We've been taking a lot of mini-movies using the digital camera over the last few months. They are time consuming to convert and upload, so I haven't done it. Also, the result was only so-so. A lot of resolution is lossed in the process because my host storage space is pretty small and I wind up compressing the video a lot. Well Google once again appears to have come to the rescue with video.google.com. Unlimited file size, nice video quality (somehow they convert the video to a macromedia flash file), and its free. So here is my first test, sorry Mom: (click on image below for movie link)

Forgot my favorite picture of Faith. This was taken on Yom Kippur. (Karen) 

And the last one, Faith on Thanksgiving wearing the headband that Reuben or Jacob made at preschool. 

Here's another from this past week. 

A recent picture of Faith 

First attempt at a panarama shot using my new HP camera

Thanksgiving Weekend at the Virginia Hemmerdingers First we have our center pieces courtesy of Reuben and Jacob Story time with Grandma "Grandpa I want to play!" Master Chef, carving the Giant pre-made Butterball. ANd the cleanup crew... and introducing Faith "Queen of the Kitchen" Before dinner, Grandpa took Tipper for one of their looong walks. We tagged along. Unfortunately Thanksgiving weekend had to be cut short. Early Wednesday morning Eddie, myFather's best friend (for 60+ years) and essentially an uncle to me, passed away. We drove up early Friday morning for the funeral with a crowd that Eddie certainly would have enjoyed. There are not many people in a lifetime that you share all important events with. Future family events will be missing someone special.

Uncles and Aunts What a wonderful visit we had from Uncle Mark, Aunt Jess and Uncle Steven and Aunt Tracy. We all had such a good time, its just too bad it can't happen more often. The boys remembered their uncles and aunts immediately and I think Faith did too. Right away the boys took to them wanting Steven and Tracy to put them to bed on Friday and then Mark and Jess on Saturday. On Sunday, I finally learned that Mark's boasting about his pancake culinary talents were not exaggerated. He made pancakes for 13 and there were no leftovers! ... I looked for them Sunday afternoon :-( Hopefully everyone gets some much needed rest, now that the weekends over; Mark was heard saying he felt as tired as he does in the middle of his camp season. I flew to Denver early this morning and will be here a week. I think I should get a few nights where I can catch up, but travel is always draining. Anyway, enough chat. Here are some pictures from the Hemmerdinger 5th generation reunion. Playing Outside Friday Night Aunt Tracy and Faith Uncle Steven, Jacob, and Uncle Mark trying to fly a kite. No such luck! Aunt Jess chasing Reuben Playing in the basement Reuben is still learning to smile when he says CHEESE! Self Portrait w/ Faith - by Jessica Hemmerdinger Advertures At The National Zoo Bedtime Green Eggs and Ham, as read by Uncle Steven and Aunt Tracy - a true classic, but don't tell our rabbi.

Update on the cheapo construction vehicle toys... I went to Denver on business early Monday morning. That evening Karen told me that two of the toys broke beyond repair and the boys were upset about it. I figured I could patch them up somehow. Anyway, I came back from Denver this evening and came in the house about 7:30 pm. The boys were watching TV, drinking their milk before going to bed. Reuben gets up and start running over to me at the door. I'm thinking, "this is great, I'm gonna get a big welcome home hug!" Instead his first words to me were..."Daddy, fix the excavator?"

75 degrees in November, what a fantastic day. Things started out nice with breakfast at IHOP. Reuben scarfed down an omlette and two pancakes, then proceeded to eat most of Faith's oatmeal. We then visited my father's favorite store... National Wholesale Liquidators. Jacob and I went and came back with two 25W lighbulbs for a buck, some weatherstripping, 48 AA batteries for $10, and best of all a "little people" place set and a set of toy construction vehicles ($5). Well that was the best $5 ever spent. The boys played with them for hours. They were super low quality with pieces falling off left and right. They loved them. There was a dump truck also, but Jacob wouldn't let it get out of his sight. Faith also had a good time playing with the little people set, though she is now big time into stacking cups. SInce it was so nice, we wanted to get them outside in the evening. That meant prying them loose from all the tractors. We finally managed it and went on a leaf hunt. And finally, my astronomer daughter signalling that its getting late points to the moon! and then gave us a not so subtle hint!