another wedding!

tiny bubbles!

Countryside

shaking it out after the big meal. sunny day! windy and wondrous.

I am thankful for this day.

I am thankful for this day. I am thankful for my hottie, hottie best friend/lovah, Habtamu. I am thankful for two beautiful and healthy, spunky children. For the church pews and the people who fill them. I am thankful for my dear Mother, who is funny and kind and smart with her money and always supportive of me. For my sisters and my brother, their families. I am thankful for the opportunity to share with friends. I am thankful for cranberries, especially the ones in the Cranberry Christmas Cake, a recipe from my client, MT. Happy Thanksgiving. And, flash. I am thankful for flash because I don't always want to adjust my camera settings, and in those times I like the auto setting and the artificial light. Even when it is too much light. Shadows can be interesting.

I am thankful to JVR for this sweatshirt for Theo. He does have other clothes, but who would know? He wears it most of the week, clean or dirty.

...throw your hands up at me!

So, I'm trying to follow the suggestion to encourage my kids to be independent. Its so messy. I usually do let Theo go for it, but yogurt has been under my control until this week. I was preparing to feed Suvi carrots, when Theo got a horrible look on his face. I walked around the table to comfort him and Prec' reached out and touched something! Good girl. Eat those carrots.

I bought some raspberry tea to help with my female functions, but I'm too crabby to make it. I feel like an alien has taken hold of my innards; meanwhile a heavy, wet wool blanket has been planted on my brain. Go away, crabby hormones, come back gregarious, charitable sunshine of a dream girl (okay, maybe I am not that 'up' on a usual day, but I am close). I think my husband would welcome back the other Jenny with open arms. Wouldn't you? WELL?

Perhaps it is tea time.

Decisions!

Theo is taking his first nap in a week. I don't know what to do first! There are dishes in the sink, laundry, dusting, photos to organizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

two seater

his rake disappeared! so fast and strong, my sweetheart.

i have a hard time resisting bathtime photos.

happy birthday, mama.

Today my lovely Mother had her 75th birthday.

I think she has always had a playful heart.

Plus, she makes great bread and really yummy lasagna.

Fair ups.

To be sure Suvi gets her share of the bloglight, here she is fresh and clean in her robe. This robe is not at all practical, but it sure makes for fun pictures. There is a great shot of her from the back- Daddy was carrying her- but I'll save her the teenage embarrassment, and "Mom you're so mean" amo.

She really wanted to eat my I Voted sticker (notice her slobbery mark on my sweater), but I didn't want to share.

Ready for change?

Theo was drawn to Obama all throughout the campaign. He's been pointing out Obama whenever he spots him. This flyer came with a bunch of other political party flyers, but Theo liked this one. We were watching the votes came in, and our boy apparently knew how the election would turn out!

My cooking needs...

Can you guess what this was?

Last night I was making dinner and doing laundry. Usually this works well; Habtamu runs interference with the kids, I get a little break, we get to eat a meal together (I don't work Friday evenings). Usually I set a timer. I roasted the carrots and potatoes (tossed in Tuscan dressing and sea salt). Charred them, actually. It reminded my husband of the time I forgot about the tater tots (back in our apartment days, before kids). They looked like pieces of charcoal. I saved them in a plastic container until we moved from the apartment to the house. We ate toast with our meatloaf last night, no veggies at all.

before it snows

I just want to get outside as much as we can before it snows. Well, it snowed today, but I mean really snows, so that we have to wear a lot of clothes. Just takes so long to get out the door.

Except for Monday

The only piece of mail we received today was some anti-Al Franken flyer. Really? I am going to be relieved to vote tomorrow. I don't care who you vote for, or why. That is none of my concern. Just exercise your stinkin' right to vote because I know there are too many places in the world where the votes are corrupted, and other places where would-be voters just don't count. You can vote. But keep it to yourself in my company, please. I don't care why Al Franken is the Best or The Enemy.
In other news, I am still intoxicated with three of my life "items:" a) Autumn, b) Hubbinator, and c) Kidletts.
Here they are!

guess who cleaned the fridge, since he was home today?

theo has ear infections, but it is warm and lovely today, so we had to go out and enjoy it.

look at those lips! love babes in blue jeans! already trying to escape.