Hello hello from southern California. Where the sun is shining and I can go outside without a zillion layers on. It’s the best best best.

We got in on Saturday. The flight from NorCal to SoCal was a piece of cake after making so many flights to and from Chicago.

We hit the ground running when we got here. But, I realized I didn’t upload any pictures from our Thanksgiving weekend in San Ramon. SO, I’ll do that now and come back for the rest.

On Thanksgiving morning, we got to watch Ishu run his first Tiny Turkey Trot ever! He looks so smiley in the videos. And he WAS super smiley. BUT, when it was all over (about 30 seconds after it started), he was kind of like, “Hm. That’s it? No more running?” So I think next year we gotta sign him up for a longer race. He was so amped up for something BIG but it was over real fast.

After the race, a lot of the kids were running around dancing to the music. Some of them were hula-hooping. Others were gathered over by the snack table.

And my kid?

Well, he was wanting to go up and down the escalator.

Ha.

I’m grateful to have a family who isn’t pushy about him joining in on activities other kids are doing. They actually step back and watch what brings him joy. And then they step back in and do it with him. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

We spent the rest of the day cozied up at home next to the Christmas tree.

We did manage to get outside for a walk to the park.

There were other kids at the playground so Ishu had fun with them for a bit.

At one point, Ishu was bringing sand over from the sandbox and putting it on the slide. A five-year old girl said to him, “There’s a principal here so he can make you go to jail.”

To which Ishu responded, “But I am a dinosaur and I can EAT HIM.”

Conversations on the playground make me giggle.

And then WE celebrated Thanksgiving on Friday.

We woke up and got to cooking. Dad and Nikku took Ishu to the Guitar Center while the three of us at home started cooking. Best idea ever. Apparently he was very amazed at the fact that a huge room full of all sorts of instruments exists. He was in heaven.

Everyone came over around 5pm and we had a beautiful spread of food on the counter by 7pm. It’s always so fun gathering in the San Ramon home with our family and friends. This year, we added a new baby, two dogs, and a Christmas tree in the mix. And, well, it’s so warm and cozy and full of so much love. No matter what.

I’ll be back with updates from SoCal. But wanted to share our fun Thanksgiving weekend.

So grateful, so grateful, so grateful.