Haircut and holidays

The boys go back to school today after 4-5 days off for Thanksgiving Break. It's been a busy time, with multiple meals of mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce.

Caden didn't have school on Wednesday, and we started the festivities by taking Caden to the University Club for the Thanksgiving buffet lunch. Thursday, Dada baked a pie, muffins, and two batches of sourdough dinner rolls. We had a light lunch of hors d'oeuvres to save room for dinner, then headed over to eat with Verne - Dada's 2nd cousin - and his family in Huntington Beach. The food was yummy, but the boys were squirrelly. Thus, just as Mama and Dada were finally settling in to eat, Caden and Finn announced that they were finished. There wasn't much for them to do there - Verne and Betty Ann's kids are grown - so Dada and the boys headed around the corner to the living room to figure something out. Caden realized that one of the comfy chairs spun around, and promptly spun it into a table, sending a glass lantern tumbling and exploding into a thousand pieces. Wow! Our hosts raced from the dinner table, leaving their other guests in order to help clean up. Caden was mortified, but recovered during a game of Pictionary, where he helped the boys' team by drawing a great gondola.

On Friday, we drove down to La Jolla for a night. Finn was *so* excited to go to the beach! We headed south about noon on Friday, but signs in San Juan Capistrano warned of a big accident ahead, and it started pouring down rain, so we retreated to a cafe. We eventually made it to our hotel late in the afternoon. Undaunted, Finn put on his swimsuit and swim shirt and headed out to splash in the waves as the sun was setting.

Ready to go.

Boys at the beach.

Dada started baking again on Sunday morning: bread for the week and another batch of rolls for a family "Thanksgiving" dinner on Sunday evening. We had picked up a trunkful of native plants at a nursery on our way back from La Jolla, so Mama and Dada did some planting.

Then, we headed out for a momentous afternoon: Finn's first haircut, Santa Claus, and a Christmas tree. We held off cutting Finn's hair as long as possible, but it was starting to impede his vision. Luckily, a friend recommended a place in Corona del Mar that features rocket ship barber chairs. 

Before.

After.

During.

After Finn's haircut, we headed up to Rogers Gardens to see Santa and pick out a tree. Finn was especially excited about Santa, and Caden picked out a great little tree.