Thanksgiving

Lars spent much of November in Minneapolis conducting experiments in his PhD adviser's lab (since yes, there is some equipment Stanford doesn't have), and Tor and I flew out for Thanksgiving to enjoy the company of friends before all three of us headed home on the 26th. We were floored to arrive in sunny, 60-degree weather--what's happening, Minnesota?--but took full advantage of the outside time it offered.

Chucking Owen's ball...

...and diffusing Owen's parents' leaf pile

On Thanksgiving morning, we hung out with Dave, Lindsay, and Owen before others arrived.

"Dropped your mustache, Mr. O"

Like taking camper from a baby

"Yippee-kai-yay!"

Boys of Autumn

The Thanksgiving meal proper (hosted by Lindsay and Dave, contributed to by all comers) was a little too nuts to yield postable photos, not that any could capture the cozy revelry of eating and drinking with old friends and many, many children. It was still warm, but the next day, the temperature finally nosedived, and we holed up at the Burnetts' with leftovers and pajamas for a sleepover. It took way too long to get Owen and Tor down in unfamiliar surroundings (and Tor slept in MJ's room, so she also didn't get to sleep right away), but the four hours of adult time afterward were well worth the effort.

Even with two remotes going, Apple TV is a wash

Sleepover hangover

As seen by the Predator

Another highlight was our brunch with Melissa and Ulises, Tor's erstwhile daycare providers and generally wonderful people. Buffet-style dining is decidedly the way to go with a nearly two-year-old.

Hopped up on whipped cream waffles

Opening early birthday/Christmas presents, the lucky dog

"Yep, it fits"

The insulin spike reaches its apex

That evening, after his nap, Tor threw up a few times and was just out of it. So while several friends came over to say goodbye and have dinner, Tor and Lars watched Elmo videos in bed. After a couple of hours, he seemed himself again, but then it was time for bed--we all had to get some sleep before traveling the next day.

There's a lot more to be said for being a sick kid than being a sick adult

We headed in to campus before our flight the next morning and got to see Lars's former research group. Brian kindly gave us a ride to the airport, and we were all home together for five full days before Lars had to head to San Francisco for the annual geophysics conference.

Two seconds before the hands popped out again

"Take me with you!"

Why toddlers don't get to self-accessorize

Showing off his new bib from Mormor

When Lars gets home Friday, along with his folks, we'll decorate the tree. Tor and I put it together (yes, it's fake) yesterday for the first Sunday of Advent, and he also set up a brilliantly unbreakable creche set from Oma and Opa.

Next, he baked pizzas for the whole gang

Practicing for the weekend