The Stevenson Ohana: October 2022

Monday, October 31, 2022

HALLOWEEN

Halloween this year we celebrated with friends doing a little 'bike tricker-treating' and cupcake decorating and halloween stories on a picnic blanket. It was low-key and really fun! I let the boys choose and help design costumes. Luke decided they wanted to be rockets so we made some jet-packs together and designed some sweaters and the boys picked out their rocket names. . . Luke was "speedy" and Clay was "flash" . . . they were so speedy, the jet-packs didn't last through the party.

Halloween isn't really a dutch holiday, but Nov 11 Sint Martins is a big holiday and very similar. I'm bummed I didn't get many pictures from this day but you decorate lanterns and sing door to door for candy. It was a blast.

Saturday, October 29, 2022

Love Letters to Lucy

Love Letter to Lucy August 7th:

Dear Lucy,

It’s your dad. Just wanted to let you know how much I love you. You’ve made me a girl dad for the first time and I couldn’t be happier. You are so pure and so divine. You already and add such love and grace to this family of boys. I wanted to let you know how much I believe in you and your future. Righteous women have so much potential for good and so much power that men cannot replicate. The combination of pure love and a sound mind will bless those around you. You are so lucky to have your mom as an example. You will be a force for good. You will have such a unique ability to love, to melt anger, contention and conflict that the world will look to you and feel your love. With a quiet confidence behind this love, can be a drive and a knowledge that you can do anything you set your mind too. Your options and your future is limitless. I’m so excited to be your dad together with your angel mother will raise you the best we can so you can go uplift the world with love, compassion & a drive to do anything you set your mind to. The world will need women like Lucy Holland Stevenson.

Love,

Your dad

Sunday, October 23, 2022

Paris, France

October 22nd, 23rd 2022: We spend the end of our trip in Paris! We studied a bit about the Eiffel Tower before our trip so seeing that in person with the boys really stands out and made the city more memorable for them. It was the end of an action-packed week here and finally made it after a 3 hour drive and a massive train delay that caused us to miss our Orsay time so needless to say the travel fatigue was definitely setting in but we still really enjoyed our day and a half in Paris. Enjoyed some nice Sunday afternoon walks down all the picturesque Parisian streets and taking in the city life.

Luke was really into the Eiffel tower and was really excited to go see it so that made it all extra fun.

The Notre Dame Cathedral, still unfortunately closed but still really impressive.

In the end, the thing that captured Luke's heart wasn't the Eiffel but Ramen. We found out one of our favorite ramen chains in Tokyo was here in Paris and our little Tokyo boy was so excited. Had fun busting out our chopstick skills again and according to Luke the ramen lived up to the memory and did not disappoint (although Dad would say otherwise).

Hehehe. We saw a 13 year old boy cracking up at this sign, talking a selfie, naturally we had to follow suit and get a tampon zone pic.

Obligatory merry-go-round for the boys, as a reward for being hauled around by mom and dad for the week.

Friday, October 21, 2022

Honfleur, France

Oct.21st, 2022: The last stop on our road trip was Honfleur, and boy, this place was quite charming and magical. Would make the short-list of favorite towns we've been to in Europe. Just had the 'you could totally live here' vibe to it. It did help that it was October and not July, according to a local artist we talked to, the place just gets dumped on from cruise ship tourists all summer. It was hard to leave Honfleur and we all wished we had more time there.

We love it when we time it right to get market day when we're in town. We wondered around this cute Saturday market humming 'There goes the baker with his tray like always...'

The boys choice of market goods.

One reason why we loved Honfleur was the amount of art shops and local artists. If we ever go back, we'd probably buy something from this place. Chatted with the artist for a bit and loved his work.