Mmmmmm Men Fry Turkey

My brother, Ed, is a police officer in Maryland and he had to work on Thanksgiving Day.  

So, while other people were tazing each other in the aisles of WalMart on Black Friday, we were having our Thanksgiving.  Ed had his heart set on frying a turkey so the men of the family pretty much handled the main course of our Thanksgiving feast.  

They seemed to enjoy bonding over beers and boiling oil in the backyard.

I'm going to call fried turkey a success.  It smelled like potato chips and tasted (to quote Soren) 
Too Licious!

Yes, Virginia

There has been some idle chatter around our house recently about Santa not being real (gasp).

Santa's elves must have reported to him because he paid us a surprise visit!

He did the typical Santa things like asking the boys if they had been naughty or nice, finding out what toys were on their Christmas lists and reminding them to be good for mom and dad.  

He also read them 'Twas The Night Before Christmas', told some jokes and asked them to remember that Christmas is also the birth of Our Lord.

I think we managed to prolong the belief a little while longer in the Magic and Wonder.

Thank You, Santa!
(It was priceless to hear Soren shouting, "It's Santa! Santa Claus is here!") 

Random Pumpkin Love

Some random pictures from our Halloween season

Pedals, Pipes and Scary Music

Will has always been fascinated by pipe organs.  In October, he got the opportunity to attend a program at a local church where he learned all about pipe organs and even got to play one!  

What a thrill!

Now he is sure we need one.  

In our house.  

He has already scoped out the front hall as a place for the big pipes.  

Keep dreamin', kiddo.

Return to Pigeon Roost

We kicked off the Season of All Things Pumpkin with a trip to Pigeon Roost Farm.  That place is great.

After playing and exploring and adventuring

We picked out almost exactly 100 pounds of wonderful pumpkins.

I think it's really fall, ya'll!

Golf Outing

At the end of September we did something new: played in a charity golf tournament.  Our friends Juli-Anne and Jim made up the other half of our foursome and we spent a lovely day on the links.  

Juli-Anne's bakery sponsored a hole

Somewhere around the 9th hole, we agreed to do this more often.  Maybe someday.  When we live in the land of less busy people.

How Can It Be?

First Day of Preschool 2009

First Day of Preschool 2013