Since They Didn't Show Up to Thanksgiving Lunch, I Get to Post Pictures Like This

Ready to dive in Bali



Dude. Patrick and Keanu got nuthin' on me. Or my skills.

For their kickin' video, click HERE

Thanksgiving Happenings

Over the break, we stayed at Bobbie and Pops' house and spent some mornings and afternoons over at Mimi and Papa's house.

The first day we had a work party in the driveway. While Brian and Pops built a coffee table for Bobbie, Henry painted boards...the walls...the deck...even pavement.



We got Henry's height marked on the "growth chart," dutifully noting that he has his boots ON which may account for the 3 millimeters he has over Lydia.



There was a work party of a different sort at Mimi and Papa's house which involved some serious football throwing in the living room and practice sitting at the table for Thanksgiving dinner with Beth, Brooke and Brad.
The picture with Brad is the actual Thanksgiving dinner time. Either Uncle Brad never graduated from the kiddie table, or he wins a prize for actually sitting with Henry with the other cousins wouldn't.

After lunch, Brad got stuck throwing the football with Henry and McCain in the front yard...until Papa and Brian and Beth and Brooke joined them and it turned into an adult throwing time and McCain and Henry eventually wandered off and played with some sticks. That'll show 'em.







The next day was beautiful so Bobbie and I took the kids to the zoo. Here's Henry "riding" the turtle and Svea, she just wanted to walk all over the grass, gravel, bark chips, stairs...anything to hone her new skill. She loved the petting zoo while Henry screamed in fear of the wandering chickens and otters in the water. Whatever.







After zoo day, we went up to Decatur to celebrate Thanksgiving with Meredith, Scott and Lydia. Mama J was the ultimate babysitter, playing with the kids the whole time - even in her nice clothes.





Pops also crowned Svea Queen of the Sunroom.



This is Svea as she is coming around from running laps around me in a hide-and-seek game with Aunt Meredith.



Great travels, great food, great family.

Getting Ready for Dress-Up

Henry and Svea have found a new love (fetish) for shoes, socks and hats...so we've made a new dress-up station in the play room.



Arrrrrrg.



Yeah Alabama, fire Shula.



And our favorite hat from Papa J.

Helping Daddy

Here is Henry helping Brian rake before we left to go out of town for Thanksgiving...even though the University rakes and cuts the yard for us...and Henry is using the pooper scooper as a rake.







Skills.

Iron Bowl Checklist

1. Alabama outfits - CHECK

2. Remote control - CHECK

3. Both children - CHECK

4. Dog - CHECK

5. Futon flattened to achieve full recline and enhance concentration - CHECK

6. Lics container of graham crackers - CHECK

7. Full football coverage of every game mentioned in the world on TV from 8:45am throughout the day - CHECK

8. 15-month-old daughter says, "Roll Tide" for the first time - CHECK

Feelin' the Love

I've to take pictures of all the times they make each other laugh and are sweet.

We are in a phase.

Dill Pickin', Hoosier Style

My Dad, aka Pops, is in a new band. The Dill Pickers.
So now when we call him, he loves to say the word "gig", as in, "I have a gig this Friday night. What are you doing?" and things like that. I kinda like to think that maybe since I'm related to him, we here in Indiana are a little famous too. At least famous in certain parts of Vestavia and Homewood or wherever else the "gigs" go down.

So we got inspired (it doesn't take much around here) and Brian and Henry started us a hoe-down. I don't even know how to spell that word. But is was fun. It was on Saturday (Obviously. You can see the football).

Here's when they were warming up...



...and in this one, I was trying to catch Henry tapping his toe. I got some video of it, but I think the camera was shaking from all my laughing.

Zoo Play Date

We went to the zoo last Friday (Leta's got some good pictures up of our adventures).

Brian had a few spare hours, so he came, which makes the trip much more enjoyable for me. And Henry. And Svea.

There is a stage thing for drama or something - none of the other moms had ever seen anything performed on it either - but it was the kids' favorite part of the zoo that day. Here's my pied piper husband who doesn't even need his flute for the children to line up after him. And crawl all over him. Or maybe he's like Jesus or something.



Henry loved walking on this little wall...



...and I love this one of him on the spider web ropes.



Svea was perfecting her staggering-around skills which made her thirsty.





The giraffe was eating leaves out of kids' hands even though there was a big sign that said DO NOT FEED. Arwyn, Henry and Kole loved it (Lindsey and Svea were smart and hung back to check things out first).



For the last warm day of the year, it turned out great.

Channelling John Stewart and Amber

Uncle Johnnie and Aunt Amber have been having some monkey adventures as seen on their blog.





Though there is no shortage of monkey business in our house, this was as close as we could get to the real thing here in Indiana.

Discovering

Svea discovered a new "hat" while sitting and spinning...



...while Henry discovered "The Little Mermaid."

French Horning It

Our friend Barbara is a super-duper french horn player and pulled it out to play for the kiddos today.

Henry was apprehensive at first...



...but then Calvin took a turn.



So Henry wanted a turn.



Svea stole the horn oils (who knew) and ran.



Then she heard Barbara playing familiar tunes like Sesame Street and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and stopped for the magic.



Meanwhile, the boys conducted.



Until Svea caught on.



Then she got up to dance.


Whew.
That took a whole 8 minutes.

Posing

Svea was all about her cell phone and all about the booster seat/naughty chair tonight.
I called her name and she looked at me:



and then she realized I had a camera and made this face:

A Penguin, Waddle, Waddle

That's what Lydia told me on the phone when I asked her what she was going to be for Halloween. Awesome.

Moooooom...

...puh-lease put that camera down and give me some more candy corn.