okay winter, if you must

It's getting cold.  I'm not a fan.  Um, Hawaii, anyone?

Was looking at Shutterfly.com.  Forgot I had uploaded these photos long ago.  So glad I did since my photos are all a big fat, digital hoarding mess, and I never would have found this.  

This may be one of my all time favorites ever and forever:

This is what I mean when I say Samuel lives big.  Even at the age of three.  

And just a few minutes before I found this photo, I saw a picture of a chocolate turkey cupcake and it reminded me of Thanksgiving the same year this photo was taken.  

We were at my sisters.  I had just sat down to enjoy my feast when Samuel came from the kid table and asked if he could be done.  I told him he needed to eat his turkey first.  He came back about two minutes later, with chocolate all over his mouth, and asked, "NOW can I be done?"  I said, "But you have to eat your turkey."  He replied, "I did!"  

My sister had put a foil wrapped turkey shaped chocolate on every plate for decoration.  Samuel must have wondered why, but been delighted that, I would make him eat chocolate before he could leave the table.  


Here comes the cold and the busy of the holidays.  I am not forgetting all the great memories to be made and lovely food to be eaten.  But I do need to brace myself for all the mostly self inflicted craziness that is about to come...