Happy Belated Turkey Day

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! The weekend went by far too quickly... We had a nice, but quiet, turkey day. It was on the cool side of life (for ATL) and really windy, so we only opted to take a hike around Stone Mountain park, not up up up it where we would freeze our tooshies off at the top. The wind was so strong it knocked over a big tree in the park that blocked a main road. We got to drive most of the way around the mountain going the wrong way up a one-way road - probably won't ever get that chance again! Then we met up with a friend there, came home, and had a nice surf and turf dinner together (no turkey, but had some yummy, homemade roasted garlic smashed potatoes - the extent of any crazy t-day preparations for me!).

The next day was kinda chilly too, so we chilled most of the time at home. Helen wasn't all that into going outside and playing at the park (although we took her and got a few pics). When we got home, she ran to the front door, no picking up leaves, no picking up acorns, just get inside ASAP! I think it was the first time she voluntarily walked through the door on her own (normally have to carry her or we would never make it inside due to the plethora of things to pick up and examine on the way in!).

Then yesterday she had a mild fever in the morning that escalated quickly into a raging fever by late afternoon and really scarey fit of unconsolable crying. We then spent a few rough hours at an after hours clinic - another ear infection, another round of antibiotics... this one is different though as she is pretty out of it sometimes and is sleeping like crazy... I had a feeling we weren't going to escape November without something hitting! Anyway.... needless to say, we didn't do anything very exciting or get out and do much (so many plans for a 4 day weekend!). Oh well!

Friday, still a happy girl.

She put her head down a lot this weekend on various things - guess a precursor to feeling worse.
NOT happy that mom didn't immediately get her a cracker from the kitchen! :-)
She adores all her stuffed animals. They are all over the place (note 2 in background).
Swing at park. It was chilly. Can we go home?
Sweet little elf.

Nah Nah

Helen recently added "night night" or as she says, "nah nah", to her vocabulary and I melt every time I hear her little voice say it. I ask her often to say it, which probably confuses the heck out of her (but it's worth it!). ;-)

So, "nah nah" to the Pumpkin-Palooza III gang of 2009. Wish we were there as usual!! XOXO (p.s. TJ's has a pumpkin pancake mix that is really good right now - you could run over there and cheat for Sunday's breakfast!). Here's a thought - mix in some pumpkin mush into your bircher muesli. Hmm. Possibly ew. I can't tell you how many times in the past 20 minutes I've thought - maybe we can catch a plane up there for the weekend! We might just have to do that next year!

Welcome to the world, Sebastian John!

Here is Helen's new cousin, Sebastian John, born November 3, 2009, 8lbs, 13 oz. and 20 inches long (I think!) to a very happy Naomi and Toby. Congratulations to you and hooray!! He's finally here!

Little Yellow/Gray Riding Hood

We ventured out on a couple of hikes this weekend - one on Saturday to an old, easy fave around a lake at Stone Mountain, and then another more strenuous along the Panther Creek trail in N. GA on Sunday. It was a wonderfully, marvelously gorgeous weekend here. Seriously couldn't be any nicer! A good stopping point along the creek trail is a wide area next to the creek that felt like we were in the middle of little red riding hood's forest, hence Little Yellow/Gray Riding Hood. Next time around (if I am brave enough, there was a really scary and tricky part where I feared for all our lives), we will have to dress her in red for sure.
This isn't the scary, tricky part. Just a pic of the trail and the creek below.
Doggie alert! Running ensued.
I think Helen spied the big, bad wolf.