Wonderful Christmas

Yesterday Micah woke up late, so we received the good fortune of sleeping in until 7:30 on Christmas morning and then we made a big breakfast together. Micah likes to help cook - so he stirred empty bowls and taste-tested his creations while we flipped pancakes. You see Micah here in his pajamas; I just love the way those make him look like a baby super hero! If it weren't for social expectations, I would fill his closet with all baby super hero pajamas.

After present-opening, we enjoyed our unusually lovely weather (which melted every trace of snow) and went for a walk. Good friends of ours invited us to their place in the afternoon and they shared food and family and basketball with us.

Gearing up for Christmas

We set up the Christmas tree last week. The nostalgic smell of pine fills the air and makes me smile when I pass by. Micah was old enough to get involved this year, so we enlisted his help to hang (well, it turned out he liked more to remove) the ornaments and watch the lights sparkle. This Christmas we'll be carving our own traditions here in New Jersey.

Signs of Winter's Coming

Since winter is well on her way, and outdoor playtime is limited to however long we can stand the cold (and my tolerance in particularly low), my friend Ruth and I take our kids to the malls in our area to walk around and let them play where we can all be warm. Santa was there last week and we tried to encourage them to visit with him, but none of them were thrilled about it. In fact, Micah was downright depressed about it. On another mall excursion, these silly kids sprawled out on the floor and tumbled over each other. Micah loves Isaiah and Leorah.

Thanksgiving Joy

On Thanksgiving morning we woke up, and brushed our teeth, and made cinnamon rolls together. Micah makes us laugh, here he looks like a little old man with that toothbrush hanging out of his mouth! We're undecided about who he looks like, but Josh says he looks like his dad in this pic.

These other photos are taken after Thanksgiving dinner at our good friends' house. We're so thankful to have our NJ friends!

Halloween photos

We dressed Micah up for Halloween last week and took him out with some friends. We didn't dress him up last year; I can't even remember what we did, which leads me to believe we didn't do much. He was a monkey this year and was a trooper about it. I have a feeling this was my last chance to get him to dress up in a cute costume. The older boys in our trick-or-treating group were Batman and a transformer. In the meantime, though, we seem to be winning battles like these and he continues to put up with silly outfits like dino pajamas and sweater vests.

Autumn joys

Before we took off for the East Coast, we were told again and again that autumn is the best season. Though Josh argues spring (despite his newfound vicious pollen allergies) is a fierce competitor, I find the fall season breathtaking. The leaves are vibrant and carpet the sidewalks with unbelievable shades of reds and oranges, while the wind is brisk but not too chilly to keep us indoors.

Last week we had the honor of having super friends Maaren and Andy visit us from San Diego. Both of them inspire us with their creativity and love. It was great to have them here.

And did I ever mention potty training? Lofty goal of mine, I know, but I'm ready to be done with diapers and we're making great strides. I figure we'll divide and conquer: we've accomplished potty training at home so he gets to rock his big boy underpants around the house; we're still working on me remembering to take him when we're out of the house; and he still sleeps in diapers. I'm so proud of Micah.

Photos from our Spain trip

Traveling was great. We hadn't been abroad since we traveled to Greece and London in 2004, so I had been itching to go. And we kept hearing from friends about how we need to travel now while we can, because soon Micah is going to be the age where he doesn't sit still. So we packed up and left. It was harder than I had expected - we only packed 1 carry-on each but still with the luggage and Micah, both of us felt like we were hauling around a lot of stuff. But it was also a lot of fun. I even had a chance to go on a couple of runs (I packed my running shoes with hope), which was wonderful, really. And I hadn't been to Spain since I studied there in 2001 so it was great to be there with Josh and show him fun parts of the city I used to live in.

As dreamy as it was, though, we were both ready to be back. Micah didn't seem to mind either way. But Josh and I were ready to be back in our own space. We were there 10 days and Josh was feeling anxious about the applications season, and I had a desire to be in one place longer than a few days (we went from Seville to Cordoba to Madrid). I think that's a sign I'm growing up.

California Trip - closing credits

We returned to NJ last week and are just about settled in. It is good to be home. Here are some photos from the last days of our trip, including a shot of Micah at work on his new easel (a gift from Grandma who is convinced Micah has special powers). My sister Kacie with Micah and me at the Botanical Garden at Balboa Park. Also a shot of Micah with Maaren (in black) and Andy (with guitar), talented and beloved friends. Our friend Jason is leaning over at the table at BJ's brewery and pizzeria (a favorite haunt - and former employer - in Westwood), and our niece and nephew are attacking Micah at Souplantation.