Thanksgiving in FL

One cold November Sunday we ventured to the Blue Hills for Tessie's first hike 

At the top we had a panoramic view of Boston 

Nantasket Beach was chilly 

Let's call this pose Neptune's Trident 

The cold ocean was good preparation for...

...Thanksgiving in Naples, FL. The pool was plenty warm for our girls and with a swim-up bag of Cheetos supplied by Nana, what more could you ask for?

These were no ordinary carrots. Thinking that they would be hard to find in Florida, we actually packed a bag of Wilson Farm's New England carrots to make into shepherd's pie. 

Jack showed the girls some crazy filters on Snapchat

Chris Gray was pleased that we didn't choose white shirts and jeans for our sunset photo shoot 

Grampa Mike turned the big 7-0 

Brain coral from the touch table at Biscayne Bay National Park

At 25.28 degrees north, Homestead FL marks our southernmost point in the continental US. Coupled with Fargo at 46.88 N we've nearly spanned the entire mainland US in the last 4 months. If only we'd made it to Voyageurs NP...

Back at home to start the Christmas season

Tessie story

Playground in FL

November Downs

For the last 6 months Max's kidneys have been failing and the week before Election Day we took him in to the vet and learned that his red cell count was 11%. Although he seemed OK, it was clear that he was slowing down. Everyone was able to say goodbye over the next few days until one night, he ran out of gas. Two nights later the girls stayed up to watch the first female President fail to win the electoral vote. What a $#!!!^ week.

Clio could tell that her brother was dying. The day before Max died, she jumped up next to him

and lay down beside him

We held a funeral celebrating Max's life and the love and joy that he brought our family 

his remains were buried with pompoms, a toy mouse, some chicken, and blades of grass 

 The girls are going to lobby Congress to create a National Park site for Maxyboo

November Ups

Four pumpkins from the garden survived for carving this year 

Halloween trick or treating this year featured 2 vampires and 1 peacock fairy. The peacock fairy kept up remarkably well with the vampire pack and quickly filled her bag. The vampire pack's thirst for candy was not satisfied until their sacks were too heavy to carry. Their 13 pounds of loot was quite a haul.

Erin's fall season with the Rainbow Revolution came to end

 and then swim team meets began for both girls

 Wilson Farm's brilliant marketing brings cheeses into the lives its patrons

 Dad turned 42, almost as many hairs left on the top of his head

Tessie loves all playgrounds

Erin's birthday party was at an indoor trampoline park

Nice air, Erin

It was not a big party

but the cake could feed 30

Tessie relaxing with Max

One of Erin's gifts was face paint - ie makeup

The Boston Esplanade has a great playground, and we finally figured out to get there one beautiful Sunday morning

Caroline raced against 9 and 10 year olds 

Erin fared well in the 7-to-8 heats

Capon Springs

We played hooky on a beautiful Friday to fly down to Virginia to meet Katy, Brad, Lyla, and Charlie at a resort in West Virginia 

but our first stop was Cedar Creek & Belle Grove Plantation NHP, site of an 1864 Civil War battle that secured the Shenandoah Valley for the Union. As a new NPS site, the Visitor Center was located in a strip mall next to a dry cleaner but the kids learned enough to earn their badges. 

The meals were yummy comfort foods with a special treat, lunch dessert

Brad ate 2 breakfasts a day

 The sun came up late in the holler, but when it did the days were gorgeous

Let's see: Almost heaven,

West Virginia

Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River...

Paparazzi shot of Erin and Charlie lounging on the pool deck. Props to the kids for braving the spring-fed 64-degree pool. 

Sports of leisure were plentiful, and shuffleboard was a hit with Dave & Katy while badminton was the draw for Lyla and Caroline

At the bonfire sing-along, the winner of the big pumpkin weight guess was announced: Charlie Harris!  

The kids drank their hot tea in the mornings 

 Gymnastics on the golf course

 Swimming in October - brrr