Evening gold

A few pictures from the lovely days before this cold, snowy week.  Although I heard it might be warmer today and tomorrow (I hope so!).

 An elf?  A goblin?

Pumpkin Patch 2010

I can't believe how little Abe and Seb were the first time we did this.  It doesn't seem that long ago.  But there are more mouths, definitely more mouths. We used to debate whether we should get a half-dozen or a dozen of the apple cider donuts.  Now, a dozen is gobbled up so fast we've had wild fantasies of getting TWO dozen.

 Great composition, Sam.  The single oblong pumpkin in the foreground.  Alone and forlorn.

Habihat for Humanity

I let them choose their own colors of hats again this year.  Abe and Seb were enticed by variegated yarns.  I do always like seeing how the variegated yarn comes out in the finished work (although, Sam and I both noted that as kids we were bothered by it, since the colors were always in the "wrong order" when they emerged.)

 I like Abe's eyes

 This is one of those shots that, if I saw it in a movie, I'd be yelling "Aaa!  Too close!  Too close!  Personal space!"  But as he's my own darling boy, I don't mind (in fact, I don't usually notice those cute freckles on his nose; how sweet!).

I like his eyes too.  Although I don't know what he's doing here.

He wanted me to add a "birdie tuft" on his hat so he could be "just like birdie."  "But my nose is my beak," he added.

This hat was specially invented and engineered for a baby who does NOT TOLERATE HATS (except as hilarious jokes, to be promptly removed and laughed at).  She tried to get this one off for awhile, but finally had to give it up as hopeless.  Success!!

I feel like I should say something about this expression. 

But . . . there are no words.

Cutest bunny ever

Report for Sam (Appendix B)

These are things you've already seen, but can you really get too much of that boy and that baby on the Fish-Go-Round?  I thought not.

Aaaa!  So cute I can't stand it!

Report for Sam (Appendix A)

In spite of everything, it really was the most perfect day* at the beach.  So warm---the air and the water---and quiet, and no one else around except the birds (which Daisy imitated happily: "EEE!  EEE!").  We dozed in the sand and hopped up for dips in the water when we felt up to it.  Sebby was brave and Daisy seemed to actually enjoy getting all sandy.  Malachi was cautious but happy and Abe bobbed in and out of the waves like a pelican.  We also saw eight helicopters fly by at one point (very exciting).

 Hair! (I still feel like I need to document it, when it's noticeable)

 Just so you can see the amount of sandyness I was dealing with

 See? Brave.

 Sharing

 Sick :(

 I just love the way the sand sparkles here

We stayed all day.  I love the late-afternoon light!

*Before you envy us too much, remember the two-hour drive through LA traffic back to the hotel, with boys throwing up (passing the increasingly full bowl---which at least we HAD, thank heavens---between them in the back seat) while I murmured soothing words, worried about spills, prayed I wouldn't throw up myself, and tried not to hit those annoying motorcycles who drive between the lanes.  But let's cast a veil over that time, shall we? . . . and instead, remember THIS: