Less than Twelve Parsecs

Note: This is a conversation from about a week before Thanksgiving. It just happened to be very appropriately timed. I only realized how it matched the holiday as I was writing the post. Gratitude for things in you life is supposedly a primary factor of happiness . Every night, you are supposed to find one to three things to feel grateful about. My grandmother Mamaia has been practicing this regularly her whole life, in her own simple, earthy way: every night before going to sleep she would check the list in her head: the chores that were finished today, the progress we made on the others, however small. Then she would go to sleep with a feeling of accomplishment. I don't do this on a regular basis, although I'm aware of the benefits. I just never got into that habit. But every now and then, I realize how lucky we are to have each other and voice it out.  This was one of those times. Saturday night, walking back home from the grocery store. Winter is

We finally get time to show you our halloween outfits this year! That's what happens with two small kids - little time to spare for the electronics. But we got to it now - still good for posterity. Outline: First - the easy one . Why he was easy? I guess because he's preverbal and can't tell us what he wants. Or he's too little to know better. Or maybe he's easy going!  Then, Mara's more intricate outfit story, a double-take because... well, she's two. Lastly, bonus images of a Sistine Chapel pose and Mara cutting down the spider webs from our yard. Gaius Outfit : Ninja onesie from his Godmother Irina. Black pants. Makeshift headband from a sleeve of an old t-shirt that will come up later in the story. Weapon : DIY nunchuk made out of Greg's glasses strap and some small socks sewn around the ends of the strap. Perfect for a 5mo because it's soft, stretchy and so, so, so chewable! Photos below - many thanks to our daycare educa