Happy Holidays!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

(Move your cursor around on the photos to make it snow!)

Laughing Baby

Christmas in New England

It's our first Christmas here and we are learning the ways of New England. We've been to the town green for the lighting of the Christmas tree, selected our tree from The Friends of Hammonasset but have yet to buy the electric candles for our windows :) The houses here are dressed completely traditional -- with candles in the windows, wreaths on all the windows and sometimes a swag of fruit (apples, oranges, lemons, limes, centered with a pineapple) over the front door.

A View into Bradford's World

Bradford seems to be surviving and even enjoying Sallisaw, OK. He is so darn cute and has such an amazing attitude. He's already been run out of a home by drunken rednecks, driven past a skunk that was severed right in half by the train and had a baptism -- so his world seems to be complete. He may be having his first transfer soon...maybe next week. Two whole months have gone by since he left...he's 1/12 done! We hope he has a wonderful Thanksgiving and send our thoughts and prayers out into the universe for him. We love you Bud!

Fall in Connecticut

I made this slide show for my kids for Thanksgiving...enjoy! (There is sound if you have speakers.... :)

Mom and Dad in Connecticut

We finished up the month with my parents joining us here. We had a wonderful time together. We went up to Newport and toured a mansion, into the city where they saw "Mary Poppins" (and loved it), tooled around the small towns here, and just generally enjoyed each other. We are so lucky to have such a loving family. Now what are we going to do with ourselves until someone comes again to visit?

Michelle in Connecticut

Shell on West Wharf Beach, Madison

Shell and I at the Irish Famine Memorial in Lower Manhattan, looking out on the Hudson.

This is Shell's "Schedule of Fun!" She's the party girl.

Shell and I in Newport, RI

Michelle joined us for a few wonderful days toward the end of October. We had such fun! This was her classic line; she said she wanted to relax while she was here, not go a mile a minute. Above you'll see her agenda for one night while she was here - and this was scheduled to begin around 5:00 PM. On top of all this, we managed to see Boston, NYC, Newport, and she even helped me paint the kitchen! It was a great time. I love my kids!

An experiment with Smilebox

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

George's Birthday

October 3 was George's 16th birthday! It was fun to be here to celebrate with him. Chip gave him one of his guitars -- a guitar that has some personal history. It was fun to pass on a legacy of sorts. Tim and Jane were here, staying for a brief time enroute to Florida, so it was fun to gather everyone together to celebrate.

Natalie and James in Connecticut

We enjoyed Natalie and James for a few days beginning Oct. 6. We had so much fun! Boston, Harvard, an afternoon on Long Island Sound, Yale, and then New York! Hopefully they enjoyed it so much that soon they'll be moving east! (Wishful thinking...) James honored us with his rendition of Disney's "Fantasmic" in the pool. We'll keep these pictures in a safe place so they can be proudly displayed in the White House. They are such fun and an absolute pleasure to be around.

Bradford's Mission

Guess it's about time I enter the stuff about Bradford's mission. Maybe subconsciously I was thinking that if I didn't post anything he would still be here. We do miss him, but he's doing well and doing that which he believes. It was great to have everyone together to say good-bye...lots of events that week. He's completely amazing and will do great as a missionary. One unexpected positive of his being away are the letters we share. I think most of us say more in writing than vocally. It's been a treasure and strange as it may seem, I believe we've grown closer since he's been away.

Misty Connecticut Morning

We awoke to a misty morning the other day....pretty and a little spooky! This is the house across the way.

Painters have left...our house is ours again...

The painters are done (kinda). The house really looks like us now. Both Chip and I are pleased. We need to finish hanging art and finish the kitchen. (Leak through ceiling -- need a new ceiling in the kitchen...buyer beware). We'd love to get new countertops and backsplash in the kitchen....we'll see how our finances are.... ;)

Bradford in CT

Bradford was here last week and it was absolutely heaven! We had so much fun together -- just one on one. We rode scooters, went to the beach, went to Yale, the Thimble Islands, Harvard and Boston....plus threw in a cruise on the sound and lunch at the yacht club courtesy of Bet and Gene. We even managed to get some missionary shopping done in between outings. It was nice to spend the time before he.... (sniff, sniff) leaves for Oklahoma. Thanks for coming Bud!

Mowing with Official Hat

I imagine it must seem like life in the country is fairly simple...if this is my second blog about the mowing the lawn....yet it really is an event. I did it in a fraction of the time this time and we had to document it with my new PINK John Deere hat sent so thoughtfully from the Hetrick's. Thanks!

Connecticut Lawn Mowing

Well, mowed the lawn for the first time on Wednesday...with the John Deere! My goodness....three hours later and I still wasn't finished! (Did get interrupted once for the repairman...) Tomorrow I'll finish one little hill and mow with the regular mower around some stuff I couldn't get around...and then weed whacking! Then all over again next Wednesday. It's kinda like painting the Golden Gate Bridge. But, I enjoyed it -- it was something new. Need to get a John Deere hat and overalls.... ;)