update

{charles river - cambridge, ma}

hi friends!
well, the spring is coming to an end and summer is almost upon us. that means one thing again for us this year: change. kevin's program in st. andrews is completed (except for the dissertation he'll write from the states over the summer), and with that, our wonderful adventure abroad has come to an end. ivy and i arrived safely in houston last week while kevin is finishing up some odds and ends. there is so much i could write about our experience, but i think i will just say here that it was everything i hoped our year would be. kevin pursued this particular spot mainly for his professional path, but i know it was also partly for me. i really loved it and will forever be thanking him. so many people and places will be greatly missed! especially our friends - the taits, the hays, the buchanans and gibbs in particular. they made our year a million times more meaningful and fun and we're already planning a reunion- somewhere, somehow!

we are now "home" in texas for june (except for a few little trips), and then we'll head up to charleston to be beach bums for the rest of summer! my body is itching to get there! it has become home away from home for us and i can't wait to get on the beach, watch kevin take ivy in the ocean, walk to the lost dog, go to harris teeter, have a date downtown... but mostly to start getting ready for our second babe. i'm getting so excited! i've got my OB all lined up and for some reason am really excited to meet her. haha... maybe because i haven't met a doctor yet during this pregnancy (you only see midwives in scotland) or maybe because she just looks so nice in her picture! either way, i'm looking forward to it and the rest of the summer. (who isn't?)

come early fall, we'll be moving our little family to cambridge, massachussettes! kevin will be a student (again? again.) in the education school at harvard. HGSE if you want to be official. i'm so proud of him and am really excited to live in a new part of the country with him and our two littles. i've never visited boston, but you can bet i'm loading up on books, websites, guides etc. i kinda enjoy the process of familiarizing myself with a new place and noting things that look fun to see and do (and eat). in fact, the first thing kevin did when we decided on harvard was place an amazon order for me so i could read and research to my heart's content. haha...

life is so bright right now. thank you all for your friendship and love. it means so much to me!
love, chaiss

SUMMER ADDRESS: {july & august}
the mcconnells
po box 581
folly beach, south carolina
29439

packages/deliveries to:
1207 e. arctic avenue
folly beach, south carolina
29439

to mom

hope you win.

eat some cake for us!

we love and miss you!

k, c + i

aunt jemimah

dear nana,

thanks a million for the aunt jemimah's syrup!

it makes all the difference.

ivy likes to pour it, i like to eat it.

works for us!

i want pancakes for dinner every night but kevin says no.

even the prego card doesn't move him.

oh well. we've settled for sunday mornings (if you call that a compromise!)

at least at this rate it will last us a long time!

love,

us

french toast recipe: here!

a little letter

{the bottle is the baby's. ivy's been weened-promise!}

dear ivy,
i miss you!
i hope you're enjoying your vacation in beaumont.
did you sleep ok at nana's last night?
are you minding your manners or are you a tornado?
is aunt cindy feeding you chick-fil-a? (please no!)
are your ears pierced??
did you and some friends meet at westgate nursery last night?
have you kept up with all your new jewelry? (aka a pack of rubberbands)
how is bunny? you take such good care of him.
i can't wait to see you tonight!
you probably want to stay longer but one night is long enough for a one year old!
i love you so.
mom

happy thanksgiving!

dear family,
we woke up this morning to snow in our garden!! we threw on our boots and let ivy play around in her first little flurry. i'm thankful for mornings like this, and for kevin's classes being cancelled today because his prof is sick. and for sweet american friends here we are going to celebrate with. but mostly, we are so thankful for all of you - even if we are 5000 miles away.

we love and miss y'all.

eat lots for us!

love

kevin, chaiss & ivy

to elk

dear esther,

we love you from the bottom of our little hearts.

love,

aunt chaiss & ivy

ivy + phone

dear grandma,

guess what? i found the phone!

i'll be callin ya.

love,

your bug

ps. tell pheebs hey.

computer issues

dear whomever,

i'm happy to report we arrived safe and sound in london on sunday and will be here until we head to st. andrews on the 14th! ivy has adjusted faster than i even hoped for. we are having the best time and taking pictures, too. the only problem is the converter for my computer doesn't work and i have no idea how to work my husband's mac. did you know i hate macs? well i do. hopefully i'll figure it out (or better yet, get my own charger) and i'll be back in business soon.

thanks for all the prayers and support!

ivy is doing so well and says hi to all :)

much love,

chaiss

attn: readers (all 3 of you)

dear sweet readers,
many of you have said you are having trouble logging in. well, since i'm not high-tech, i have no idea what the problem is, but a solution might be to become a "follower" (if that cultish jargon doesn't scare you off). i think you can just click on the word "follow" at the right, and it's pretty simple. hopefully that solves it.

if there's any other problems, please let me know! i love to know you're stopping by, and would also love any comments :)

thanks for reading!!

love,
chaiss

remember when

{in honor of ivy's birthday month}

dear kam,

remember when we found out i was pregnant?

remember when we didn't know if it was a girl or boy?

remember when it was a girl and we named her ivy?

remember when she was the most beautiful thing we'd ever seen?

she looked liked you.

remember how your job was to empty the diaper genie and i never had to do it- not even once? thanks for doing that.

remember the song you made up and sang to her everyday?

(gentry told me she sings that song sometimes in the shower. ha!)

remember how our families adore her?

remember all the strolls around eaton street?

remember how you chase her around the bed and we try to not laugh so we can hear her laugh? it's so hard.

remember when i asked you lots of questions?

remember when i kept asking them?

remember when we dressed her as a lobster for halloween? and how we were so clever and funny? remember when a couple won a million dollars for that idea the next day on regis & kelly?

remember when ivy met gran and they are 99 years apart?

remember how you carry our daughter on your shoulders and you're the only one who can? that's because you're the dad.

remember when she started swimming at 9 months old and never stopped? what a bug.

remember when she used to wear sacks? aw.

remember how she smiles in the morning before her eyes are even open? i'm thankful for that.

remember when she projectiled all over my red dress and i kinda thought it was pretty? you didn't.

remember how you look exactly alike?

remember how she likes to gather everything in one hand?

remember how much we miss her when she's away? she's easy to miss.

remember how you're the best dad in the whole world?

remember how blessed we are?

me too.

a letter

hi dad,

i hope you're having fun at folly. i know it's only been a day, but we already miss you.

but don't feel too sorry for us- we're at aunt gen's doing girl things.

like cooking...

and cleaning...

and wishing you were here.

see ya soon.

love,

ivy

a letter

dear nana,
thanks for letting me stay at your beach house.
i love it here.
see you soon.

love,
ivy