Thanksgiving

This is a little late, but better than never, yes? We celebrated Thanksgiving at home again this year, and it was delightful. We were tired at the end of it, but food tired is always more of a blessing than a curse. We also introduced the kids to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year. I always watched it growing up, until we moved to Saipan anyway, and it was always fun to see the balloons and bands and shows. I also love seeing where different bands and squads come from. The kids really liked it. I also borrowed a great book from the library called Balloons over Broadway. It has great pictures and tells the story of the man who invented and designed the first balloons used in the Macy's Parade and why the Parade was started.

This year we had our friends the Axtells over for dinner. They usually go down to Boston but because their toddler has such a time in the car, they didn't want to risk five hours of screaming. It was fun to get together. Between dinner and dessert we went outside and kicked a ball around and the kids balanced on the slackline.

Let me introduce you to the stars, from L-R: Mal's Secret Pecan Pie, flourless chocolate torte, buttermilk pie, grapefruit merengue pie, pumpkin pie, and peanut butter brownies.

Friday morning breakfast.

The kids enjoying leftover cheese ball, nuts, fruit, and rolls for lunch on Friday.

The past few months have been an opportunity to learn to be thankful for everything and everyone in my life. I've been trying to complain less and smile more. I'm always telling the kids to be thankful for what we have--because it really is way, way more than we need; but the best way to teach is by example.

Readers

I love to read. And I love that they love to read.

Of course, there are no photos of Madie reading because she is the Clandestine Reader. I found out only a few months ago that she had read a bunch of books on the bookshelf in their room that I didn't even know she knew were in there. 

Me: "You know a book we should read, Finn? The Wind in the Willows."

Madie: "Wait, is that the one with a toad?" 

"Yeah." 

"Oh, yeah, I've read that book."

"Where?" I thought maybe a teacher read it to them at school.

"It's in our room."

"Well, okay, I know. I didn't even know you'd read it. I mean, I only ever see you with Fudge or Harry Potter."

She just looked at me like I was weird for not getting it. "Well, it's not like it's long." Meaning she read it in an hour or so, and I didn't even know.

"How many of those books have you read? I mean the ones in your room."

"All of them."

So, that's Madie. Sorry, no pictures.

Madie-Made

Some of Madie's most recent art pieces returned from school. Mike and I were duly impressed. I'm particularly impressed by the one on the right--it's the first self-portrait I've seen of her that has any shape to the face other than oval.

Feast Your Eyes

Some Amity love for you all.

Enjoying a walk along the shore.

Doing her sit-ups.

Being cute.

Taking a snooze in the park.

Petya and Friends

It's fun to see Petya really come into her own now that she's the big kid at home. For a while after Finn and Madie started school, Petya would keep asking if we were going to see our friends, "Logan and Caroline." I kept explaining those were actually more Finn's friends than hers, and that they were in school now too. 

"But," I'd say, "we will see Viv and Emily!" 

Finally talks about her own friends and is excited to see them when I say we're going anywhere. The cutest kiddo to see her with is Emily. These two are wicked sweet together. I came around the corner to get Petya ready to go and found them sharing a bean bag and looking through a book together. 

They are like this all the time. It kills me.

The Blankie

Thanks, Aunt Holly, for blankie #4. They are all well-loved and even Madie and Finn still keep theirs on their beds.

Nell never really got attached to hers though. 

Sugar Cookies

For Family Night last night Madie had the treat. I think every Family Night of the summer that Mike or I weren't in charge of treats we had ice cream. Finally, half-way through October, when Finn said that he wanted ice cream for Family Night and Mike rolled his eyes at me, I realized we had achieved the previously-thought unachievable: Mike had grown tired of ice cream. I mean, he still ate it, but he took to listing all the other treats we were missing out on:

"Pie, short cake, brownies, blondies, pudding, clouds, cheesecake--come on man! You could have anything you want!"

But Finn wanted ice cream, so ice cream we had.

Last night though, Madie finally broke and chose sugar cookies she saw in the Hannaford food magazine. She asked Petya if she wanted to frost them for the activity (which was Petya's choice this week) and she agreed, which was great for me!