Zoo Fun

We took a trip to the Santa Barbara Zoo a couple weeks ago with Amy and Ali. We had a lot of fun, Hannah was most entertained by the flamingos and the playground. The attention span of a 10 month old at a zoo is 2 hours max. By the time we got to the elephants she was more interested in the plants surrounding the enclosure than the elephants.

Happy Birthday to Daddy

We celebrated Chris' birthday Friday the 19th. My mom was in town so Chris and I got a WHOLE night away. I mean out to dinner, spending the night at the Bella Maggiore Inn, breakfast in the morning, and then going back home. Thank you Mom! And since I am in the middle of a cake decorating class, I was able to decorate a birthday cake as well.

Football Frenzy

Hannah attended her first college football game on Labor Day. We went to the Rose Bowl for the UCLA-Tennessee game. Chris' parents, Bruno and Anne, came down to celebrate their anniversary, visit with Hannah and go to the game with us. It was a fun experience, after Hannah took a nap during the second quarter, and overall a very exciting game. UCLA won 27-24 in overtime. Hannah was a champ and even clapped enthusiastically during most of the game.

So August was another busy month for us. I can't believe it's already September! Here are a few favorite pictures from the last month. And by the way, Hannah is walking! Stay tuned for video of our speed racer.

Hannah and Auntie Megan



After playing with the stereo, she somehow programed it turn on at midnight. What a surprise to us!

Noni

Anna Dow, better known as Noni, passed away on August 11 from pancreatic cancer. She is Chris' grandmother on his father's side. Noni was born and raised in Gera Lario, a tiny town on Lago di Como in northern Italy. We had the privilege of visiting her home town on our trip to Italy with her and the rest of the family in 2006. One of my favorite memories from that trip was Noni saying, in her thick Italian accent, "I don't understand this country."
She was a very loving woman, proud of her family, and an excellent cook. One of her most famous creations was her pasta frolla, a staple at any family gathering. She welcomed me right into the family and made me feel just like any of her other grandchildren. She was wonderful with Hannah, and one particularly fussy day (Thanksgiving last year), she was the only one who could calm Hannah down. Noni and her husband Neal (Doc), have a ranch in Oregon where they raise cattle and hunt. We miss Noni greatly, but have confidence she is in Heaven because of her faith in God and Jesus Christ. Like Jesus said,"Most Assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life." -John 6:47 and "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." -John 14:6

We will miss you Noni! We love you!

The Ventura County Fair

A couple weeks ago we took a trip to the fair. We were hoping to watch the demolition derby but there was a wait to get into the stands. So instead we enjoyed the animals and displays. The cookies I entered didn't win an award this year. :( I've gone downhill with my entries ever since the pumpkin pie that took 2nd place a couple years ago. Hannah had her first fair ride on the carousel. She also really liked all the lights of the midway. We tried for another goldfish this year but no luck.

My First Fruits

I have successfully grown a tomato plant in our backyard! This is a huge feat for me, seeing as I couldn't keep an ivy plant alive in the house. My $1 plant from the local farmer's market is thriving and we have already picked two delicious tomatoes.