Happy Thanksgiving!

I had help in the kitchen this year! Little Kate is old enough to ride her bike to my house by herself, so she rode down and we cooked together. We made sugared cranberries first.



Kate arranged them in a pretty pattern to dry.



Then she helped me make stuffing! She's a great bread tearer!



Finished product!



We gathered at Mer and Pete's for dinner. Cheryl brought an antipasto platter!!



It was a huge hit!



Moss was bartender, and Kate was his assistant.



Fruit loop!



Cucumber gimlet.



The dog across the street was outside being brushed and Felix was STARING.



Beautiful turkey!



Yang and Moss showed up in the same sweater, unplanned! LUCKY!



Who would've thought?!





Mom making gravy!



Dad carving the bird.



Dinnertime! Cheryl brought mac and cheese.



Dishing up!






Felix would like a plate too, please.



Oh, hi!



Drumstick!



Squirrel decorations!



Kate's pet rats Lambie and Pepper got to have a plate of food too! LOOK HOW CUTE. One noodle each!!!



Mmm, stuffing!





Time for some jamming.






Pie!



Dad ran home to get his holiday sweater so they could be TRIPLETS.



After pie, we played Apples to Apples!



Then Craig showed up to cause some trouble.

Happy 8th Birthday, Lil' Kate!

Tonight we celebrated Kate's 8th birthday! Her actual birthday is tomorrow, but she has Girl Scouts so we partied tonight instead. First things first -- PRESENTS. Kate went straight for the biggest one. It was BIG.



A rat cage!!! Kate has been begging for a pet of her own, and the winner is rats! She gets to pick two rats out tomorrow on her actual birthday.



Also, her very own savings account. She's clutching her little bank book in this photo. Pretty big deal!






Yia Yia Grace got her binoculars. Let the snooping begin!



Uncle Ben took them for a test run.



Kate chose spaghetti and meatballs for her birthday dinner. YUM!!!!



After dinner, Kate and Felix sat and stared forlornly at the pile of presents.



Then it was time for cake!



Make a wish!












Texas Sheet Cake. Because we just can't get enough! Happy birthday, Lil' Kate!

Happy 40th, Yang!

Yang turned 40 this year! That's a big-deal birthday! We celebrated a few days late with a big-deal boat of sushi at China Panda. But first we stopped by the West End Ciderhouse for a cocktail.




Look at that sushi boat!! Row, row, row yourself into my MOUTH!



Yang was impressed but not intimidated.






Happy birthday, Yang!