Family Photo Shoot 2011

JoDee Yost did this wonderful family photo shoot for us.  We love JoDee and the amazing work she does!  She visits Boston often if you're looking for a sensational photographer.

We felt like an apple orchard shoot would be very fitting for our family, since it is one of our favorite things to do as a family in this area.  I love how they turned out!

News Flash: Undies are the Latest Style!

The biggest news of our December is that Ellis is now sporting the latest style: BIG BOY UNDIES!  He finally decided he was ready for the new microphone I had bribed him with, and he potty-trained very easily two weeks ago.  I sent my unopened box of diapers back to Amazon (free return shipping and free USPS pickup!) and got $28 back.  That should be enough to cover all of the candy we used to bribe him during potty-training week.

Merry Christmas!

It was a pretty happy day for us!  Hope you had a good one too.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

This is how many packages arrived at our house last Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  Isn't Amazon the best invention since the Internet?

When Joseph Went to Bethlehem

The boys wore their matching Scotland vests and bow ties today (thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!), and they sang as part of our Christmas Sacrament Meeting Program.  They were adorable!
This video is not their actual performance; it was taken after church in the Primary room.  They were a little extra silly for the video . . . but at least you can imagine it!  And no, Henry didn't sneeze during the actual performance :)

Here Comes Santa Claus

We have a few little elves who are ready for the Big Day!

"Bah Humbug!"

Visiting Santa and eating ice cream (brrrr - whose idea was that?)

They dropped off their letter to Saint Nick . . . and we already got a response, all the way from the North Pole!  It sounds like Santa is almost ready for his flight!

One more fall photo

Did you know that the woods behind our house looked like this a month ago?  It was euphoric.

Now everything is bare and brown, and we are waiting for SNOW.  Actually, Ben is waiting for snow.  I am still scarred from last year's incessant and stifling winter.

Fun with Grandma & Grandpa

Remember November?  Here in MA it was nice and warm and leafy.

It was a fun time to have my parents here.  Grandpa Dave got in some good leaf-jumping with the boys.

Nothing like a good old-fashioned leaf fight!

So that's where those blue eyes come from!  

My parents like to have a traditional "Turkey Bowl" on the day after Thanksgiving.  We thought we'd give candlepin bowling a try (it's a New England thing).  Those skinny pins are a lot harder to hit than the traditional ones.

The balls are all the same size (about 2 lbs.) and look like giant whoppers, all lined up in a row...

See?  So cute!!!

The balls were light enough that the boys were able to chuck them down the lane pretty easily.  Still, it was often painful waiting for Ellis' ball to make it all the way to the pins.

(Ben wants me to tell you that he won the game with a score of 78!)

We took a trip up to Sharon, VT (the Joseph Smith Birthplace) to see the Christmas lights at the visitor's center.  They had a live Nativity with real animals.

It was fun to see snow on the ground . . . and then we drove back to sunny Boston for the rest of their stay. We wish they were still here to celebrate more of Christmas with us!

Constructing a 6-year-old

Henry was lucky to have Grandma and Grandpa in town for his 6th birthday. He really wanted to have a construction-themed birthday party this year, and it was great to have my parents helping out to make the day extra-special.

Grandpa Dave slaved away at the computer to help make these cool decorations for the party.

Massachusetts law requires that we warn parents about parties that will involve birthday candles.

(that was a joke)  I slaved away on the birthday cake.  Henry, the head party planner, was very particular about how he wanted this cake to look: green frosting, horizontal road, candy corns around the edges, etc.

The chocolate rocks and cone-shaped candles were the perfect touch!

Birthday boy doing his sticker construction site (thanks to Oriental Trading for cheap, easy party activities!).

Here's the rest of the construction crew!

Jack and Bryson at the "Big Dig," where they dug for treasures . . .

 . . . like awesome road sign lollipops!

Six-year-old making a wish

We found the perfect gift for this boy: National Geographic Kids' Ultimate Weird But True book.  Henry has loved this magazine and always has a few "weird but true" facts on hand.  Did you know that a swordfish can swim about as fast as a cheetah can run?  

Another gift that we may or may not be regretting: CREEPY CRAWLERS Bug Maker!

And look who lost his top front tooth just a few days after his birthday!  Check out his new Jack-o-lantern smile:

Aw, isn't it cute?  We're trying to figure out how to knock the other one out so he will match Sammy.  Happy Birthday, Henry!