Catching up: November

November was a great month. I could write ten entries about November and still have more to say. But now it’s snowing and I’m excited about Christmas, so I’ll write just one.

We started out with a trip to Northern California at the end of October to visit my mom’s side of the family. While we were there Eva met two great grandparents, five great aunts and uncles, and nine cousins (first, second, and then some). We took walks in the woods, drove on windy country roads, and made big pots of chili. It was a wonderful trip.

We have a whole gallery of pictures, but this is one of my favorites – Eva’s cousin Emma loved to read to Eva. And if you look carefully you’ll see this picture was taken on Halloween – Emma is not reading just to Eva, but to a baby flower.

Eva and I spend a lot of time running the Mt. Vernon Trail. We start at Gravelly Park, which is next door to National Airport, and often see planes that are about this far away. Eva is not convinced she likes this activity, but we keep going because the view is amazing. We have more airplane, foliage, and disgruntled baby pictures here.

We closed up our family garden plot for the year. Though it’s late in the game, I was able to freeze a ton of parsley and hung some oregano and thyme to dry in the basement. I wish I had been photo documenting all along – the garden plot produced huge quantities of vegetables this year, and I’ve been refining my food preservation skills.

And, of course, there’s the November gallery, which has the usual baby head shots to keep the West Coast grandparents up on Eva’s every development. Like the one at left, showing how well Eva can sit on her own.

I lied, there will be two November entries. I just can’t get Thanksgiving into a thumbnail and two sentences. Stay tuned!