11-0

I must admit: I needed this week off pretty badly. Since school has started, the weeks have felt like highly-orchestrated marathons, and I really needed a week to catch my breath, breathe, and be thankful.

I am especially thankful for my little cheese-eating Pack fan. This girl is experiencing an indoctrination to rival Jim Jones. Our babe perfected the "touch down" arms in the air last year, but now has the ability to say, "Go Pack!" During the game last Sunday, at which we went for 10-0, Joel asked Cam what color her Packers onesie was, and she answered, "Packers." It's enough to melt a Wisco dad's heart.
Cam and I started out the week relaxing and doing a little baking. Now the squirrel wants to "help." I have found that such "help" requires so much more clean-up than I am usually prepared to do, but I love her spirit! I want a good little helper, so I tolerate the messes for now. "My home is clean enough to be safe, but messy enough to be fun," I once heard someone say and I would have to agree that I am keeping things in that messy but fun area too. Our whole wheat pancakes were fabulous...

Tuesday we took off to Portland to spend part of Thanksgiving week with Auntie Gigi and the Wisco Fro's. Cam was exceedingly happy to be going on an airplane, and could barely contain her excitement in the airport. She sat happily on our laps throughout the flight, often reclining on Joel's lap to watch the clouds go by.

We were greeted by a characteristically rainy and cold Portland, but a sunny and warm Gigi! Cam squealed with excitement as we ran through the airport to meet Jen.

Later that night, shortly after the picture below was taken, we all had a bit of a scare. Cam was standing on the booth seat at the restaurant and lost her footing and fell to the concrete floor. She smacked her head pretty good - the remembrance of it will make me nauseous for weeks to come I am sure. Like any time you see an accident unfold in front of you, you feel as if you're paralyzed - unable to react fast enough. I picked her up right away and she started crying, but more disturbingly, began vomiting. Luckily a woman from the booth across from us saw it all happen and immediately came over, identifying herself as an ER nurse. She said that the vomiting is nothing to worry about unless it continues excessively and gave us all the medical details we should know from that point on. After getting her home and cleaned up, I kept her up longer than usual to make sure she was OK, but before long, she really seemed to be just fine, despite a little bump on the head. Poor squirrel!

By the next day, she was back to her Gigi-baiting antics...

Thanksgiving feast was one to remember. Gigi is a consumate hostess. Cam soaked up her aunt and grandparent's attention, dancing for us, wowing us with her exploding lexicon, and in general putting on the cute parade.

Our love to all who couldn't share Thanksgiving with us. We all have so much to be thankful for.

Right now, grading essays on a Saturday night, I am thankful that I have only 3 weeks of work until the next Holiday Break! Woo hoo!