Space Protector

Thanksgiving ... with a dinosaur dig!

The kids in their Thanksgiving best!After a wonderful dinner and walk with family, we came home and worked on a T-Rex archeological dig -- it looks like a brick of pressed rock, but hidden inside are dinosaur bones that you can assemble!

Point No Point

Last Sunday, we took a drive and a ferry -- well, the wrong ferry, but a beach is a beach -- to Point No Point. It was a gorgeous day and a whole new beach to explore!

Andy filled his backpack full of board books and insisted on wearing it everywhere despite the weight.

The Point No Point lighthouse, with Discovery Park across the water.

All Sylvia wanted to do, the whole day, was run into the water. We tried giving her plenty of opportunities to dip her hands in the waves and even walk in shallow water a bit, but it wasn't enough. Below, Shawn plays a frustrating (for Sly) game of keep-Sylvia-away-from-the-water.

In dad's glasses.

Horsing around!

Everyday photos

A day with dad! Shawn took Sylvia to Gaswork's park on Monday.

Inside the ball.

Jumping on the couch!

Tiny Dancer

Drawings

Andy's recent drawings:Above, a bird.

Below, an undersea scene Andy drew for his uncle Peter. From left to right, you might notice an octopus, hammerhead shark and an orange shark with a long tail; a "diverman" with big goggles and blue arms and hands, holding a net; some green sand; and two "bumper sharks."

Ravioli

Once again, the women in my family came together to make our traditional family ravioli, this year a little earlier than usual because of busy travel schedules (the bonus? we'll eat them at Thanksgiving AND Christmas!).

Above: Carole, Denise, Sue, Linda and Michelle

Dough: The Early Phase

Grinding the filling:

The finished product (this is one of two dough balls), waiting while we eat lunch.

Making pasta and assembling the ravs.

We believe it's a record: 886 ravs!

It's All Superman, All the Time

These are not more Halloween photos. No, Superman is a daily presence in our home. Daily. Before school, at the local restaurant, at the grocery store, at Discovery Park...really just about anywhere a person can go (except pre-school - there's obviously a no-Superman rule there, or can you imagine the scene?). Our whole family has taken on Superman's credo: fighting for Truth, Justice, and of course, the American Way.

Hmmmm

Andy renamed his two favorite lovies of the moment from "Rainbow" and "Peace" (they're beanie baby bears) to "Poo-poo" and "Spitty." What does that mean?

(It's also disconcerting when I'm tucking him in and he yells "You're sitting on Poo-poo!")

More pumpkin

A cute photo from one of the other parents on the pumpkin field trip.

The whole gang

Our gang at the Pumpkin Prowl at the zoo (minus Shawn, who was on his way home from a hike and missed the prowl!).
More on Melissa's blog at:

http://todandmelissa.blogspot.com/2008/11/pumpkin-prowl-2008.html

Dancing!

Recognize this album? Maybe not, but you'd recognize the music if you grew up any time in the 70s or earlier... a little Do Re Me, some Doggy in the Window, Valdarie Valdera, He's got the whole world in his hands, and on and on. The kids LOVE this album (we're getting a little sick of it ourselves!). Anyway, there's been lots of dancing at our house!

I want to acknowledge that Andy is wearing his Superman costume in all of my blog entries lately. It's true. He has it on all the time, even at restaurants, etc. Hey, you have to pick your battles.

Here's the dancing:

Playing music with Grandpa:

Drawings

In the past year, Andy's drawing has gone from scribbles to fairly detailed "water system" designs, full pages of dinosaurs and other animals, tractors and roads with people driving them, etc. -- the normal stuff for an almost-4-year-old. This one isn't so detailed, but I love his explanation:

Change.gov

Okay, this is my last post (for a short time anyway) on Obama. I just wanted to say that if you haven't seen the Obama-Biden transition team website, you should check it out. It's revolutionary. Okay, it's just a web site, but it's a whole different way of running government - providing all of the information you can to regular citizens. It includes Obama's agenda and specific goals, even the controversial ones, and allows people to submit ideas and comments. They've even posted the transition handbook provided to the president-elect and other nominees. I think it's safe to say that Cheney can take his man-sized safe with him when he goooooes!!!

See link under the Blogs & Websites heading at right!

Celebrating

Andy watched Goofy cartoons while we watched the returns on Tuesday. This photo was right after I screamed Wahoo! out the front door, then had to convince Andy that there wasn't anything scary going on, and that these were "tears of joy." Then he gave me an obligatory smile for Obama's big win. Our paper this morning:

And a comment from Esther's mom in Spain on a previous post:

Dear Cherise: CONGRATULATIONS, CONGRATULATIONS,CONGRATULATIONS!!! American people are a great people;for had done the best for the future yours, our and the children, right now!- 3th.Novemb. was my birthday and the best gift have been that HOPE than you and other americans as you ... had given with your votes for a new change in all our lifes. Yes. HOPE,because We know are very difficult times, and there is not a magical trick that of the night to morning will be pink colour,but this night has been a big step for a new leadership with new values in all global world for a country with a very great people as you. So, look at this picture of your little princess SYLVIA, ANDY and, maybe, some day for my grandchildren.But today for us.Thanks,dear Cherise, and kesses for children.Ma. Luisa

Well said!!!!!

Hope and Joy