It's too quiet around here. Where did everybody go?

Where IS everyone? Hannah, it seems YOU were the reason for the parade of visitors this past week. Now you are back in North Carolina, and no one cares about your grandpa and me anymore. We aging baby boomers know when we're being used.

Our last morning with Hannah began with happy play time and lots of smiles. She was either (a) delighted to be going home, or (b) oblivious about the upcoming trip, not realizing she would soon be ripped from her grandparents' loving arms and spirited out of Minnesota by evil clones pretending to be her parents. Well, that's what it seemed like to us.

The Northwest pilots decided to go to work today, so off Hannah flew, leaving behind her grandparents, aunts and uncles, great-grandpa, and assorted other relatives and friends. After a visit to the Mall of America to meander until we knew Hannah and her parents were on board and ready to take off, Larry and I are at home. Alone. In the quiet house. Waaaah!

Auntie Aunchie and Uncle Charlie

Uncle Tanner and Auntie Annie

Elisabeth, Grandpa Charlie, Evan, & Hannah

Field Trip for Hannah

Sadly for all of the Potts/Dellon/Grimmius Melange, the Dellons are returning to North Carolina tomorrow. Daddy Evan saved the best until last for Hannah--the long-awaited, much-anticipated, highly acclaimed First Visit to Schmidts Meat Market in Nicollet, MN. Evan gently but firmly reminded baby Hannah to sleep soundly Monday night so she would be appropriately rested for the First Visit. Here are Hannah, Daddy, and Grandpa outside the site of the First Visit, a.k.a. Schmidts.

After posing for the photo above, Hannah entered Schmidts and immediately was converted to the many pleasures of varietal smoked meats. As you can see from the expression on Hannah's cute little face as her daddy places her carefully into a salami cooler to savor the experience, she finds Minnesota-style salami with blueberries and wild rice to her liking. While Mommy (Elisabeth) cooperated by taking on the role of Offical First Visit Photographer, she was less than thrilled when hours later Hannah's soft baby hair continued to give off the aroma of the meat market. Daddy, on the other hand, claimed a victory for varietal smoked meat lovers world-wide. Stay tuned as Hannah eventually grows teeth and discovers the joy of bratwurst and slab bacon.

RepsPottsDellonGrimmius: A Melange

And here we all are!

Minnesota Relatives Meet Hannah

What a whirlwind the past few days have been for Hannah, Elisabeth and Evan. Today was the craziest, with a large selection of relatives on hand for The Unveiling of Hannah, as Great-Aunt Kathy put it. Hannah was gracious, relaxed, demure, and adorable from head to sweet little toes the entire day. Fortunately, the weather was cooperative so the troops could spread out both inside and outside for conversation while e ating brats and chicken (thanks Larry and Charlie), calico beans (oops, not a good food choice for a group of primo gas-passers like this crowd) Asian cole slaw, and a variety of crunchy accompaniments. Annie and Tanner provided watermelon extraordinaire, which allowed the lactose into lerant guests a substitute for the other dessert choice--ice cream sandwiches (thank you, Kemps). We missed Mary Jo, Matt, Jamie, Oksana, and Max, but they --along with Lil' G-- will join us for the Christmas holidays. Our family is almost large enough to rent the Legion for holiday gatherings...

The requisite family picture-taking session had an air of mystery surrounding it this year. Apparently someone hired the infamous derriere paparazzi, Chico Potts, to cover the rear. Here's a sample of his work...

El Ojo de Chico

Grandpa Charlie says good-bye to Baby Hannah.

Guess who's coming to Minnesota?

Right about now, if Northwest's fantastic 20% on-time record is holding, our visitors from North Carolina may possibly be landing in Minneapolis. Or maybe they're circling the airport. Or maybe they're still in Raleigh. No matter: whenever they arrive, Charlie and Angie will meet them and send them on their way to O-Town for a night with Annie and Tanner.

Here's Hannah, flying out of North Carolina on her way to Minnesota.

I've Got a Blog, too

July 25, 2007
Blogging. I never thought I'd see the day that I'd be a blogger. I love reading blogs created by family and friends--I check them daily--but write my own? What in the world will I write about? Maybe I'll try a Seinfeld trick--writing about nothing.