happy thanksgiving

An early morning snooze in her favorite contraption:

Turkey-hungry eyes:


Gigi, learning the art of Thanksgiving dinner-making:


Beautiful Karin and her rolls:

Serving ourselves a heaping:

Old people row (Matt's grandparents):

dance dance

Is anyone else as taken with the new Beyonce video "Single Ladies" as I am? Doesn't it just make you want to memorize her moves? Apparently the inspiration for the video came from a Gwen Verdon act on the Ed Sullivan show.

Ed Sullivan show:


You can check out Beyonce's video here.

Now if only I could get myself in leotard shape by New Year's I could really rule the dance floor (or maybe just my own kitchen). Ricks ladies are you with me?

(BTW, Justin Timberlake's SNL spoof of Beyonce's video is hilarious if you can get it on YouTube before they delete it -- nothin' like a man in a leotard and heels)

laughs

Recent media consumption that made me laugh:

1. I know I'm late to this but I love 30 Rock. Matt and I just got Season 1 at the library. I laughed so hard especially at the "Cleveland" episode.



Don't you love how Alec Baldwin says, "we'd all like to flee to the Cleve?" And I love the musical Cleveland montage (unfortunately I couldn't find this on the internet). Now if only we could move up a little faster in the library hold-queue for Season 2.

2. On a similar note, I enjoyed Terry Gross' interview with Tina Fey on Fresh Air. You can check it out here.

3. I've been catching up on my New Yorker reading since Matt has been otherwise occupied grading endless high school papers on Thoreau. "A Desert Encounter" by John Updike, in the Oct 20 issue made me laugh out loud. I'm not able to link to the text so you're on your own unless you already subscribe to the magazine.

apple cider doughnuts

I have such fond memories of going apple picking in upstate New York every autumn and eating warm apple cider doughnuts at the roadside apple stand. A month ago we visited Matt's brother's family in Boulder, CO. I decided to take advantage of their deep fat fryer and try out the doughnuts on my own. The trick is keeping the oil the right temp (a fryer is essential for this), otherwise they can soak up too much oil and get greasy. I found the recipe here. Thanks to my skilled niece and nephews I had lots of help.

baby wearing

I've found two baby carriers to be indispensable so far. You can read more about baby wearing and the benefits here.

The Ergobaby carrier:

The Moby wrap:

my saturday (by gigi thomas)

I woke up bright and early:


I helped dad with yard work:


Working hard:


Catching a ride with my mom:

My first leaf-frolic:

my baby the cheeseball

Unlike most babies who instantly fall asleep in the car. Gigi HATES the car. She will scream with tears running down her cheeks for a good twenty minutes when I have to go pick Matt up at work. The other day I decided to run through the radio stations to see if it would make her stop. When I got to FM 100, the station that plays continual Christmas music from Halloween until Christmas, she instantly stopped crying and appeared to be listening. I tried it again the following day with the same result. Matt is beside himself. The verdict is in: Our daughter is a cheeseball.

Smiles:

Whigging-out with the camera flash:

grateful

This season I am grateful for not being pregnant anymore.

(picture taken by James Rabdau)

juno

Check out my brother, Spencer, and his fiancee, Erica's, Halloween costume. Isn't he a dead ringer for Michael Cera?

baby's first rock concert

Matt's brother Dave and family were in town this weekend for a reunion Stretch Armstrong show (Dave is the drummer). It was so great to spend time with them and rock out with the Gig. We put little earplugs in her ears and she slept the entire time--oh well; maybe she was dream rockin'.

Girls lunch out:

Two hot babes:

moptop and cousin Henry's foot

(thanks to Liz for this pic)