Can you believe it is almost December?

And we're still swinging!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving 2009! We had a fantastic day - and an especially fantastic meal - at my house this year. Mommy cooked all morning and into the afternoon...we enjoyed the fruits of her labors around 2PM. Here I am smiling with the chef, who is sitting down for the first time all day. It was nice to have our family together and to enjoy such a nice meal.

Cheers, daddy! I have been practicing my "cheers" skills and am always at the ready with my cup, which, in this case, was my special occasion cup that I use on holidays (with matching dish).

I think I was most enthusiastic about eating the rolls (go figure...and mommy didn't even make those...the only thing on the table that mommy didn't make).

A sampling of all the goodies: homemade turkey, gravy ("maybe the best ever," said mommy), cornbread-sausage stuffing, garlicky brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes, cranberry-orange sauce and the aforementioned rolls. For dessert, our friends JT, Rocky, Irene and Greg came over and we ate AGAIN, though this time we enjoyed lots of PIE! Mommy made a homemade sweet potato pie (daddy was happy) and we also had apple and pecan pie, along with whipped cream (I got to help make it with the mixer) and ice cream. By the end of the day, we were all quite full and ready for bed...but who wouldn't be? And today, we can do it all over again if we want: there are enough leftovers for an army. Happy Thanksgiving to all! Love, Charlotte

Outdoor Playgroup

In keeping with the unusual weather we've experienced for most of 2009, November has turned out to be unusually warm and sunny, with many sunny days reaching 60 degrees! This past Monday was a great example of that: our playgroup got together at a local park to enjoy these last Indian Summer days. And even the babies were out to enjoy the terrific weather: here are baby Nate and his mom.

There was much sliding to be had, as this playground was well equipped with a number of slides. Susanna is showing off her skills in the "big girl" curly slide...she's a pro!

Emily and I are giving our tandem sliding skills a try on this side-by-side slide...I really liked this one!

Caroline is enjoying a few peaceful moments in the sun...and where WAS that sun for most of the summer? :)

When we first arrived at the playground I wasn't entirely certain that I would be able to climb this ladder, though it didn't take long before I was up at the top....and then back down again. I really love playgrounds and love spending time outdoors. We all had such a wonderful time and hope that, perhaps, December will give us one more chance to play together outdoors. You just never know!!! Love, Charlotte

A Visit with Ted and Joanna

Once more we are a tad behind in the blogging department...so mom and I are going to try to get caught up this weekend. A couple of weeks ago Auntie Laura's mom and stepdad, Joanna and Ted, made a visit to my house. They had driven to Washington D.C. for a wedding and stopped here for lunch and play on their way home. It was a really nice visit!

Joanna is watching as Ted attempts to perform a magic trick for me...very impressive!

This trick involved the napkin above, a wooden egg and using the napkin to make the egg disappear! I'm not sure how he did it but it was very cool and I was impressed. Thanks for stopping by, Ted and Joanna...and hope to see you again very soon! Love, Charlotte

Pot Luck Dinner at LCDS

Last night our family went to my school for dinner. Each family was responsible for bringing something to eat (my mom brought lasagna) and we all sat together to enjoy a great dinner. Here I am taking a few bites - there was a lot going on so I didn't eat very much dinner. Dessert was another story!

Nikita at the cookie counter, her favorite spot of the evening! But who could blame a kid when boxes and plates full of cookies were set out for all to see (and eat).

Miss Jeanne and Alexandra...so cute!

Miss Carline had to split her time between our class and her 3's class, which was having their dinner in my classroom. Here she is with Julianna, Nikita and Nikita's mommy and sister.

After dinner the whole school assembled in the gym for a musical production. Here are a few of my classmates sitting with Miss Gail and Miss Jeanne, though I opted to sit on my mom's lap. We had a really nice time having dinner at my school - I hope I have the chance to eat dinner there again soon. Love, Charlotte

Halloween Fun

What a great Halloween we had! The day was jam packed with a Halloween Parade on the Island, a party at our neighbor's house and then trick-or-treating with daddy in the evening. We all got in the spirit with costumes...here I am with Daddy en route to the Parade. Daddy dressed up as a vampire this year...very scary!

All the kids in our neighborhood turned out for our annual SI Halloween Parade - so much fun! There was a treasure hunt on the beach this year, though I was still a little young to really get into it.

Just a quick shot with my mommy the Cowgirl! She wasn't sure what she was going to wear but came up with the cowgirl idea at the very last minute. I think she looks great!

After a long day of fun, there was still more excitement in store...trick-or-treating! My first stop was across the street at the Williams house. Mr. Williams came out to say hello and to help me pick out my candy.

Do I look tired? Daddy and I spent an hour and a half out and about, visiting many neighbors and friends. I was very enthusiastic about saying "Trick or Treat!" when going to the door...and very happy to get my treats. :) Since Saturday I've been eager to continue the tradition but mom and dad told me that I have to wait until next year to Trick or Treat again. And I can't WAIT!!! I hope everyone had a very safe and happy Halloween. Love, Charlotte