Time Warp

I have been in a time warp it seems. The kids just got on the bus. . .seems strange because they never rode the bus before. Connor and Christen are loving it at Cox School. Christen's teacher is Mrs. Scarpa and Connor has Mrs. Verzella. They are both so happy. After just the first day of school they both came out with huge smiles on their faces. . .it made me so happy and put quite a smile on my face, too. Yesterday after the kids got on the bus and Larry went to work (so happy) I wondered if this was all for real? God is good. So far, this "adventure" has been a very seamless process. . .not nearly as hard as I had expected. I unpacked the little scripture holder that was on my kitchen counter in Libertyville and the verse read:

He fills my life with good things. Psalm 103:5

Amen to that!

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Larry was outside doing a few things last weekend and we met 3 of our neighbors. Let's just say that they were all "McKinleyish"...they were wonderful. I mean...really wonderful. It seems that Denison Drive is a special place. I guess that people move onto the street, have kids, raise families, enjoy their neighbors, they just stay on Denison because it is just a neat place to be. It feels right and good so far...not "familiar" yet, but good. As for our friends back in Libertyville?? We miss you so much. No worries...no one in CT can take your place in our lives!
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Now, as for the boxes. . .they are everywhere! There is no order anywhere, not in even one room! That has got to change. . .soon. It takes forever just to figure out where to put things. . .it is like we are living in someone elses house, not our own. A friend of ours said, "Don't wait to get settled before you start baking cookies and filling your house with smells and activities that make it home." Good advice, but where are the cookie sheets? :)
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Well, I should probably go unpack some boxes. . .

Libertyville Misses You.....

.....and so does Huntley!!!

Good Luck on your new adventure!!!!

We will miss you so much!!!!

Love,
Jaki

Happy Valentine's Day!

Loving Connecticut.
My brother and me together make one tough cookie! I am so glad that we have each other!

Larry, Connor, & Christen on a trail head right down the street from our house.
Playing on the playground at our new school.

Connor is standing in front of the Sound with Long Island in the distance.

We spent the day showing the kids around Guilford. The highlight was the time we spent at the Hammonasset State Park climbing on the rocks and collecting shells. We can't wait to spend time there this summer!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! (Better late than never!)

As you all know, things have been a bit hectic around the Backes home for quite some time. I never did seem to find the time to get my Christmas/New Year Cards out this year. Since I now have a blog that reach many of you that I would normally send cards too....I thought I would post our family Christmas picture from this year. As you can see...in 2008 we added a new member to our family, Montana. We can't imagine life without him or how we existed for so long without a dog in our home. He is a best friend to us all whenever we need him most. Here is to a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2009!

Taste All of Guilford

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Date: Last Sunday in June
Location: The Fair Grounds, Lovers La. and Stone House La.
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Description: A great family event. The day will be filled with food from Guilford's many excellent restaurants and food establishments. There will be family entertainment, including both live and recorded music by a number of talented performers, contests and children activities. The culmination of the day will be an evening of music accompanied by food served by some of the best restaurants on the Shoreline.

Guilford Green

In its early days, Guilford's Green was used communally for grazing cattle, drilling the militia and as a graveyard for early settlers. It was also contained a whipping post and it was the front yard for many of the town's churches and the town hall. Today, the Guilford Green looks like many town parks, but it is so much more. It's the site of many of the community's most important rituals -- high school graduations, community fairs, photo sessions for prom night, local weddings and town parades. Guilford's Green is a source of great pride for residents. In the 19th century, a women's group raised money to erect 100 lampposts around the green and paid a man to keep them lighted. Each spring these women gathered to rake the green. In the background they heard the ringing of church bells and the firing of the cannon. It has been a long time since the women of Guilford have raked the Green, but the community spirit and pride in this historic landmark remains very much alive today.

LIVING IN GUILFORD

Soon to be Connor and Christen's new school!

The very new, very cool, very 21st Century Guilford Library!

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From the Chamber of Commerce Website:

There is something for everyone in this community of 22,000. Very much a suburb, Guilford has many modern amenities like a skate park, a new police and fire station, a 21st century library and a health center affiliated with Yale-New Haven Hospital. But the amenities aren't the first thing you see on a tour of the town. It's the first rate schools with their commitment to quality education It's the natural beauty of the town's scenic roads, wooded lots and location along the shoreline of the Long Island Sound. It's the value that Guilford places on its historic roots - the plaques on its antique homes and the character of its magnificent Green.With an excellent location along the I-95 corridor and accessible by rail, Guilford is a charming town steeped in history with a commitment to meeting the modern needs of its residents.