Our version of a Turkey Trot race....

We just chased Max around the beach all morning.

That was enough of a work out for me.

Check out Max's joyful face.

He was in heaven running and being chased.

Jeff makes the chasing look so peaceful and relaxing somehow.

Here's another Merkel boy in total heaven. He's a beach bum for sure.

Thankful for my boys.

Thankful for our Thanksgiving romp on the beach.

It's been a big month....

you throw in Halloween, a girls weekend, a Mimi's visit, a big announcement and some celebrations with Jeff's work. In the midst of normal life with two boys and their activities, still adjusting to a 2 day a week working Mom, colds & breathing treatments at 3am, cleaning the house, trying to save energy for Jeff at the end of the day....

What suffers are..... the blog updates don't happen. and the milk & Life cereal doesn't get bought (on time) and we run out of paper towels. The laundry does get clean but it just sits in the baskets waiting to be worn, all wrinkled of course. and it seems we eat pasta every night...who has time to be creative with meals...thank goodness for Trader Joe's who has some amazing prepared fresh meals....you just pop them in the oven. anyways....

here's my attempt to get caught up before the commencement of the official 'holiday season' tomorrow:)

Jeff & I in the photo booth at the Admob celebration party....fun times!

the hat and glasses were props....we're not that stylish:)

A mini reunion with some Taylor friends in Sonoma and San Fran

Mimi came to visit!

Halloween 2009

Charlie and Max were quite the duo and had so much fun together this year.

The early bird....

When Mimi came to visit in early November, we headed to the Bay Area Discovery Museum bright and early. We were there almost at opening time and had the outdoor play area all to ourselves. Such fun!! By the time it got busy we'd already had a couple of hours of hard playing time and we headed on home for naps.

Sweet Max thinking he's big stuff playing with Charlie on the boat.

We love you Grammie Merkel ( She's our 'Bonnie' who lives over the ocean...or across the plains at this stage in life)

I can never get enough

of the gorgeous views of the Golden Gate from the museum.

A lot of fun for the kiddos and a fabulous view for the adults!!