home

We made it home yesterday after spending Thanksgiving weekend with our family in Cleveland. We had a lovely time. (but nothing beats waking up in your own bed!) Whenever we come home from traveling Phoebe is so excited to be in her own crib, she loves that bed, it is her night time comfort (along with the paci). As much as the Mister and I love to share a room with her (and sometimes a bed when we are traveling) we are all happy to have our own room when we come home.

We came home to a messy house that was cold (heater was off) and no warm water (water heater was off), but it just felt right to be home. Watching your child run circles around the living room, playing frantically with every toy she can find, and jumping in her crib with excitement when it is time for bed, is a huge reminder of how great it is to be home.

Time away is great, and time with family is such a gift especially around the Holidays. When we are with our family we are reminded of the history that our traditions are built on and the love that has been passed down through generations. We get to see pictures of relatives we never met and stories of childhoods that we weren't a part of; those people and those stories shape our lives in ways I can't fully understand.

And now we are home and we get to start the Advent season as a family of three; refining family traditions and starting traditions of our own.

a lot to be thankful for today

especially today

visitors

Sunday and Monday we had some visitors; good friends who recently moved to Denver came through town on their way home for Thanksgiving.

I am thankful that we were able to reconnect with these friends!



I am fairly certain that Phoebe remembered them too! Thanks for coming P & A.

Thankful

Today started the week of being Thankful! We had a lovely (but too short) late afternoon meal with the families in Phoebe's playgroup. There are six kids in the playgroup: three boys and three girls who are (mostly) accompanied by their moms to playgroup with the exception of one dad. The kids are all about the same age- within a month or two. We get them together once a week for a few hours either at a home or a park. It has been a great community for me because we are all first time parents, all leaving a professional environment to raise our child full time, all living in the city and just trying to figure out how to best nurture our children. I am very thankful for them all.

One of the families invited us all over for a "Family Friendly Thanksgiving Extravaganza". We had to leave before the main meal was served so we could get to church, but I just had a plate of food from our 'take out' bag that was prepared for us before we left and everything was AMAZING! I thought I would post the Vegetarian menu for you all to drool over!

Appetizers

Caramelized Onions and Blue Cheese Squares

Soup Course

Butternut Squash Soup

Main Course

Pear Walnut Salad
Homemade Dinner Rolls
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Stuffing
Cranberry Sauce
Mushroom and Tofu Stuffed Phyllo Pastries

Dessert

Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie
(both homemade!)

love leafs

Fall is in full swing, the trees are almost bare but a little color sways outside the window. It is lovely, really lovely.

This leaf art is incredible and simple and silly; I love that. Hope you jump over to NYT to check it out!

brothers

I have three brothers- all totally awesome! This weekend I get to see two of them for sure- the third might pop in to say hello but 'prolly' not. (this is one of his tag lines 'prolly') Anywho, (that is another thing he says) he sent me a link to some projects he has been working on and I have only really looked at one, but it is awesome - just like him!

If you have a few minutes follow this link and take it *to the end of the line*. (just hit play)

more pics in flickr

rock rock, originally uploaded by 207 Living.

Check out the pics...I finally added more.