The Great Turkey Day Dance

It began with an early morning turkey trot - complete with numbered race bibs, a finish line for each runner to break, water stations to drink and toss dixie cups mid-stride  (the way the real runners do it) and medals -for the girlies, a turkey bowl for logan, and lots of cheering for Carv and me.

And then parade watching, football & couch naps, and time to polish and puff for the main event.

 The darling, darling men of the day.

Logan with beloved visiting McDonalds ready to break into dessert.

 Pie time.

 Darling littles reunited!                                                         Logan's caramel apple goodness.

 Final kitchen prep team.

Filling water glasses, lighting candles.

Darling Carv figuring out how to jump - jump.

Log and his bevy of my beautiful friends enjoying the after-dinner glow of gluttony.

 The kids tables...Imagine Ev's thrill to find her calligraphied pumpkin place card not at the littles table, but with the olders and the tweens...she grinned maturely!

Let the grand day of turkey commence!

 Such a lovely gathering.

 I made 10 dozen orange rolls, Logan made 10 pounds of herbed mashed potatoes (and two pies - neither of which lasted til thursday's dinner).  Nine families gathered each bringing their own family faves to contribute. Swinging, jumping, lounging, feasting, laughing, and longing to be together more. Grateful.

The Tree Farm

Magical day at the Pescadero Tree Farm. Tire swings, double, triple, single swings from the highest tree-tops overlooking the beautiful Pacific. Marshmallow roasting, tractor driving, picnicking  wreath making, and of course the cutting of our 10 ft. noble tree (well...an Incense Cedar actually).  

 Swing, swing, swinging with Miss Michelle

 A face dive off the triple, two tumbles from the tire swing, and a near flip out of the back of the tractor trailer  and this wiggly lumberjack JE was ready for more.  Back home, bubble-bathed and tucked under fluffy warmth, all she had was a small red scratch on the chin to show for her day's happy adventures.

Wreath making with Kati and Andy.  Such joy to find a place you so love with people you so love, and lots and lots of sunshine.

Our chosen beauty.  Sitting on the patio right now, lights on, waiting for all spiders and creeping things to find a new home before we invite her inside the living room!

3 cheers for a happy traveler

Happy happy 50th Uncle Rob!

Go Auntie Liz!

Cheering on the Wolverines!

CAMP

What would posses five moms to take their baker's dozen of littles to sleep in the woods?
Not just once, but many a weekend jaunt to the forest for Dutch oven fried chicken, cobbler, slack lining, singing and mallo upon mallo upon roasted gooey mallo...

Well the Dad's helped too.

The sleepy camper

Slack lining and a summer's camp

A merry band of woodsmen

First Bury

SANDY

Clouds and a beach day

Hiding out

The best hide-outs have swings, secret entrances, designated sitting spots, laying spots, tree-fashioned kitchens, and a strict 'no adults allowed' policy. On our last trip to the beach, Ev indulged us (shhhhh) with a tour of her hideaway where she and chums slip away from the sand and sun up the hill with a view of the surf -- to their summer home.

Mem chu

Gathered for the wedding in a place so loved with people so loved from a time so lovely.

Knot tying

Loved celebrating this gorgeous new Mr. And Mrs.

So sad and so lovely a send off

Dear dear friends and next door neighbors we adore are off and away to green pastures of Texas. Oh how we will miss spontaneous weeknight grilling, park picnics, shared bites and sunset patio therapy.
Thrilled were we to celebrate with them at a pop-up hosted by city chums.(ohhappyday.com)

So long and farewell (for now)

A pie of salmon and leeks

Sunset and a beautiful bridge

Our favorite five numbers...24601

Les mis with les wonderfuls

Austin adventure

A quick weekend away to see near -new texan Anne and newer texas cousins. An aggressive schedule
Of eating, shopping and gab - the perfect Austin girls trip.

Mighty Cone, Antiquing on Congress, Texas summer rainstorm

And an introduction to my new best friend... The fried avocado.

two families, ten food trucks... It's Austin

Smoke Pit Sampling at the Salt Lick

Two days, two families, ten food trucks... It's Austin

Salt Lick with the Dargers

A passion for four-year-old-fashion

Cha-cha chic' or 'ruffled sting' or 'flight of the flapper' . How does one put into words what Jane Esther came up with today... I found the bee antennae a lovely compliment to the polka-dots, feathers and fringe. I mean really, fashion like this simply can't be categorized.

Summer smiles

Tickled pink and four years old!

Pinknicing!

Pinknic

In the spirit of silliness, we put our Pink Pals at the party to the test...

Miss Jane Esther is certainly full of knowledge

1. According to Jane Esther, If you want to swim w turtles you have to::
A. Spin 'willy willy' fast off the diving board
B. Paint your whole body green
C. Wear a or be a 'scuba diaper''**

2. JE loves to bake.  She often tells me it's time for another taste to see if it's too
A. Texture**
B. Spicy
C. Hot

3. JE often teaches how 'grown ups' usually -
A. Lick their pen before writing to keep It inky
B. Lick their fingers to turn pages
C. Spread deodorant on their elbows
All of the above.**

4.When JE is sad, she seeks comfort by reaching out to touch with a finger or toe -
  A.  Her happy bear
   B. a loved one - any loved one**
   C. the Blarney stone

5. JE's favorite game is sentencing her siblings to (and then watching said sentence carried out by her daddy) -
A. Spanksville
 B. Slap city or
 C.  Pancake town**

6. JE's imaginary friend is a spider that lives where?
  A. in Moms hand**
  B. inside the jar of woobob (rhubarb) jam
  C. in a government housing project near Scranton, Ohio

7. When JE talks to friends and aunties on the phone, she often invites them to come over…
A. At 46**
B. for her Pinknic
C. to watch her dance

8. When JE was born, the first thing we noticed was…
A. A lightening bolt scar, quite confusing to her muggle parents
B. A V for Victory on her forehead**
C. Her webbed toes

9. In a quiet whisper before brushing her teeth, JE confided in me that she has to keep her teeth clean or else they will -
   A. Get 'wotten' and fall out
   B. Eat all the ice cream
   C. Kill the other teeth**

**Correct Answers

Pinknic

JE requested
'Pink popcorn balls, pink cakes, and lots of pink people....'

Pinknic

Gathered in pink to celebrate