Bits N Pieces*

All smiles around here... we're wrapping up work before heading out for Thanksgiving. Our plan is thus:
First, finish all perishable food in the fridge. This means leftovers and strange concoctions for dinner this week.
Second, drive to Ilwaco, preferably with a sleeping child. We'll leave Wednesday night.
Third, arrive at the Cook Castle and sleep until morning.
Fourth, go visit my parents, our dog (whom we will stash with my folks for the long weekend), their dog, and the small horse they will foster for a few days (Purdy).
Fifth, enjoy family and friends and dogs and a hefty meal and the beach and the rain and the relaxing.
Sixth, drive to Sequim on Saturday to indulge in ANOTHER Thanksgiving meal with Lynda & Loris's extended families, sleep in a hotel that accepts dogs, and enjoy family and friends in the rain shadow.
Seventh, drive home and begin the long process of bedecking our yard with thousands of tiny lights for Christmas!
Sound like a big plan? Yes, but a sound one, I think.

Snake Charmer (he charms everything):

Scooter:

Tony in a tree... the windstorm wasn't quite as violent in Mount Vernon as it was on the Peninsula, but we lost most of our Butterfly Tree and a big branch of this cherry tree:

Playin' in the mud with a cute hat:

"Why, yes, I am in the cupboard. But I know how to get out now, so it's fun again."

I do hope we'll get to see many of you over the holidays. I can hardly believe this time of year has arrived! I have been quite frantic lately. After he turned one year, Charles started going to daycare almost 30 hours a week. I have only created more work for myself at Goodwinds with the extra time. The house certainly isn't less of a wreck now, so my efforts must be going somewhere, right? Charles and I spend every Tuesday together, but I sometimes feel that he is bored of me by the time Tony gets home those evenings.

We continue to be proud of ourselves for the choices we have made in rearing this child, now that we can look back over a year and evaluate our decisions. Our daycare is amazing, and they work so hard to develop Charles and the other kids. He is learning English and Spanish and has an awesome schedule with great activities, and I have peace of mind, knowing that he is loved and taught every day. The director gave me the book that they use in designing their activities, along with benchmarks for development and a monthly schedule. Tony and I got to have a Thanksgiving lunch there last Thursday with Charles and all the kids and their parents. It was wonderful to see Charles in his element, exploring and learning and interacting. I am just so pleased that we made the step into a great daycare. Many daycares are just glorified playplaces, but not this one. Beyond that, I am glad we didn't just get a nanny or decide to have me stay home. As much as I love spending time with Charles, he is learning so much from people who are trained and educated in child development. I know this is giving him a great start. And all because Tony is the childcare's accountant did we know about them in the first place! I also continue to be happy that we switched to cloth diapers. Charles hasn't had one bit of diaper rash since we switched, and we have never since purchased diapers or wipes. They save us money, they are clean, and they're cute! Finally, in the "good decisions" category, I am so happy that we invested and continue to invest the time and energy into training Buster. He and Charles are the best of friends, and I love my dog.

We hope you have a happy Thanksgiving. We are thankful for all of our friends and family, our good fortune, and our lives of many blessings!

*Like, of our lives. I did not mean this to be an innuendo. Get your mind out of the gutter, geez.