Thanksgiving Fun

While we were in California, we got a few candid shots of our little family. Here is Aven looking cute.

Here is Rory looking adventurous.

Mommy enjoyed lunch at an understated, local cafe on Fisherman's Wharf.

Mommy also enjoyed some quality reading time with her kids.

Each night, the girls put on a performance for their Pops.

Ahhh, the iPad is cool.

A quite moment with Nonna.

The sun will come out, tomorrow.

This school looks cool!

We want to go to Stanford!

Same shot. Two years ago.

Children's Museum

We did a lot of fun things in California, but one of the highlights was seeing the sisters explore the Children's Museum in San Jose together.

Can't stop the water.

An inquisitive moment.

Big bubbles.

Aven helps Nonna choose her pizza.

Rory might have a future as a waitress.

Seriously, Dad, I have a job to do.

Drummer Girls

Aunt Sydney showed Rory and Aven how to rock!

Sydney patiently showed Rory and Aven how to catch the beat.

Aven thought it was all quite a lot of fun.

 Rory was actually pretty quick to pick up the beat.

Soon, she was rocking those drums!

And her teacher was quite proud.

Thanksgiving 2011

Tradition. Mommy and Nonna up early and baking pies for our Thanksgiving feast. This year, things are a little more complicated, serving for a vegan, a vegetarian, a gluten-free eater, two picky kids, and several carnivores.

As the fixings were cooking, the family took a brisk walk around the block.

Rory and Aven enjoyed the time with their Nonna.

Pops and his women! We had a wonderful and eclectic group of guests for our Thanksgiving feast!

Rory was particularly proud that she was able to help Pops set the table. Rory made name cards for each of the guests.

Pops made sure that his grand kids had first dibs on the turkey!

And Aven was very thankful for the food on her plate (for once)!

Sisters thankful for each other. What better thing to be thankful for.

Soccer Star

Soccer on Saturday mornings has become a welcome new addition to our weekends.

And Rory has become quite a capable goalie and all-around soccer studette.

Look at that kicking form!

Here, Rory takes the ball straight through her opponents (all boys).

 Rory sets up for the kill shot.

And her goal shot is just a bit off center. She'll get it next time.

Rory displays her medal proudly.

Meanwhile, Aven was keeping herself busy by turning a stone into a drum set.

Here, she contemplates the beauty of nature and her impatience with Daddy's camera.

A Fun Fall Day

On a crisp Fall day, Rory and Aven enjoyed some time with Maeve and Brigid, their BFFs from Capital Kids.

The kids were big fans of the Mexican food that we enjoyed at Los Tios in Del Ray.

After lunch, the kids took their parents to the Dairy Godmother for pumpkin ice cream.

Brigid admired Aven's gusto as she sucked that ice cream down!

Turkey Day at School

Rory hosted her parents at the MacArthur cafeteria for a Thanksgiving lunch. Daddy was a big fan of the school's stuffing.

NovemberFest 2011

The O'Haras christened a new tradition, dubbed NovemberFest, a celebration of Autumn, a chance to smash pumpkins and to eat Halloween candy.
Aven thought it was pretty funny that Daddy misspelling NovemberFest on his big tarp. (Look closely at the previous picture.)

NovemberFest was also an excuse for Daddy to (finally) buy a firepit! Oh, and a few hay bales. I mean, the party would have felt incomplete without the hay bales.


We were also able to put our stumps to work as outdoor seats.



Mommy enjoyed the warmth of the fire, bundled in her Fall coat and kicky boots.

Uncle Allen manned the fire pit for most of the party, ensuring that none of the kiddies got too close!

And the guests arrived! 25 adults and 25 kids! We had a blast. Burgers. Beer. And lots of candy.

And the center piece of the event was the First Annual Pumpkin Smash!

Daddy let each of the kids climb the ladder and toss their jack-o-lantern to the ground.


What a fun mess!

As the night fell, Rory organized a dance party inside.