You should see the other guy...

TJ inflicted a shiner on himself last week...his first! He tripped over a pile of pillows/blankets on the floor while I was changing the sheets on our bed and hit his cheekbone on the bed. The bruise started about 30 seconds later and got darker and darker. One week later it has finally started to fade. The first of many shiners during his life, I'm sure!

The marks on the rest of his face are food...the easiest time to get a close-up like this is during mealtime! 

Grandma and Grandpa come to visit!

Tom and Alice came in for a four-day weekend of fun, Thomas time and good food. They played in the park, the backyard, and in the house. T had lots of story time with Alice and chilled out on Grandpa's lap in between bouts of couch wrestling. Alice and I went mother-of-the-bride dress shopping on Saturday while all three guys napped. We watched Northwestern and Ohio State win. Somehow we didn't end up with many pictures, but this is a great one!

Thomas had lots of fun playing with Grandma and Grandpa.

Taking his pig for a ride on Lightning. He kisses the pig snout and makes oinking noises.

Our dessert for the weekend...pumpkin caramel bars with bacon on top. Surprisingly delicious!

Random pics

At the playground again

We had stuffed flank steak for Tucker's birthday last weekend. Thomas helped me pound the meat. He's very helpful around the house--he also sweeps and mops!

More Halloween

Halloween fun continued while I was in Houston--Ed and Thomas joined Tucker and other friends in the park for trick or treating and playground time.

Down the slide!

On the swings!

Sitting on Uncle Tucker!
 

Halloween weekend

Halloween was bittersweet for me this year because I was out of town at a quilt show. :( It's one of my favorite holidays--we usually go all out decorating the house for trick or treating, so that was a bummer. Mom and Dad were in for the weekend, so the two of them did the costume fun with Thomas and Ed.

T in his cow costume

Pumpkin love!

Examining the pumpkin (a word he now says, by the way! It comes out as "pun-keen")

Wearing Grammy's sunglasses and Grandpa's hat: one cool dude!

Last year Thomas didn't like the leaves at all. Happily, this year he's decided they're fun to play in!

Ed, T, mom and dad went to the St. Louis Zoo for their halloween festivities. Here's everyone riding the train around the zoo!

Riding Grandpa around the zoo!

Saying goodbye on Sunday!

Fun with Uncle Tucker

While we were off in San Francisco, Thomas spent the weekend with Uncle Tucker, his mom, and his mom's friend. Looks like he had a terrible time, doesn't it?!?!  :)

They spent alot of time in the park, and I've been told that Thomas had the two ladies wrapped around his little finger shortly after their arrival. Thank you so much to all three of our babysitters--we appreciate it!

The part I'm jealous of? Saturday morning T woke up about 6:30 and then fell back asleep in the recliner with Tucker while they watched Sportscenter. Why doesn't he fall back asleep for us on those early weekend mornings?! 

Loving the swings

Apparently Tucker and T went down this huge slide about 7 times. Impressive!

San Francisco!

One of the great things about having friends who live all over the country is being able to take fun weekend trips to visit. Thanks to our friends' Chris and Leslie's wedding, we recently spent the weekend in San Francisco, having a mini college reunion and doing some sightseeing in addition to the nuptials. It was my first visit to SF. We spent the (very quick) weekend with Jen and Cliff, our college roommates, and a bunch more friends from NU. And where was TJ, you ask, since he is conspicuously absent in these pics? He spent the weekend being spoiled by Uncle Tucker, his mom, and his mom's friend. Pictures on that to follow after I get them from Tucker, but they had a ton of fun.

A boat tour in the bay with Jen and Cliff, under the Golden Gate bridge. And yes, it was as gray and windy as it looks! 

Jen and Cliff on the trolley...the ultimate San Francisco tradition!

Waiting for the trolley to get moving. We got to stand on the running boards, which was just what I was hoping to do...and then got soaked when it started to rain!

We knew SF was hilly, but we were really surprised at how steep some were. As we huffed and puffed up and down the streets, Ed and Cliff joked about going car tipping (similar to cow tipping!).

I saw this during our trolley ride. The spelling isn't quite right but still...

Clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls at Alioto's!

The famous Lombard Street

The lovely bride and groom, Leslie and Chris, during their first dance.

NU Class of 2000 may have been celebrating our 10-year reunion in Evanston, but we had a reunion of our own--17 Delta Upsilons--so wonderful to catch up with everyone! And amazing, once the dancing started, how little anyone had changed...

us

Jen and me

Kelly and me...she and Dustin brought Abbey on her first plane trip to attend the wedding.