Ellis running ahead on our way home from school. Again, Philly's pretty brick sidewalks.

The trolley tracks down Germantown Ave.

watching our first snow

Yesterday, I was in the city, today I was in the country with Grammy. We got baked goods, Christmas trees, pointsettias.

Marlowe chased these chickens saying "woof, woof". With all those feathers, it's hard to tell the difference.

Ellis had speech therapy in the city today. I took Marlowe for a walk to get coffee, since he's too distracting now. I love this shot, because a brick sidewalk to so Philadelphia.

I have to admit, I don't go bounding into Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. I love fall. It's hard to let go.

I've decided that for the December Photo Project this year, it's going to all be from the iPhone. All pics, all editing. The only thing that I'll do on my computer is write the blog entry (since I don't have an app for that).

Here's Marlowe in the car fallen asleep after a fun morning with friends. I love the reflection of hte row houses in the window. And he loves reading Go, Dog, Go in the car.

Cool new bloggy template!!!! (so if you're reading in a feed reader, come on over and check out the real deal.) hubby is still tweaking some, but it's nice to have a fresh, new look around here.

Tomorrow begins December. Aka Month o' Madness. Handmade Holidays is freaking my mind out right now. But, I will give a little attention to this little corner of the internet, because tomorrow begins the December Photo Project!!!! WOOOHOO! Don't forget to sign up.

'Scuse me while I silently go CRAZY over here.

And, yes, I'm all set to go with the Wreath o' Fun tomorrow. I mean, nothing is wrapped yet, but I got all the stuff.

ok, this is a little awkward. I said I was blog 'most every day in Nov. And I didn't. I just kind of dropped off the face of the planet. Well, bygones and all that. She's back. Hubby's helping me with a new template. And it's going to look purty around here. I need to write for my sake. I'm not going to commit to every day, because there is not something to say everyday. And I was getting annoyed by that. I suppose the point of committing is finding something to say every day. Well, I'm too tired for that.

Right now the biggest things going on in my head are:

* finalizing unpacking. Most of it is done. It's just this detritus. And organizing. I spent yesterday doing the most onerous of chores, sorting and culling my plastic containers. I'm getting rid of probably 2/3 of what I have. It was really scary. This had the advantageous side effect of finalizing where things would go in my pantry and kitchen. Feels good.
Next up: finalizing the art corner. we've done a little painting and playdough, but it's not where I want it to be and I think life will be way more fun when it's there. Um, the books. *sigh* where are we going to put the book shelves? We keep changing our minds. so the hall-way lined with book boxes stays put, until we're really sure.

* the holidays. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I'm cooking. And then there's my whole hair-brained handmade holidays thing.

* I just got my first washer and dryer ever. After 13 years of hauling laundry--encompassing college, marriage, and the addition of two children. I now have a washer and dryer on my residential premises!!!! Kind of puts things in perspective.

There's other little bits and pieces of life. I'm really too tired.

Hey, here's some pictures. Finally got the boys' room fairly in order:

I've been desperate to do some kind of exercise class for a long time. Do something consistently at any rate. It's hard for the whole family to make time for me to do this. An actual class raises the bar a bit in terms of commitment. One of the interpreters that is often engaged by Ellis's school is also a certified yoga instructor, and just started teaching a deaf yoga class at Ellis's school, which is only three blocks away. I've gone twice now. So far no one else has come to the session that I've been able to go to, but the teacher has been so kind to teach just me. And she does talk for me and signs, which is helpful for me, so that when I do get to a class with other deaf members, and she teaches voice-off, I'll know better what she means.

I'm not athletic. So those aerobics classes where you have to keep up AND count AND do all this footwork? Not for me. I love yoga. It's mental and physical and you do what perfectly suits you. And you have enough time to think about it. And I feel like a Greek statue. What could be cooler?