Thanksgiving 2012

This year we had Thanksgiving dinner at my mom's house with sisters and grandparents. Everything was delicious, and it was great to see my grandparents and Maya home from college.

I took better pictures with my "real" camera, but I left at my mom's house so I am using the pictures I took with my phone.

I learned some stuff about my grandparents' early life that I didn't know, which is nice, and I successfully avoided cooking my own turkey again. Ha! I'll probably be 50 before I eat Thanksgiving dinner at my own house -- maybe I'll just go from eating Thanksgiving dinner at my mom's house to eating it at my daughter's house, ha ha!

I also came up with a money maker reality tv show for my sisters: Making out with the Mahajans. Check out the picture below.

Thanksgiving feast at Hillcrest Preschool

Keira's preschool class had a Thanksgiving feast on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. The parents weren't as into the Thanksgiving party as they were for the Halloween party -- only 3 of us showed up! It was still cute, though. All the kids had a good time because they got juice boxes, ha!

The third picture shows Keira putting 3 baby dolls to bed at one time! (There is a baby doll under each blanket.) It's her favorite activity at school and at home.

Chula Vista Nature Center

Our neighborhood friends Carly and Lina took Keira and I to the Chula Vista Nature Center last week. I had never been there before, but I'll definitely be back!

It had a lot of aquariums, a trail with a bunch of aviaries, and a huge tank with sharks and rays. It's surrounded by a wildlife preserve and hiking trails, and there is a great view across the water to Coronado and the skyline of downtown.

It's a great place to bring kids because there are so many "hands on" things for them to do. I definitely want to bring Matt with us next time!

A highlight for Keira was the shuttle bus ride from the parking lot - her first time on a bus!

My little cooking mama

Keira has started to be really interested in cooking. She likes to stand on the stool next to me and help me stir or add ingredients. She also likes to sit at my feet with pots and pans and a wooden spoon. I already know I am going to miss these days when she is older!

Halloween night

Unfortunately, the camera on my phone stopped working at right before "trick or treat" time do I don't have too many photos. We get A LOT of trick or treaters on our neighborhood, so last year we vowed the decorate this year. We are mid- way through painting our house so the decorating turned into a last minute affair, but Matt pulled it off pretty well.

Keira dressed as a monkey because it was a warmer costume than the lady bug costume. We walked all the way from our house down to Adams and back with her friends Jack and Cora. I was so impressed with how the kids walked by them selves the whole way! It's quite a distance. We barely had to carry them at all. Keira picked up the trick or treating really quickly, except that she said it "treat or treat." Too cute!

The people in our neighborhood went all out for Halloween. One house had an operating scene set up in their garage, and another house had a scary movie projected onto their window. Almost every house had a scene or decorations of some type. I think we will try harder next year! There were hoards of kids and people filling the street -- I think a lot of them walk up from south of Adams or drive in to trick or treat here.

Halloween party at Keira's preschool

Keira's class paraded around the parking lot in their costumes on Halloween morning, and then had a potluck feast. Adorable!

Keira wore her ladybug costume, and her neighborhood buddy/classmate wore a monster costume.