Happy Thanksgiving!

We are grateful to have our closest family with us this holiday.

We are grateful that everyone is in good health.

We are grateful to have such great friends.

And we are grateful to be able to offer this great feast to everyone.

Preparing for Black Friday

If the mention of Black Friday conjures the images of crazed shoppers trampling their fellow men in order to get a bargain, you are probably related to us. We have tried shopping Black Friday probably about 3 times, and while these attempts were not a complete waste of time, when all was said and done, it was not worth our time to do it, just to get a bunch of... stuff.

So, for the last 5 years our Black Friday looks more like a lazy Sunday. We sleep in, have breakfast at our favorite restaurant, take the kids to the park, lunch on leftovers, watch a little TV, and play some more. We don't agonize over Christmas gifts, because people who truly love you don't need a gift as a reminder that you love them.

And face it, of all the gifts that kids receive, they play with the boxes the most. Right?!?

Happy Veteran's Day!

Today we honor some 25 million men and women that served in the armed services. We are both grateful and humbled by your sacrifice. Thank you.

Most Important Tip When Raking Leaves

HAVE FUN!

You probably don't remember how much fun raking leaves can be, because you are too busy stuffing the damn things in those infernal bags. Have no fear, toddlers are here. All home repair stores now carry mini tools of all kinds, including leaf rakes. We just got a pair for our little rascals. And sure enough, as soon as they got home from preschool, they got busy piling the leaves. Their only goal: to pile as many as possible so they can "swim" in them. So, join in the fun, because they are only little for so long.

Also, you are teaching them several great things, all by example:

• How to get good exercise on a beautiful Fall day outdoors, while doing useful chores.
• How to do that useful chore (trust me, this will come in handy in about 10 years, for both of you).
• And, last by not least, you are teaching them how to be useful around the house and do their share in the family dynamic.

Remember to turn your clock!

Tomorrow marks the of the Daylight Savings Time, and we finally get that one hour back. Of course, if you have kids, you can start despairing right now, because they take about a week to get used to the new schedule, and that, my friends, means a week of less sleep. Sleep?!? What sleep?!? We are parents. We will never sleep again.

In addition, tomorrow is also a very big holiday for our Muslim friends. It is Eid-al-Adha, and we wish them, and everyone else peace, joy, and all the blessings. Eid Mubarak!

Storm update!

Apologies for all the delays in deliveries. Most of our town is still without electricity/heat/water, not to mention internet and cable. We hope to be up and running by the end of the week. Much love to all. Stay safe.