Stuffed (and I don't mean the turkey)

So, I'm finally sitting down to blog again. It's been a whirlwind few weeks, complete with THREE Thanksgiving turkeys (one roasted the traditional way, one smoked, and one deep-fried), a piano recital, a ballet recital, a birthday party or two, a baby shower (not ours), my Aunty Linda visiting from Hilo, and way too many leftovers for any one family to reasonably consume. And yet consume them we did. I think there may be a few scraps of ham left in our fridge, and a few tupperwares of turkey soup in our freezer, but other than that, if you cut us, we might bleed poultry and sweet potatoes, along with vast quantities of butter.

DeShannon and his favorite naked decapitated bird. Not quite as visceral as that Thanksgiving morning video of Sarah Palin at the turkey farm, but still not a pretty sight.


Uncle Soko brandishing his Thanksgiving booty. Cousin Kellan contributing to the dignity of the moment.

The Fam celebrating Carrie's birthday.

Back row to front, left to right: Grant, Kellan, Guy
Aunty Marvalee, Kyle, Christy (Guy's girlfriend), Jan
Sophie, Carrie, Daniel, Uncle Soko
(Aunty Debbie and Uncle Karl are somewhere around - it's their house.)

Sophie (who had not gone shopping with her dad) tried to help me guess what my present from Ryan was. "Chocolate?" she ventured. Daniel (who had gone shopping) said, "No, silly, it's shirts!"


Daniel blowing bubbles at Aunty Debbie and Uncle Karl's house - a very serious pursuit.


Sophie performing in her Worship Ballet recital on Sunday night. She is getting to be quite the seasoned performer: no stage fright at all, even though a few weeks ago, she had to be bribed with dessert just to play piano for our fellowship group.


The gals in purple dancing to "Joy to the World."


Season's greetings from Sophie and her face.