I am hiding from the kids. (It's been a long day.) Nathan is upstairs reading stories. I've already done the dishes, vacuumed the pine needles, swept the floor, and put away the leftovers. When Nathan is done with stories, I'll be summoned to sit by Joseph until he falls asleep. I'll probably fall asleep myself.

But I have good news to share!... (drum roll, please)... Joseph made it through the entire second half of nursery on his own this week. Two weeks ago he did snack time solo, but then called me in to join him. This week, Daddy left when snack started. 20 mins later I was summoned to take him potty, but then he went back on his own... waving at me as he ran down the hall and opened the door to let himself back in! I stood stunned in the hallway. Stunned and delighted.

We are gearing up for Christmas. Lil'Nathan is impatiently waiting until tomorrow when we will go to BJ's to get soap for his carvings. This afternoon the kids and I made some gifts that I hope will go out by early next week. I still haven't touched my sewing pile, though. Gotta get to that.

The day after Mary's birthday, Nathan came home from work with the flu. That was Friday, we didn't see him again until Sun evening when he emerged from bed. He stayed home sick through Wed, which was good, b/c on Mon all the kids were sick, and on Wed I was wiped out. The kids didn't enjoy being stuck in the house and not allowed out to play, but they did enjoy Mom being down for the week and so having a mostly school-free week.

And then it was our ultrasound day. Looks pretty good. The doctor wants me back in Jan to check a few things, but we aren't worried. Cute little baby profile. Nathan even got to see it yawn and stretch. I had to stop looking at the screen b/c the angle was making me cough violently. The kids were bored stiff.

And then it was Thanksgiving. What a day! We just ate all day, whatever was ready whenever it was ready. The kids learned how to play Rumikub and then we played Phase 10. We had plans for clam chowder, but never made it there. We had it the next day--an improvised recipe by my wonderful husband. It was awesome!

And that really brings us to today. Mary lost her other top tooth tonight. She said she won't put it under her pillow b/c she doesn't want the tooth-fairy to wake her up looking for it. Isn't that nice of her? :)

And I'll end now, with some Thanksgiving pictures... Handsome Joseph helping me choose a recipe for... something.

And here we have Joseph mixing the dough for the rolls.

And Joseph and Mary shaping rolls. Joseph made all of his "snails." And then he smashed them. Mary got bored after 3 rolls and turned the task over to me. Then she threw a fit when Joseph rearranged them. But you miss all that in this picture.

Lil'Nathan was the self-proclaimed potato man. He chose, washed, and chopped them all. (We are still eating mashed potatoes, by the way.)

And the mashed potato mixing...

Now in all honesty, I can't remeber when this picture was taken, but it was sometime in November. Lil'Nathan figured out how to hang a string over the rafter in his room and then they hung up two barrels of monkeys and dozens of Legos. It was a group effort.

Oh, and actually one more thing. On Sunday in nursery, the teacher gave each of the kids a Trader Joe's Advent Calender with little chocolate treats. Yesterday lil'Nathan showed Joseph what it was all about and they all three shared the Dec. 1 chocolate. Today, Joseph decided to do it himself... and ate all the way through the 12th!! Happy Holidays!