Thanksgiving is near when...

You know Thanksgiving is near when you take an evening walk and the sky looks like this at 6:15 p.m.

...Or when the kitchen counter is already feeling the onset of sugar cookie craze...

...Or when your little cub is all bundled up....

...Or when you are enjoying the first blaze of the season.

My family and I have so much to be grateful for. I feel full of thanks and can't wait to share the holiday with my loved ones.

yum!

While looking for great recipes online, I came across a simple apple juice/cranberry recipe. I'm going to invite the preschool students finger paint with chilled cranberry applesauce this week, in light of the holiday. They will get to eat it for snack, too. YUM!

E will be my guinea pig tonight...thought you might like to try this, too!

Love for Kai

I'm grateful for my own baby's health, despite the commings and goings of colds or teething issues. But I'm thinking about one of my students in the preschool. Poor thing has been hospitalized, and hopefully, she'll be back on track in a month or so. It's easy to take good health for granted. It's sad to think about such a sweet, energetic little girl being pricked and prodded and the worry that must come along with it for her family.

Please send your warm wishes and love to this family, especially as the holidays approach. And remember to hug your own little one. Kai's mommy has a great blog - please visit it and send your thoughts to the family when you get a chance at my unstill life.

encouraging creativity (there's video!)

I hope E experiences that wonderful sense of freedom and joy that comes through the creative arts. If nothing else, I hope he'll be able to appreciate all kinds of art, music, dance, and theater. He's off to a great start!

leaves!

Fall is such a beautiful time of year! I love all the changing leaves, especially when you get one of those days where it's just windy enough for leaves to come spinning down as you walk under them. We've had lots of days like that during our neighborhood walks this week. I can't resist gathering and pressing leaves in the hopes that E will enjoy using them for art projects in the winter. We like to watch the leaves come circling down.

Here is some fun video of our little guy having fun in our backyard leaf pile. (Thanks for raking, Pop Pop!)

arp - watch out!

He looks at me with serious, intent eyes and says "arp" in a warning voice. Translation: he's telling me that this wooden knife is "sharp" so I'd better be careful. In fact, only he should really be using it  - for my own protection.

I love to watch him play.

the big 2

Our boy is two! We just had his spider party yesterday and are recovering from all the fun. It was a wonderful day to celebrate our little man with friends and family. How is he so big?

Nope, didn't have time to make this myself.
I decided to pick my battles with this one.
It was a delicious decision!

Pumpkin muffins with spider rings. Tasty!



Friend George says "cheese"!



Friend Conner checks things out.

Cousin Jack and Gram snuggle.

What's all this stuff? Why's everyone lookin' at me?



Cousin Wyatt helps open gifts. E was too busy with his new toys!




His favorite gift by far...the tractor.




Baby Alex enjoys a wagon ride.




Cousin Jack swings and watches...




Hooray for the leaves!



Our little campfire added ambiance (and helped warm a few hands).