Long time, no blog

I always feel like I drop off the face on the Earth around the holidays. This is, of course, for good and happy reasons: I am often having fun with family and traveling. This season would be no different. We had my parents come in to Cincinnati for about a week, and then we all drove down to Charlotte, NC for Thanksgiving with my extended family. Grace did well enough on the long car trip that we are already talking about when we could go back. Here are some pics from the trip.

If grandparents are for spoiling, the rest of the family must be for showing how to really have fun by playing in the dirt. Grace thought it was the best. I'm still cleaning dirt out from under her finger nails... Grace's Great (really, Grand) Aunt Susan taught her how to be Miss Wishy-Washy and give the barnyard animals baths. Grace got how to use the brush on them by herself. It was awfully cute. Now if only she could give herself a bath!

Party Pics

Yikes! Is it really November? I guess that means I am a bit behind on posting Grace's birthday party pictures. Please forgive me!

The party was fun. We had four other families come with their kids and served chili and cornbread. I made the cake (in a shape of a pumpkin of course!) and her smash cake. I was even able to find sweet fall pumpkin plates to go with the pumpkin theme (the invitations said "Our Little Pumpkin Is Turning One!"). For her birthday Grace got her two front teeth. I'm not kidding.

Can I have my cake now, please?

She wasn't sure at first, but once she realized this thing was mushy, she dove in. And once she realized it was sweet, well, there was no going back!

Grace and her friends, all born within 9 months (except the poor little boy at the bottom who's head got cut off!)

She's a ham, alright!