Thanksgiving!

We've had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. Best of all, Joshua was home for four and a half days in a row. We invited someone over for Thanksgiving dinner, but he ended up cancelling; no problem, more food for us! We also went Black Friday shopping, although we didn't end up purchasing too many things--maybe we're just attracted to the sport of the day. Then yesterday, we started a new tradition and went to a Christmas tree farm to pick out our own first fresh tree. It was freezing! We got to drive up to the tree lots in a tractor-pulled wagon, then rushed out and cut our tree (one of the first we saw), and then waited to be picked up again by the wagon. It's a big, fat Blue Spruce, which, as it turns out, are very pokey when you decorate them. But we love the Christmas atmosphere it brings to our home and it smells great.

This is it!

Well, maybe next year...We'll post a picture of ours when it's completed.

Julia's Birthday!

A couple of weekends ago, we got to celebrate Julia's third birthday! I can't believe she's growing up so quickly. She ordered hot dogs for her birthday dinner and cupcakes for her cake, so we really lived it up. We made her wait until evening when Joshua was home for her to open gifts, and I was impressed how patient she was. She loved all her presents, and kept saying "thank you" to the giver (even if he/she wasn't there). We are both so grateful to have had our beautiful Julia in our lives for three years--she brings us joy and laughter daily. We love you Julia!!!

Waiting to open gifts...

An excited Julia showing off her spoils: among them were dresses, ballerina gear and accessories, tickets to The Nutcracker Ballet, a family movie, a princess nightlight, and an apron I clumsily made for her.

Blowing out her candles--no, she didn't eat all those cupcakes; I think she barely got through the frosting on one.

First Day of Nursery

Today was Ethan's first day in Nursery! I can't believe he's growing up so quickly. Luckily, he has just barely started to get the hang of standing (he's been able to walk, but has fallen when he doesn't have a destination), so hopefully he'll be able to hold his own in there. Because Julia's still in nursery, he already has a friend in class; today she did a great job helping to bring him to class and comfort him throughout the two hour block. He was a little hesitant today, but I think soon he'll really warm up and be grateful to be in there instead of Sunday school (I think the Sunday school attendees are already grateful for the peace and quiet and not being Cheerio targets to Ethan's surprisingly and unfortunately accurate throws). We are so proud of him!

Fall Fun

After a very long stretch of being cooped up in the house from sickness, we were all able to get out one Saturday to Greenlake State park for some final fall fun before the cold weather really hits.

There's a nice three mile trail around the lake that's popular among joggers and hikers.
I love that Julia and Ethan are starting to become real playmates and enjoy each other.

One of our favorite passtimes when we do have to stick around in the apartment.

Happy Halloween!

The kids have been excited all October long about Halloween, wearing their costumes, and trick-or-treating. The festivities the last week in Octoboer included a Halloween party at the library, carving pumpkins while eating Spud-nuts (doughnuts), trying to get over colds, decorating cupcakes with worms and "dirt," and finally trick-or-treating at the mall (but only for 45 minutes, since everyone was still kind of sick). The following are kids in their costumes:

I was surprised at how well Ethan caught on to the fact that he was pretending to be a bat--he flapped his wings and pointed to himself saying "bat" all evening!

Julia got this costume as an early birthday present from Grandma Little, so she's had plenty of time to practice being a ballerina. In fact, every day she has insisted on wearing her ballerina costume for a while to practice dancing, singing, exercising, stretching, etc. (whatever she can imagine a princess does). She loved being a ballerina princess for Halloween!

Sacred Grove

One of the things we were most looking forward to about moving to central New York was that we would be able to see some special Church history sites in Palmyra. We are in the Palmyra Temple district, so a few weeks ago we decided to make a family trip to the temple and see the Sacred Grove and Joseph Smith's farm while we were there. We took turns going in the temple while the other person walked around the grounds with the kids. We all really felt a special spirit in the grove, which helped strengthen our testimony that Joseph truly saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ here, just like he said.

Julia sitting on the doorstep of Joseph Smith's log cabin home (where they lived when Joseph Smith was 14, at the time of his vision).
Ethan and Julia at the frame house which Alvin built with the help of his brothers. Joseph was here when he had the gold plates and at one point kept the plates hidden in the hearth.

Julia in the Smiths' barn.

The Sacred Grove, where Joseph Smith saw God, the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

The Hill Cumorah. We didn't really explore up here on this trip.