November's Goodness - posted by the Mrs.

These are the out-of-control fruit trees in our backyard.

{we're not sure they've EVER been pruned!}

I love the way they have a 'Gold Glow' when the morning sunshine hits them.

Evidence of Duncan's budding desire to draw...

Two pajama boys hanging out.

Charlie's holding Duncan's Pink Medicine that both of them had to be on for ear infections.

10 days of that stuff...twice a day...for two children  =  lots of this Pink stuff around here.

 Discovering the science of baking soda and colored vinegar!

 We watched an episode of Wipeout as a family one weekend and ended up making our own FHE version the following Monday. The family room/kitchen/eating area was all included in the set up of our obstacle course. We each picked our own theme music to dash to and even had a legit stopwatch to keep us on our toes.  It was a fun and active FHE!

I realize this probably looks like a blurry picture of a messy house but this is actually a bird's eye view of our obstacle course: complete with a beginning tunnel into the kitchen veering in and out of cones with the cozy coupe. Then, hurling over the gold loveseat and the foam roller, spinning 3 times in the office chair and 3 times in the green rocker. Finally, a dive-roll over the couch cushions and 6 bean bag tosses to finish it off. Whew!

We had a good time.

{p.s. Bob re-did the computer desk while we were in Maryland. It's a refreshing upgrade to our family room, eh!}

Duncan and I sewed him a new pumpkin pillow to toss around.

He had his eye on the one's my sister and I made for our Fall decor so we made a version that was all his own. He even had his first try at the sewing machine {with my help}.

Finishing Christmas stockings.

I love these because these came from a tradition my family started when my little sister came home from the hospital in one of these { she's a December baby}, however you'll notice that they are really quite big!

Finding enough stocking stuffers to actually stuff these is a job in itself!

I'll be donating these to my mom to use and make some much skinnier ones for us to use for next year!

One of Duncan's lego inventions - a sweet car garage.

He's beginning to make his own models now instead of hiring his parents to do the creating. :)

 Going for a beautiful fall stroll around the neighborhood.

As the boys are getting older I'm beginning to really appreciate the times when they make each other smile and laugh {because they know how to push each other's buttons}.

Yay, for being friends.

We have a tree in our front yard that makes for some serious leaf pile fun around here.

Are you sensing the joy?!

{I've got a movie of this moment as well, the thrill of throwing leaves at mom while she is trying to take a movie was - in his eyes, HILarious! I sure love that laugh.} :) 

The wagon we bought to haul Duncan around the house when he had a broken leg.

Sold to be made into a lovely Christmas present for some other child.

{the amount of wheeled toys around here was getting out of control!}

Bobby's belated Mother's Day present to me! 

I've had this project to finish for a couple of years now and came to the conclusion to hire it out! :)

I LOVE it Bobby!

Grandpa Duncan came to visit us for Thanksgiving!!! 

{Grandma had school, work, and studying so she couldn't make it}.

We met him at the station with a big sign so he'd know we were looking for him.

He found us!

The boys didn't mind waiting at all for Grandpa's train to come in because the Amtrak goes through the big train yard here.

 Family Picture at the Equestrian Park

Thanksgiving Day

 We pretended to feed the ducks {they weren't too excited about that}, played at the playground, and enjoyed the open grounds of the park.

Me and my Handsome Sweetheart.

Another unofficial - official family picture.

{thanks Dad! ;)}

Turkey time!!

 In all the years that Bobby and I have been married, we've never put on a Thanksgiving Dinner.

We thought maybe we'd just hit up a nice restaurant and be totally unconventional but then we decided to just go for it. We made a pretty good team as we worked to brine and cook the turkey, make the creamy mashed potatoes, and all the other fixin's to go along with the dinner.

We did it!

...without burning the turkey or the house down!

It was fun to have my dad around. Charlie was instantly attached to my dad {which he's never done with anyone else} and both boys wanted to be wherever Grandpa was. 

With Grandpa's expertise in handyman work, he fixed our vintage laptop {as much as duct tape can fix}, leveled our bathroom doors so they actually latch closed now {sorry to all the visitors we've had in the past who didn't get that luxury}, and made the light-switch in our master bath finally work {no amount of inquiring the landlady for months on end worked so, wahoo!}. 

Showing my dad Denio's:

A huge swap-meet farmer's market just around the corner from us.

We took my Dad to see the Muir Woods Redwoods while he was here.

Pictures just don't do nature justice.

 Another round of leaf raking for our front yard!

 One last family picture!

 Thanks Dad, for making the trip to come and spend time with us. We loved every minute of it!

We appreciate your wise council, your light and friendly humor, and the loving influence you have on our family.