Catching up

I know this is very belated, but our Thanksgiving was just delightful. We spent it with my parents and sister, who oogled the baby, thus giving me plenty of time to relax-fully cook. Never have I been filled with such gratitude on that holiday. Nat was featured prominently in each of our thanks-lists. We watched the Mayflower Charlie Brown episode. We stuffed ourselves silly. Menu featured below, for those of you into that sort of thing.* (On the subject of Thanksgiving food, we actually enjoyed three Thanksgiving meals this year. Can't get much better than that.)

Nat has been growing bigger and stronger. He loves playing and cooing now, and particularly loves being held up in the air. He's had the opportunity to meet a few more cousins of late, and, social butterfly that he is, flirted with them all.


Per my normal December attitude, I've been filled with Christmas giddiness and spent an embarrassing amount of time adding every Christmas movie known to man to our Netflix list. Sadly, many of them have waits, so we may not get through very many before January. At least there's always music by the tree and fireplace. And pumpkin chocolate chip bread and hot chocolate. Lots of hot chocolate.


(Why, yes, we are wearing matching penguin Christmas socks, thank you for asking.)

We fly to Utah a week from yesterday, and I am beyond thrilled. It will be so fun to see all of our family out there, although I will miss my parents/sister desperately. Although I think they will miss the little one even more.


And a few more pictures for my traveling family.


And finally, I didn't realize I wouldn't be able to turn this, but here's a little video clip.





*Thanksgiving menu:

• Cornbread
• Cranberry sauce
• Quinoa with pomegranate, craisins, and walnuts
• Julia Child's garlic mashed potatoes (the ratio of butter to potato is only justifiable on Thanksgiving)
• Creamy corn casserole
• Glazed carrots
• Sweet potato casserole
• Green bean casserole
• Pumpkin curry soup
• Sweet potato & butternut squash lasagna
• Apple pie (with an all-butter crust, shortening gives me the heebie jeebies, and butter is just so tasty)
• Pumpkin pie