Halloween and Thanksgiving 09

We had a family talent show on Thanksgiving at Aunt Jan's house in Virginia. This was our contribution. Seb was back in the kitchen with us. He was crying, wanting us to stop dancing. I think it was my nose plugs and Gabe's swim cap that set him off.

Elle's important announcement!

After Elle's Saturday morning group classes in Arlington, we usually head to DC for the rest of the morning. One Saturday we went to the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History and then stopped off at Roosevelt Island. Both places are great.

Path across the Potomac River to Roosevelt Island.

Played a wedding gig at the Hay Adams Hotel, which (I think) is the most beautiful hotel in DC. It overlooks the White House. Here we are setting up on the roof before the cocktail hour starts. We missed you, Emily!

Halloween. Elle and Seb are Curious George and The Man With the Yellow Hat. Gabe and I are an 80's prom dance couple. This was by far my most expensive Halloween costume only because my mom overnighted my sister's '87 prom dress to me, and the Walkman for Gabe. The dress is not flattering, to say the least. But, it was fun. Thanks, mom!

Trick-or-treating in Old Town Ellicott City. The shop owners sit at the entrance of their boutiques and give candy to all the kids. We went with the Faggards. Loved it.

This is Elle's post-breakfast morning routine. She immediately gets into her outfit of dress-up shoes and some princess-something-dress, with her backpack.

Or, wearing a blanket over her head (her 'Mary' hair, she calls it) with a cowboy hat over to keep it on. She's worn this 'hair' all over town. I had to give up on that battle a long time ago.

This craft corner is still the best thing that's ever happened to me. Elle and Seb entertain themselves here for hours every day.

Watching a clip of Annie on youtube while I finished up dinner.

Seb, playing his own violin set-up. A brush and a wand. It works.

I overheard this one day. Elle said, "Seb, do you want to wear one of my nightgowns?" Seb said, "Uh....no." Elle said, "Seb, it's reeeeeeally cute." He said, "Uh....okay."

Home from church.

A California-themed going away party for the Holzers. We made crab hats and some paper plate fish.

Elle misses you, Brooke!

Elle showing Brooke her violin, explaining that it's 'really special' and 'my brother can't play with it', repeating her teacher's very specific instructions.

Elle had to go to the bathroom in the middle of practicing. We just carried on as usual, working on her note and staff flashcards. Candid shot by Gabe. Glad Elle's not in the photo.

Even though everyone has told us to let Sebby's curls grow long and lustrous, there was a point when it was a little too long to be cute anymore. Went in for a trim.

Again, our Mary hair obsession. Elle talked Sebby into doing it, too.

Another baby born in the ward. Having fun with the Hawley kids while their mom was in the hospital. Elle and Sofia had a stuffed animal under their shirt the entire day.

Took my mom to Fort McHenry, Baltimore. (This is the place where Francis Scott Key wrote the words to the Star Spangled Banner during the war of 1812.) The flag was at half mast in honor of the Ft. Hood shootings.

It was a surprise visit from grandma. She's the queen of spontaneity. Thanks for coming!

The cargo ships in the harbor.

Urban kayaking.

Gabe helping Aunt Jan with her knitting project.

Aunt Jan was totally entangled in her knitting project and tripped. It was one of the funnier things I've seen.

We were in charge of pies and rolls for Thanksgiving. Our favorite Mary Finnigan, helping us with our pie crusts the night before, using her grandma McGinn's famous recipe. We got a babysitter and spent the evening hanging out with her. It was great.

Thanksgiving at Aunt Jan's house. Aunt Tenessa, Uncle Geoff and my cousin Logan flew up from Georgia for the week. It was a fun week with them.

Logan and Seb. 1st cousins once removed, but Seb looked like he could be Logan's brother.

Tenessa started taking piano lessons. We spent a lot of time playing through her songs. She's a natural.

Tenessa and Geoff

Jan won Elle over with a case full of rings. Again, the hair.

Went to DC and met the Levingers, Geoff's old college friends. We spent most of our time in the Portrait Gallery atrium. It's so beautiful and Elle and Seb had room to run and jump around.

New best friend, Isaac Levinger.

Dinner at the restaurant in the Postal Museum across from Union Station. I brought my viola in from the car to keep it warm. Tenessa talked me into playing Happy Birthday for Logan and everyone in the restaurant sang along. The owner quietly asked if he had to pay me for that. I said, "Yes," but ended up not charging him. :)

Skyping with cousins hanging out at Leah's house. Hailey helped set up the Skype session because the adults were out at a restaurant.

This is a combined video of some music stuff happening around here. 1) A little clip of Elle playing Twinkle for the family talent show at Thanksgiving 2) At the end of Elle's first group class, Mr. Strom said, "Before you leave make sure you go up to Eleanor and say, 'Hi, I'm your new friend!'" Thought this was a fun clip of everyone introducing themselves to her 3) Sebby is a typical second-child Suzuki kid, learning right along with Elle since he's dragged everywhere she goes. Here he is singing some songs from book 1 (Lightly Row, Happy Farmer and Gossec Gavotte) 4) Elle loves to come up with stories to go along with all the songs we listen to. She always asks, "What's happening in this song?" Thought this one was funny to Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky.

Dancing around in the kitchen.