Thanksgiving 2016

We had a nice, quiet, Thanksgiving together in Rhode Island. Mike and Kimmy Garbett (Mike is Jared's classmate) invited us to their house for a potluck turkey dinner. It was a delicious dinner and it was a fun afternoon to spend with our friends. I made several pies, including Jared's favorite, lemon meringue. My mixer broke in the middle of whipping the meringue for the pie. Boo! There was no way I was whipping it by hand and the stores were closed. My clever and handy husband grabbed his power drill and attached a beater and finished whipping the meringue. My hero! 

We took the boys bowling for the first time during the break. They had a great time rolling the balls down the "dragon" and doing victory dances. Jared and I had high scores thanks to the bumpers. Ha. 

We also made thankful turkeys. Some of the things Brigham was thankful for: Jesus, primary, Book of Mormon, missionaries, Hartford temple (can you tell we made them right after church? But I was super proud that he wanted to list all of the spiritual ones first.), kindergarten, cousins, chocolate milk and smashed potatoes. Benson was thankful for cupcakes, blankies, animals, mom and dad, grandmas and grandpas, and nursery. We really do have a lot of things to be grateful for this year!

Family Pictures 2016

Photo credit to Beckyann Photography.

Halloween and the Rest of October

We had a "SUPER" Halloween this year. The boys had a great time dressing up in costumes weeks before Halloween. They kept changing their minds about which costumes they wanted to wear for the big night. Benson ended up being Batman and Brig was a fireman. We trick or treated around our neighborhood with some friends from Jared's CRNA program. We knocked on Brigham's friend's house and his mom answered the door. She told Brigham that because he was Vincent's friend, he could have THREE pieces of candy. Brig thought that was a pretty neat deal and began to tell all his friend's parents that he deserved three pieces of candy because he was their friend. He figured out how to work the system and came home with a huge bag of candy, including several full size candy bars for being a good friend. Benson loved knocking on the doors and if he was allowed to choose a piece of candy, he was very careful to only pick his favorites (chocolate and lollipops). My favorite part of the evening, however, was when Brig and his friend Shameem went to a house that was scaring all the trick or treaters. They were hidden behind a bush and car and didn't come out until the kids were already at the door. When Brig finally saw them he dropped his bag of candy and RAN!

New England has many great Halloween and Fall activities for families. We went for a hay ride and picked pumpkins from a pumpkin patch. We also went trick or treating at the "spooky" zoo and a carnival at our YMCA. 

The Friday before Halloween was graduation day for the seniors in Jared's program. We attended the celebration dinner and dance afterwards. We had a good time and really looking forward to next year when it is Jared's turn to graduate!!

Graduation dinner 

Trick or treating at the zoo. The boys liked the skeletons that were "fishing"

The boys waited patiently to have their faces painted at the carnival. Brig wanted a monster face and Benson wanted a T Rex on his cheek

Benson painting his pumpkin. He painted for close to an hour. He is my little artist.

Here are a couple pictures of downtown Providence that I took when we were out on a date

Some sisters and I in my ward made quiet books. We each picked a page and then made ten copies and then exchanged pages with each other. It was a lot less work this way and I have some very talented friends!!

It was a very warm October, with one week being in the 80's every day. So, we went to the beach one last time.

Our stubby carrots from our garden

Benson trick or treating with his friends Nixon and Keanna.

I had fun making some Halloween snacks for our party

Papa and Grandma Choo Choo Came for a Visit

We were so happy that Papa Choo Choo and Grandma came to visit us! They were here for five days in the beginning of October. Jared picked them up at the train station in Worcester, MA, while the boys and I had a fun time turning the play room into their bedroom. The boys decorated the windows with Halloween spider webs and spiders and tucked their stuffed doggies under the covers for papa and grandma to snuggle with. The boys cheered and giggled when they arrived and had a hard time going to bed that night. The next day we drove to Newport and showed them the ocean and mansions along the Cliff Walk. It was a nice day, and warm enough for Brig to play in the waves and collect the smooth white and black rocks that rattle when the waves go over them. The next day we went to the Roger Williams Zoo. We love having a pass so we can go whenever we feel like it. The zoo was getting hundreds of jack o lanterns ready for their Halloween display. On Columbus Day we went to the Hartford Temple open house. The boys were excited to finally see the completed temple and to tour it. We checked on it's progress almost every Sunday on our way home from church when we lived in Connecticut. It is a smaller temple and beautifully designed to look like some of the historic New England churches in the area. I asked the boy's what their favorite part of the temple was. Benson said the pictures of Jesus, he also told me three times how pretty the Celestial room was while we were sitting inside. Brigham told me he liked seeing the sealing room and hearing how our family can be together forever. We also had our friend Mark LaVoy tour the temple with us. Mark was baptized two weeks ago and its been a great spiritual experience for our family as we have watched him draw closer to our Savior and make changes in his life.

We also celebrated Papa's 62nd birthday! We ate out at Red Robin and were sure to have the waiters embarrass him with singing and the boys helped me make a yummy chocolate cake for him.We were all sad the day Papa and Grandma had to leave. We begged them to stay but I have no doubt they will be back soon!

Brig and grandma on the Cliff Walk

Benson, where is your hat??

Looking out into the ocean

At the visitor center after the open house