Jakarta to Brookfield Update #1

Three years in three posts. That is the goal. I have been back in the States now for three years and have been a tad bit delinquent in the posting.







Oak Avenue residence in December 07 snow.








Backyard - deck, garage and alley beyond the fence.








Christmas Eve 2007.








Christmas morning 2007.












52 ounces of goodness - all that is good and bad in America demonstrated by the existence of the Road Pilot enormo mug.










Ada traveling in style. Wish I could be transported all winter long like this. Christmas holiday in Colorado.








Emmerson in the Rockies.








Snow shoeing in Rocky Mt. National Forest.










How we spent the rest of the winter ....

Summer returns!









Girls in the hammock at Oak Ave.

Hoovers visit sometime in the last three years. I think it was our second summer here (8/08). Good times. The entire Hoover family piled into Ada's bedroom for four days. The Hoovers are now at ISM in the Philippines.





Emmerson and Kiana on the train to downtown Chicago.







Emmerson and I back to where it all began for the Duell family. The castle where we hosted one of the sweatiest wedding ceremonies on record. Here we were visiting a Rennaissance Fair centered around the Stronghold Castle where the Duell's were married 6 years ago. I am still adjusting to the unique atmosphere's created by these live action role playing events.

Fall of 2008. Good times in the flatlands.





Ada in farmer school. Learning how to handle a John Deere at some farm near where we live.







Ada eating lunch at farm school.









The infamous "Donkey Maze". Me wishing Emmerson good luck on one of her most difficult exams at farm school - completing the six square mile corn maze within one 24 hour day. Fortunately there was a full moon.












Emmerson with her classmates knee-deep in the corn kernel room.













After successfully completing all the requirements at farm school, Emmerson was allowed to begin preschool. Absolutely busting with excitement, posing with her empty backpack before venturing off to day one of at least 14 more years of school.









Getting ready to go to the field Museum. Ada is wearing the matching batik jumpsuit we bought in Jakarta for Emmerson.










Excited at the Field Museum. September 2008.







At the Morton Arboretum. They created all sorts of critters out of sticks. The Morton Arboretum was once the estate of Joy Morton, the founder of Morton Salt. He was an avid naturalist (founded Arbor Day) and dedicated his 735 acre estate to trees and other things wild.






A moment of inspiration captured. The designing of yet another pumpkin masterpiece.












Little piece of Americana.









Ada's baptism.








It took her a while but finally Ada figured that walking did have its benefits and decided it was worth the effort to figure it all out. Some of her first hundred steps at Union Station in Chicago.









Once she got her walking skills down we figured it was time she earned her keep.







Another little piece of Americana. Our first snowman at the Oak Avenue residence.










Emmerson earning her keep. Christmas snow 2008.










Emmerson sporting her new Man U kit.










Christmas jams.












Oh my. Eclectic Emmerson.