Thanksgiving in Paris

This year we celebrated Thanksgiving with Mom, Dad, & Willem. Phoebe & James were in Kentucky with his family and we missed them, but we look forward to spending Christmas with them in a couple of weeks!

My favorite meal of the year is BY FAR this feast. Okay, with Christmas Eve's roast beast a close second. I've never taken photos of the food before, I don't think. And, at the point of this feast, I was still feeling fairly well, so I snapped a fair amount of pictures. Unfortunately, I was hit by an unfortunate bug during the Thanksgiving holidays and travels.

We spent the morning visiting with some of my mom's cousins, whom I hadn't seen for years. And then it was soon time for us to feast on a magazine-worthy meal.

 My mouth waters looking at these stuffed mushrooms, sweet potato & apple scallops. mashed potatoes, green beans and almonds, kale salad, turkey, homemade stuffing, gravy, cornbread, cranberry sauce.... so savory.

 Ian took this meal seriously. Who wouldn't? Jim's obviously equally intent ;)

 To make room for pie, we headed outside for our annual hike up to the Paris View. We didn't make it all of the way there due to the limited daylight and how I was feeling, but we made room for pies. Yes, PIES. Pecan and pumpkin and a berry pie (a new addition this year).

 28 Weeks pregnant at this point, I believe.

 Ian hopped up each rock and recently found his pockets, which made his walk look quite proper.

 It's such a joy to watch these two interact. Love them.

 Äma always pulls out a bunch of books, from my childhood, to read and Ian soaks in the new literature.

 Grumps spent the last morning we were there making pretzels. We were thrilled to eat them as our snack on the drive to our second Thanksgiving with the Barlows in Philly. Thanks, Dad!!

Sweet picture. Thanks for a wonderful Thanksgiving, Mom & Dad & Willem!! Won't be long until we are all together again :)

Family Hike!!

I was making breakfast and couldn't resist snapping
this photo of the two guys chatting away.

All this fall I have been wanting to go on a hike as a family. It's been a battle to find the time between Jim's work schedule, rugby, and our own social engagements. It's also been a battle to have the get-up and go on days when we know it's our only day together and at home.

BUT, not today!! Even though Jim was away Friday night and Saturday in Virginia Beach for a rugby game, he was still up for a day's hike. Today we seized the bull by the horns and got out the door. We are so glad that we did. What a fantastic day it was.

The leaves had fallen and the weather was quite cold this morning, but we still found beauty and warmth throughout the day.

Our little forrester did not disappoint. He hiked almost all of the two miles up and the two miles down. We are so proud of this boy.

 The two miles weren't all flat like this bridge. Most of it includes stairs, like the ones pictured in the photos below. Yup, he's a beast.

 Ian squatted to show me something and Jim snapped this picture. He was fascinated by everything; owned trees, the creek, moss, you name it.

The boys in matching blues.

27 weeks pregnant today.

 Two years ago and some change, I sat on the same rock while pregnant with Ian. I think I was about two-three weeks out from having Ian at this time. It's no wonder he loves this trail :)

 Ian's outfit brought us so much joy today. Look that those adorable Argyle leg-warmers. We called him our little Swiss boy.

Our Little Swiss Boy

So grateful for this family time today. 

And so grateful for a little boy who's so willing and able to participate in our adventures!!! 

Pinery Take Two

Ian and I headed up to The Pinery for a second time this summer, but this time Jim came up partway through the week to meet us. And this time my sister, Phoebe, and her boyfriend, James, were able to join us, too! So, the whole gang was together for most of the week!! That hasn't happened since the summer when I was pregnant with Ian!!

We had a great week with beautiful weather.

 Ian started a new fashion trend. Don't look now, but the runway shows are going to be following his lead this year!

 We enjoyed campfires almost every night.

 And river time every day!!

 Ian LOVED throwing rocks in the water this year and watching them "splash!!"

 Perhaps one of my new favorite pictures ever. My big, handsome boy in my favorite place.

 I obviously couldn't choose just one photo.

 Good lifting form, as always. If only we could retain those innate understandings of how our body needs to be used.

 Hazel, Heidi, Julie, & Aunt Beth came down to the water with us one day.

 This might be my first bump picture of this pregnancy! Hello, Baby!!

 A good side view of the bump and the "big budder." (13 weeks at this point)

 Grumps and Ian, just chatting about life.

 Grandma spent a few days out at The Pinery with us. On this day she had a very productive doctor's visit with Dad and Aunt Beth present.

 We celebrated Uncle Willem's 27th birthday with a chocolate cake (what else?)!

 We went on two canoe trips! Ian's first, official trips. He did a fantastic job on the first one, which was 6.5 miles down to Cooksburg and the ice cream place. On day two, we didn't time it well before his nap and he was a bit grumpy, but cuddled so sweetly with me for most of it.

 Jim gave me a HUGE gift by sleeping with Ian for all of the nights he was there. I slept in the neighbors' house and even slept in each day until 8:30! It was glorious and I felt like a new woman. Thank you SO much, Jim!

Amazingly enough, Ian was normally lying quietly with Jim when I'd come over to the cabin around 9 AM. He let Jim rest the whole time!!

I love this picture that Dad snapped of him one morning. So focused and deliberate.

Let the record show that I did beat James in croquet two times!!! He did beat me like ten times, but hey. Progress was made. We also played a lot of cornhole and badminton

Phoebe & James and then Dad & Willem left, so the last day we spent with Mom. We had a full, fun day with her! We went to Iron Mountain Grill for lunch, the bulk foods store, then to Quiet Creek Herb Farm (our combined paradise... we could spend all day there. Or heck, we could live there!), and then on a hike in Cook Forest State Park.

 We did the Cathedral Pines hike on Longfellow trail and then we got down to Toms Run and waded around in the water. We stripped Ian down, so he wouldn't get his clothes and diaper soaked. I loved watching him frolic and play in the water. He then hiked the whole way back to the car naked. So adorable.

 A boy and his double-fisting of sticks!!

 Now before I hear it from everyone... for some reason I am having trouble downloading a few pictures from my camera. I'm not freaking out yet, but I will continue trying to troubleshoot the problem. I know that Dad would really like the group picture and unfortunately it's one of the ones causing problems! If anyone knows Nikons, iPhoto, & MacBooks... help me. There are some important pictures :)

Until next year, dear cabin! We loved our time with you. Thank you, Mom & Dad, for hosting all of us for a week!