Best thing about Thanksgiving ...

Leftovers for breakfast, leftovers for lunch, leftovers for dinner. Cooking with the press of a button. Unfortunately, I have to go grocery shopping tomorrow and resume my domesticity.

Turkey Day at the Gardners'

The day before Thanksgiving I helped Liam paint turkey hands.

My little family, the Gardners

My sister's family, the Cooles

My brother's family, the Sargeants

My mama making potato salad at 11 a.m. Apparently, she's been barista-ing for a little extra cash, hence the Starbucks apron.

I made everyone sit down at pushed-together card tables that I decorated. Usually we do Thanksgiving in what I like to call California style — you know, people sit or stand anywhere they can find around the house. I used to eat pumpkin pie in my aunt's closet when she lived in La Cresta ... This time, I wanted to simulate how families eat on TV and my family placates my romantic notions, to which I'm grateful.

My brother taking over turkey-carving duties as Sarge (my dad) assumes his position: No. 1 supervisor. The damn bird wasn't done, so I cranked up the oven to 480.

Me and GusGus outside on the swing. My choonka bear was so sleepy all day.

The day after Thanksgiving, David's dad and family came to see us. We had a nice lunch then watched Liam run circles around the fountain.

Look, it's Robert Pattinson!

Hot off the gossip presses: Not only does this hunky tot idol adore Ray-Bans, he likes to nosh on his mama's homemade fried rice. (And the girls go wild ....aaahahahahahahahaahahahahaaa)

He said he like my boots ...

The day started with a perfect cake doughnut from Smith's.

David surprised our little family with baked goods and oh, my stars and garters — his presence. He's been working so much lately that having him around when the light is still crisp and the coffee's fresh was a welcome change. We spent a lazy morning reading books, hoisting a chubby Gus and laughing at our clever Liam. For those of you who might be interested in the minutiae, David's reading the last Harry Potter book (bleh) and I'm entrenched in "The Weight of Silence." I took several mental Polaroids hoping to freeze the morning because I knew we had other things to do — as we always do when David has a whole day off. But the entire day turned out to be one of those that you file in away and talk about later.

We ventured to the mall. Ugh. Surprisingly, the place was docile and actually pleasant. David spotted the VW toy machine, then Liam did. They're obsessed with Volkswagens these days.

Despite my better judgment, I wore my silly knock-off boots from Target with my rolled up jeans ... totally dorkified and not remotely chic. Like women in these parts need to be wearing boots, it's so not cold enough. Feeling sort of absurd in my "trend on it's way out," I wasn't expecting what happened next. My sweet husband, unaware of my insecurity, commented on them as we got the kids out of the car:

"I think you look cute in those boots."

When you're with a person long enough they start to know what you're thinking ...

We were so tired from our mall jaunt that I decided to whip up a quick dinner a la Vons. My store is WinCo, so Vons is always an eye-bulging experience for me. But it's close and the deli selection is good. I grabbed a roasted chicken and heirloom tomatoes to toss over romaine, pre-made tortilla soup and french bread. I also found freezer paper. This is important for a future post involving crafts. Score, freezer paper!!!

Our babies napped as I prepared our Vons cuisine and the Beatles wafted through the house. I've been gathering decorations that I've had around the house for Thanksgiving, so I grabbed a few candles for the table. We don't normally dine by candlelight, no, normally it's Liam's mission in life to turn on every light in the house. But tonight's soft glow made me feel warm and happier than I've felt in while.

Later we ate chocolate cake and strawberries, prompting the blonde boy to say:

"I sure do like cake."

New Moon madness

The 33-year-old stood in the cold with mostly young girls wearing official Twilight gear thinking: this freakin' movie better live up to the hype.

The movie was OK, mostly over-the-top, but fun to see at midnight nonetheless. I've read the books and enjoy the overall romance of the series, but I wouldn't classify myself as a crazed super fan. I feel mostly dorky for even reading novels meant for chaste 13-year-olds. Seeing the next installment on the big screen meant that I could escape the confines of motherhood for several magical hours AT NIGHT, and hang out with some of my girls. It was fun.

Here I am in a shirt I made for the occasion. I'm not truly obsessed or I'd own an Edward and Bella doll. But I may or may not have the king-sized Twilight sheets.

Dinner before the movie.

Waiting outside, where I kept eyeballing my sister's Starbucks.

Waiting for the cheese-fest to start. We laughed so hard at a few scenes. I think I snorted at one point.

More pictures from the summer vault

It's official, the kid can go on the pot now

Liam and the toilet have become one, and we couldn't be more relieved. It's been an exhausting process, probably the hardest thing yet in this whole "being a parent" gig. I think Liam's results are fairly decent considering we didn't really start until mid-September. He knew about the potty before then, but flatly refused any part of it. Back then he would say, "No potty, diaper change." In hindsight, he may have been doing this because of his new baby brother in the house.

We went through several incarnations while undergoing this process:

Saggy Pull-Up Gangsta (refusing to take off well-used training pants)

Peepee on the Ground Monster ( thinking it was great fun to pee directly on the floor and then laugh hysterically)

Just Call Me Cakes ( the time he put an entire pancake in the back of his Pull-Up and declared, "poopoo pancake."

Mr. A (standing right in front of us and urinating through his clothes, then saying "It's OK, an accident" — the lilt in his voice so endearing.

Liam the Nudist ( striping down and running around with toilet paper.)