proud I am of her, her hard work and her achievements. In her profession, there is a vast disparity between the amount of work and amount of acknowledgement. Times like this are a confirmation that her science is respected and honored as well as impetuous to keep moving forward.

Way to go Annie!

For those that are interested, the journal Cancer Research is who accepted her manuscript.

10 months!

We can't believe Evelyn Anne is 10 months today! She's quite used to pulling herself up to stand next to anything she can find these days and is also starting to move laterally along the coffee table, etc. She doesn't have much trepidation with her new-found "walking", which is fun to observe, but sometimes is a little too bold and ends up back down on her backside. Definitely more boo-boo's to kiss nowadays, than ever!

She's also got 2 teeth on the bottom and loves to talk-talk-talk about anything and everything. (She gets that from her dad, right? ....right?) Finally... jumping is still one of her favorite things.... she'll jump just about anytime she gets the chance to hold onto something sturdy enough to support her. Who knew 10 month olds could have this much energy?!

Happy 10 months, Miss Ev! We love you!

Thanksgiving

We were doing some last minute shopping at Trader Joe's for our feast and the clerk asked what we were doing for the holiday, we told him that family was coming into town and we were cooking the meal at home. He proceeded to say we looked too young to be cooking the turkey....shoot, I think he was younger than me! Well, what we don't have for experience we make up for in boldness and it paid off. The meal was amazing! Annie put together a delicious feast that could not have been any better. Thanksgiving was a great day and Friday, Saturday and Sunday were all the same. The weather was beautiful, we had family around for most of it, had opportunity to get some Christmas decorations out and up, spent lots of time as a family and most of all had time to realize how much we have to be thankful for.

Evelyn was at no loss for attention over the weekend with grandparents in town and it was a joy for Annie and I to see her interact with them. Val and Paula drove down from Minnesota to arrive here Wednesday night. It was a great stay and we were able to do a number of things and still find plenty of time to relax.

Gotta love Thanksgiving!

Fear

We are understanding the ramifications of 'fear' in the Powell household lately. As in, if I get upset because I don't want to go to bed at 8 and stand up in my crib in protest, then I'll just wail harder- not because I'm mad about going to bed- but because I don't know how to sit down. Good Lord.  
Insult to injury: I laid her down, left, she fell asleep. Awoke screaming 10 mins later. We left her to cry a bit, only to find (once we checked on her, suspecting the standing up thing again) that she'd gotten her leg stuck in the bars.
We unstuck the leg. 
She fell asleep to awake at 7a, like normal. 
What a night.
Insight into the toddler years??

B's been busy...

I'm lucky enough to have a husband who stays home to take care of our lovely daughter.  As if that weren't enough... I thought I'd give you a little peek into the other things he finds the time to accomplish.  Thanks, B!

Project 1: Matting and framing my commemorative marathon poster/bib/picture. We cut the matte and bought the frame in '07.  It sat partially finished for 3 years. (Something about owning a small business, remodeling a house and finishing a PhD that got in the way). We hauled it to Nashville. Today, he finished it. I am so psyched.

Project 2: Framing my Ph.D. diploma. He was in the framing mood today!

Project 3: Custom rocking chair. It's GORGEOUS. Made of black walnut. Made literally from boards of wood with his hands. This being-married-to-a-woodworker thing just keeps paying off. ;-)

(Zoom-in view of the grain. The other arm has a dark stripe down the middle to match. Amazing.)

Project 4: Chopping up a huge hickory tree we had taken down and stacking it.  He cut and stacked all of the wood you see by hand. Pretty much alone, as well. 

Did I mention he's also found the time to volunteer here once a week? What a guy.
Thank you for all you do, B!  You're amazing!

Traveling 'round Home Depot with dad

(PS- Excellent use of the pink Vans shoes, dad.)

9 months!

We can't believe it! Evelyn Anne was 9 months old yesterday!
We had her 9 month check-up yesterday morning.  Here are her stats:

17lbs, 12 oz (born at 8lbs, 11oz. and up nearly 3 lbs from 2 months ago!)
27 inches (born at 21 inches and up 1.5 inches from 2 months ago!)

We also have 1 tooth coming in and she's liking to try and pull herself up to a standing position. She crawls EVERYWHERE and very fast. We've learned not to turn our backs for more than 30 seconds or she's out of the room and off exploring. She eats 1 meal of solid foods per day right now (usually whatever vegetable looks good at Whole Foods) and we have been told to try and increase that to 3 meals as she approaches 1 year. We are also supposed to try using a sippy-cup now (we have SUCH a cute crab-themed one, thanks to our good friends in Baltimore!)  Also, her infant car seat only goes to 30inches, so we have to start looking at buying a big-girl carseat in the next couple of months!  All these new things! Makes us realize how grown up she is getting.

All in all, the doctor thinks she's doing great.


Here's a couple of pics from last week when she was "helping" with the laundry at the laundromat.

Halloween!

Ok, we know we owe everyone a post detailing our trips to Portland and to Maine... and I am working on it, but we HAD to post pictures of of Halloween adventure yesterday. We headed out to a pumpkin patch, Gentry's Farm, early in the day and in the evening Ev got dressed up as Ladybug Ev and we went out trick-or-treating with our friends Phil, Kim and Avery and had a splendid time! Here are some pics!

Also- Ev is nine months old in 1 week from today! New with her this week: trying to pull herself up to stand and waving 'bye-bye!'

Hiatus!

The Traveling Powells are currently in Bar Harbor, Maine... via Portland, North Carolina, and Philadelphia, and thus there has been a hiatus in our postings.  Here's a picture to tide you over.  This is Ev in Acadia National Park and behind her is the Atlantic Ocean.  

We can't believe she is 8.5 months old. Check out those cheeks- they're getting big, and are indicative of how our little baby is becoming a big-girl everyday!

We promise to post about our travels as soon as we are home!

Crawling! (for real this time)

I amended the title of the previous post, as I have finally captured Evelyn moving up on all fours this morning.
The army crawl is still used when speed and efficiency is in order: for instance, when "chasing" the dog.
Ev reserves the real crawling for leisurely playtime and for when she's feeling like getting a little balance-exercise in.
Without further adieu, I give you: "Miss Ev, masterful crawler."

army crawl

Ev gave us some bona fide crawling this evening for the very first time. (Mama appreciates that she waited until she was home, however daddy missed it!)
Of course, when I went to get my iPhone camera, all I could capture was her doing her army crawl that she's been doing for a couple of weeks. Which is adorable, in itself, but *not* the real crawling I was hoping to capture. Oh well.
Regardless, I realized you all had never seen the army crawl, despite us having numerous videos of it, so I thought I'd post it anyways. She always leads and pulls with her right arm... we're wondering if the handedness is revealing itself?

Fall in Nashville

Little Miss Ev is dressing a bit warmer these days. Here she is ready for cooler weather: orange smock top (thanks, Grandma Lucas), jeans, knitted hat (thanks, Jill) and hippopotamus Robeez.

After seeing this picture that Brendon took, I had one of those moments where I thought that our daughter surely is *the* cutest nearly 8 month old around. A notion I used to roll my eyes at before I was a mom. Today I am convinced there are none cuter than Miss Ev. :-)

Parenting follies

Parenting is a constant learning experience.
Example #1:
On our recent trip to Baltimore, we laid Ev down on the green blanket to the left of the orange blanket to go to sleep. We checked on her an hour later and she was where you see her now. Whoops. Time for some sort of traveling crib.

Example #2:

This morning, I was working on my computer while Ev was playing on the ground. I set my coffee cup down far out of reach. She's perfected the art of extreme scooting mixed with a couple of moves that one might recognize as crawling. She made her way over to my half full (but now cold) coffee cup and tipped it over towards her. I picked up the cup and set it yet again just out of her reach. She then dragged herself through the spilled coffee to get to said cup. Oye. Time to babyproof!

Visit to Baltimore and DC

We flew to Baltimore last weekend to see some of our Portland friends. Some now live in Baltimore and another couple flew up from Raleigh, NC and met us there. It was awesome.

I ran an inaugural 1/2 marathon with my running buddy from Portland (if I can brag, it was my 2nd fastest one yet! 2:01:55. Feeling really great about that since Evelyn's only 7.5 months old! WOOT!). The race started at George and Martha Washington's home in Mount Vernon, VA and we ran our 13.1 miles along the Potomac River, ending in sight of the Washington Monument in National Harbor, Maryland. The race was amazing. While running the race was a reason for the trip, we also took in some of the sights and sounds of DC. Having never been to the Northeast before (like really. never. anywhere.), Brendon and I really enjoyed touring the Washington Mall and taking the water taxis around Baltimore. We can't thank our friends enough for their hospitality. And we CANNOT wait to do it again! Here are some pics from the trip.

Awaiting the water taxi on the harbor in Baltimore

Fort McHenry, the birthplace of the National Anthem

O say can you see, by the dawns early light, a large red, white and blue banner? Whose broad stripes and bright stars . . . were so gallantly streaming! over the star-shaped Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore, September 13-14, 1814. The valiant defense of the fort inspired Francis Scott Key to write The Star-Spangled Banner.

Ev and Abe.

Ev and the Washington Monument looming over the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

The Powells and the White House. Moments later we were hurriedly told to leave the immediate premises. We scurried away and a few minutes after that a very tall child came to play on the back lawn of the White House. We think it was one of the president's daughters but we can't say for certain.

The Powells and Abe

Verheins and Powells have done Mexico, so why not DC too??

Ev "swims" for the first time! She loved it!

The whole gang right before our pre-race dinner.

We stayed here in National Harbor.

V looking strong at mile 11.5ish!

Me attempting to look strong at 11.5. Little did we both know that there was large hill around the corner from this pic! Boooo!

We crossed this- the Woodrow Wilson Bridge over the Potomac!

Whew! Race is over! Time for pics with a parrot!

We were exhausted from our journey. Ev and B took a little nap on the way home.

Fun with jumping.

Evelyn Anne, future yoga instructor.

You'll note the plank pose as well as some semblance of downward facing dog!

7 months!

Evelyn is 7 months on September 8th! We can't believe it!

Happy 7 months, Miss Ma'am!

Green beans.

Mashed up some green beans for Ev.
We have the rice cereal down-pat, but she's a little unsure of this latest development.

New favorite place to play...

B bought Ev a new play area this week.

From what we can tell, she loves it.

(Also- new in the last 2 weeks: scooting backwards! We think crawling is pretty much any moment now!)