Like sand through an hourglass...

"The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough."

Rabindranath Tagore

Time...so fleeting.  I say this over and over again, I know--but it never ceases to amaze me, how fast time flies.  As I read the last post on this blog I see that it dates back to January, nearly half a year ago!  I guess I have a lot of catching up to do.

I'll begin by posting a few random shots I took over the past year...some of my favorites.

 Napa Riverfront

Autumn in Green Valley

Family stroll, back when my hair was still long.

Lovely fall leaves.

Winter in Napa Valley

This little guy sat on the dashboard of our old Durango all Christmas season.

Watching the sun set over the river.

Spring blossoms in our front yard.

 Warmer days brings us to one of our favorite diners.

And here we are today...enjoying the carefree days of summer.

Me, sticking my hand out of the car window:)

Thanksgiving 2012

Our family is very small and most of our extended family spread out across the country (or the world), so unlike other families who have the joy of gathering together with their clans, our holiday affairs are generally quiet and low-key.  Though I've often longed for the sort of camaraderie I imagine larger, noisier families have, our family does its best to make the most of its small numbers.  One thing that's easier to do with a small family is...travel!  In the past, we've sometimes traveled to visit those families who live out of state.  This year, we thought it would be fun to rent a cabin in the woods.

What a pleasant surprise to find that there was snow!

Thank you!

This cabin--built in the 1930's--was so charming with its authentic period details.

This is where Andre slept--with the giant teddy bear that was bigger than him!

Long underwear;)

Beware of bears!

A stash of books and games.

Andre goes for the book, of course.

Mom in the kitchen, as usual.

My adorable nephew.  Half the photos I took were of him.

Grandma with her precious grandsons.

Cutie pie!

 Cabin across the way.

So peaceful.

How many guys does it take to light a fireplace?

S'mores time! (We had s'mores almost every night.)

The nephews dressed for their photo shoot.

Dad lending his assistance.

Sledding fun!

Tristan is ready to go.

A family that plays together...

Grandma watches from the sidelines.

 Uncle and nephew

Cousins

Brothers

The magic hour.

Taking advantage of the lovely light.  

There are some times of the day where it's almost impossible to take a bad photo.

Tahoe, blue as ever.

~ Thanksgiving Day ~

The table is set...

Tree of thanks

What are you thankful for this year? 

 Everyone took turns around the table, elaborating on their blessings.

 Big or small, there's always so much to be thankful for.

Thank you, Lord!