Pig(skin)headed

Reed paired his favorite sweater—the one featuring a digger—with his favorite winter cap.

Elf Hatred

With Thanksgiving in our rear-view window, we have this to look forward to now:

The Elf on the Shelf is a misnomer. He doesn’t stay on the shelf at all. In fact, he flies back to the North Pole every night when the kids are asleep, reporting to Santa whether Olivia and Reed have been naughty or nice. He then returns to our house and camps out in a different spot each morning, waiting to be discovered. I can’t say much beyond that without being accused of being a Grinch given that this tradition brings our kids a lot of holiday joy, but it’s nice to know that there are other parents out there who are as elfish and peevish as we are.

Into the Wind(y City)

We took on the toddling town of Chicago (I’ll say it again—Chicago—for Frank’s sake) with our toddler in tow. Aunt Liz joined us as we made our way to the Lincoln Zoo and the Christkindlmarket. Highlights included the 3D lights, a giraffe spotting, cookie decorating, singing German carols, and feasting on Bavarian pretzels.

Ride Away

Grumpy dwarf made way for Sleepy once the wheels of our vehicle resumed rotating in the direction of our destination.

You’ve Got Another Thank(s) Coming

Our kids are a constant reminder of why we should be especially thankful—and especially so on this day of giving thanks. The two of them gave us thanks (taped on fridge) and provided thankful reminders (written on chalkboard) as part of their pre-Thanksgiving meal activities, adding to all that they constantly give us in the form of laughs, hugs, kisses, and shared life experiences.

Around the Bend

Congratulations to the father of Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz, and Harper on capturing his first Major League Soccer Cup as his Los Angeles Galaxy team defeated the Houston Dynamo in last night’s final.

Reed celebrated Beckham’s triumph—and his kids’ cool Hollywood names—by sporting this jersey all day.

Get a Jump On Off

He’s faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful (vocally) than a locomotive, and able to leap off not-so-tall buildings in a single bound—he’s Super Lil’ Man.

The Puck Stops Here

So we went to this fight the other night and a hockey game broke out.

Hockey games are not what they used to be—events where the on-ice action was the main attraction (and a good place to take your future spouse on a first date)—now that promotion departments offer all sorts of incentives to get families to spend time (and money) in their arenas. The kids enjoyed getting their faces painted, playing with their friends, and “meeting” an indifferent Disney star who’d apparently been paid to sign autographs but not smile or interact with fans. Reed and Olivia occasionally glanced iceward, but I think that was to see the zamboni zoom around.

Hair-Raising Activity

Reed does his rooster impression while strutting around the basement.

Out-and-About Scouts

Olivia’s Girl Scout troupe (Brownies, more precisely) helped sort brownie mixes, cereals, and other food items at a food-distribution event at a giant warehouse. The speed and efficiency with which they tackled this task bode well for when they have to sell and distribute delicious Girl Scout cookies.

Turns Over in New Leaves

Once Reed learned that he was allowed to wallow in the pile of leaves, his temperament switched with the briskness of the temperatures of a late afternoon fall day.

Getting in Their Last Sips

Our favorite bubble-tea shop is moving; as a result, they’re taking a two-week hiatus to set up their new location. I’ll be forthright: even with foresight, the Fortnight of Fright—as I’ve dubbed this upcoming stretch—will prove challenging for us all.

Here the gals are literally down to the last straw.

American (Not) Idle

Adrian and Olivia cannot sit by idly—they are constantly moving and keeping themselves busy. But they can sit by Idol-y, as in auditioning for the singing competition, all while multitasking and sitting on their keisters.

Brown Bearer

Whether or not Reed will be Ivy League material one day, several of his material possessions are from the Ivy League—including this shirt from Brown University.

By the Book(er)

Cory Booker—the esteemed and social-media connected mayor of Newark, New Jersey—has a million-plus Twitter followers, including yours truly (tweetly?). His efforts to connect with his electorate go beyond handshaking and baby-kissing. Booker garnered national attention when he grabbed a snow shovel to personally help unbury walkways and streets during last winter’s snowpocalypse. Newark’s residents would tweet where help was needed, and the mayor seemingly responded to each of their calls for assistance.

Given his penchant for going above and beyond, I jokingly tweeted about expecting Booker to personally greet my mother at Newark’s airport, where she was flying in for a visit with her sister. To my surprise and delight, he retweeted my original message, along with his response, to his legion of followers.

I’m killing this bit of wordplay here, but this was certainly one for the book(er)s.

Next to Kin

Sister and brother, hanging out behind our local vegetarian coffeehouse.