From Redwood City with Love & Turkey & Shoes

Happy Thanksgiving!

We spent the day in Redwood City with Chris's mom, aunt and uncle, and cousins.

Christine's cousins Diana, Jeff, and Atlas sent these shoes to Zeal along with this line in the card: 

"Because babies need shoes." Maybe only ventriloquists' babies need shoes.

Avery and Mama collected neighborhood leaves for the table.

Grandma's orange tree

All dressed up with Lambie

Cuz babies needs shoes!

The only pic of the matching outfits though the moment was not joyous.

Zeal with Grandma

Zeal with Great Auntie Adeline

The end of a family-filled day

Tula and Avery (forever)

Avery is pretty infatuated with his lovely young friend, Tula. She is two years older than Avery, but that's part of what makes her so appealing.

Now, this is sooooo amazing. I wish I knew how to make pictures move in sequence like this, but it was just a total fluke. You can see Avery playing the "let me look at your barrette" joke in full motion.

Our handsome Zeal Henry! (In front of a bee hotel - sans bees)

Oh, and the seed mix/cover crop we're using this winter on the garden because I think this used to be a garden-themed blog.  More garden news soon for those of you waiting!

Zeal's Spa Day

Diaper rash. A baking soda bath followed by a ground oat bath. 

Zeal did not mind.

Then a massage with coconut oil...

Sabine Play then a Sick Day

Zeal now goes to Sabine's house to play the way Avery once did. The only difference is that Sabine is a bit older and can do things like picture-read a story. Zeal enjoyed.

From Sabine's we can walk to Omega Salvage, a reuse store.

Here's a giant mailbox.

Then Avery got a fever and we spent the weekend hunkered down in the den.

He was so cuddly.

And thank goodness this little one did not get a fever!

Lick no evil

Scream no evil

Speak no evil

Crab Cove, Last Days of Warm

So the post title is a bit misleading; it's still warm here most days and the day we went to Crab Cove wasn't that warm. But Avery isn't one to pass up water play, no matter the temperature.

Brothers in Bed and Brothers in Bath

A Happy 'Zeal Squeal'

Bathing Backyard Beauties

My (Christine's) favorite outdoor activity has always been soaking in hot water. Sykes hot springs, Harbin hot springs, and Wilbur hot springs are all places I love. So what did my thoughtful and industrious husband do? He bought an old tub and hooked it up to our on-demand hot water heater. You can see the hole he drilled through the wall to the outdoors in the picture below.  

The lead-free hose carries hot water to the tub, under the fragrant Datura, or Angel's Trumpet, tree. Then he insulated the hose with foam covers and hooked it right up to the tub's faucet. There is a cold hose as well.

Although there are no pictures of the night bathing that the whole family has enjoyed this week, we all agree it is magical. 

Thank you, Chris.

All Hallows' Eve, 2013

We are dehydrating oranges as part of our holiday gifts this year. Thank you, Pat Hanson, for the endless supply of citrus!

The dehydrator at work... 

And some lemons, too

I love this family shot. A slouching (Zeal) surprised (Mama) chipmunk (Papa) looks skyward (Avery)

We picked the biggest pumpkin!

Avery was teaching us the carving procedure he learned at school that day.

"I want mad face [on my pumpkin]" says Avery

Farmer Lauren and a pumpkin

There was no overarching family costume theme this year, but Papa's pirate went along well with the mermaid. 

And I suppose chickens and pumpkins can be seen together.

Astrid getting ready

William carving

The wizard, Saruman, with doting mermaid

William was a pumpkin head!

Avery was brave. He approached many doors on his own. And then he told each resident about his deceased dog. "Luna died last night," was always met with a lot of sympathy. Truth is, she died last summer.