Gone Solar!

One of the beautiful gifts Chris's mom left us was the opportunity to go solar. 

You can see our new solar panels on the back of the roof. 

The panels fuel our home's energy needs and our new electric car, the Nissan Leaf. 

Our new charging station for the Leaf can is just below our meter box. 

Chris is a proud commuter.

The Berkeley Marina, After Rain

Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving with Uncle Vince, Auntie Adeline, Cousins Kim, Steve, Sue, Rick, and their son Bariza. Avery loved wrestling with Bariza. Zeal loved the piano. 

Both boys posed for Kim's Be Kind project. 

Denver Bound

Zeal and Mama went to Denver for a weekend to visit the newly relocated Lauren and Tommy. 

We went to a small mountain town and watched some ice fishing, walked the leaf-strewn neighborhoods L & T covet, and explored the Botanic Gardens with Chihuly's glass installations.

Tommy got to practice some true Dad moves: walking a screaming baby into sleep.

We miss you, Auntie Lala and Uncle Tommy.

Child Labor

In graduate school, I remember reading about an Efe baby who could use a machete at 11 months. The image from The Cultural Nature of Human Development has stayed in my mind all these years. Now, it's my turn to put my baby to work. Though I must say, he's not as effective with the screwdriver as he is with the mortar and pestle.

Fall Weather, Winter Traditions

'Tis the season, even if it's still barefoot weather. 

We went and cut down a Christmas tree for the first time.

Our first-time cyclist...

And our two-wheeling Avery, in the distance.