"Connecticut" must be beautiful this time of year...all that snow...

We finally got our first real snow storm in Connecticut. It snowed almost non-stop last Saturday night (12/19) and almost all day Sunday (12/20). Church was cancelled on Sunday and then school was cancelled on Monday for Alli. The city of New London couldn't get it's streets plowed fast enough.

Stay tuned for our Christmas adventures...they involve wise guys and fairy wings...

Everywhere you need them to be.

SIM card purchased off E-bay: $6.49

Conversation with Steve's brother to unlock phone: 5 minutes and 10 text messages

Being able to call Steve from the store to see if there is anything else we need so I don't have to make 5000 repeat trips during the week: PRICELESS

Cell phones: they are everywhere you need them to be.


In other words, Steve is finally reconnected with the cellular world!

And I still forgot to get cough syrup and granola. GRRRRR!

Molly discovers make-up....

I think these pictures pretty much explain themselves...

Christmas Preparations and Traditions

We decided to break with tradition this year and prepare for Christmas at the beginning of December instead of 3 days before the holiday. We actually got the tree up before November 30th....a first for us! With the stress of finals, it's easy to forget about decorating and getting into the Christmas spirit. And then I wonder why I feel like such a grinch. We made it our goal this year to try and focus more on the spirit of Christmas than other things that seem to detract from the true meaning of the holiday.


To start out we got our tree up and decorated and started our Christmas tradition of reading the Forgotten Carols.

When we lived in Utah, one of our traditions was to go and hear the Salt Lake Symphonic Choir sing at Temple Square. I have missed hearing them sing for the past three years so I guess you could say I decided to make my own "Christmas performance" this year. To fulfill a personal goal, I prepared and performed two piano solo's for our ward's Choir and Creche on December 4th and 5th. I was very nervous having not played a solo since about, oh, high school...so 15 years ago. But I practiced and felt they went very well. I also accompanied my friend while she played her flute and accompanied our ward choir.

Something new that we did this year was to make gingerbread houses. James is finally old enough that he can help and actually enjoy the process.

Steve wanted to make the gingerbread from scratch so I said, "Go for it"... then he realized how late it was so we cheated and bought a kit. But Steve made gingerbread cookies the next day. I kept telling him how sexy he looked in an apron so hopefully he'll make more cookies. By the way, the cookies were divine!

So tree up: check, attend a christmas performance: check, play christmas music: check and still in progress (I love Christmas music), start a new tradition: check, listen to First Presidency Christmas Devotional, tonight. Anything I forgot????

I think I actually feel the Christmas spirit this year.

Thanksgiving

Like so many away from family around the holidays, we spent Thanksgiving with wonderful friends...and what a phenomenal Thanksgiving it was! There were 4 families gathered at the home of our friends: 7 children and 7 adults. The food was delicious, conversation was good, and the company was awesome.

We started the day with some exercise...mostly so we wouldn't feel so guilty when we indulged in the dinner and pie. James and Steve went for a bike ride and Molly and I went for a 5 mile run.

That evening, Steve became popular with the kids when he started reading stories...

James wowed us with his talent on the drums...

A sure sign of a good Thanksgiving dinner...

While we have a lot to be thankful for, we are especially thankful to our friends who invited us over to share the holiday with them. Though we were disappointed we couldn't make it to Ohio to be with my brother and his family, we had a very enjoyable time. This is the second Thanksgiving we have spent with them and we felt just like family. Thank you.