Christmastime

 We had a great Christmas Season. We started it by watching the First Presidency Christmas devotional with hot chocolate and pop corn. The kids listened and could tell me the stories.

 I got to go with Tessa's school class to a play. I had fun hanging out with a group of first graders and sitting next to my favorite one.

 We attended the best Spanish branch Christmas party--it was a lot of fun: friends, Santa, presents for each kid that Santa handed out by name, food, and a great dance at the end.

 My friend, Kristin, and I have birthdays right before Christmas, so we try to sneak in a birthday lunch. This year we met Kristin near work and took her out to eat. Hathaway and her friend both think that Kristin is their personal friend, she makes them feel so special.

 Oakley's school class did a performance of the Nutcracker--they did a great job.

 Here is Tessa's class during the holiday party.

 Tessa and Hathaway playing with friends over the break.

 Bryce on is trip to India.

 Picking out our Christmas tree.

 Hathaway had a Christmas ballet recital....very cute.

 Hathaway also had a program at school and she sang louder than anyone else---she knew every word.

 Group picture the Sunday before Christmas.

 Christmas Eve we did the nativity and Hathaway really wanted to be Mary.

 Mary with the shepherds.

 Christmas breakfast: cinnamon rolls, yogurt, fruit, sausage and hot choclate (with marshmallows, of course).

 Christmas morning.

Thanksgiving

 The Monday before Thanksgiving, I got to go with my sister, Suzette, to her 5th round of chemotherapy. It was a perfect thing to do for the week of Thanksgiving because it made me very thankful: for an amazing sister to share life with, for a healthy body, for access to good medical care, and for an amazing family.

 Our day ran long since she needed a transplant. A friend who was meeting us for dinner came to the hospital for take out instead....yes those are hospital cups that we are eating vietamese soup out of.

 I kind of forgot to take any pictures the actual day of Thanksgiving. But we enjoyed our first ever Harrison family turkey bowl. We had read a book about it and the kids wanted to try it. We had a lot of fun. The next day we, of course, went on a hike with Amy Beth. We did a different trail at Bald Pate Mountain. We made a new rule that if anyone complained during the hike, they had to do pushups. The kids thought is was pretty funny and it was just enough of a reminder to be thankful and enjoy our hike instead of complain.

NYC with Hathaway

Saturday Bryce and I went with Hathaway to NYC to attend a vascular birthmark foundation conference. In the morning we went to several talks about Klippel Trenaunay Syndrome. We met some other great families that deal with the same syndrome and it was nice to talk with them. Then Bryce went home and Hathaway and I waited to see some of the specialists there. We took advantage of the time and played in Central Park (luckily it was close by). Hathaway saw three teams of doctors and we received a lot of valuable information--we are thankful for good doctors and resources to help her. She of course had a great day charming everyone we met--she did an amazing job, and it is always fun to spend a day with one of your children individually.

The Last of Halloween

We can finally say that Halloween is officially over--the longest Halloween season ever.

Here we are before going out Trick or Treating with the Cox family.

The candy haul.

We had a snow storm the week of the Halloween celebrations. The kids had a delayed opening, so got to stay home in the morning and play in the snow

Hathaway had her school parade and program.

 

Tessa had her Halloween party and I was able to go in and help......and it's over!

Facelift for our stairs

Our stairs have needed a facelift for a long time--I saw this idea on Martha Stewart and think it turned out really well.

Halloween and the Frakenstorm

 The Saturday before Halloween, our ward had a trunk or treat. Tessa was a flying fox, Hathaway was Cinderella and Oakley was a one-eyed, one-horned flying purple people eater. Oakley won the prize for the most original costume.

 Did you hear? We had a hurricane come through New Jersey! Bryce and the kids were home Mon and the wind started to blow. We carved pumpkins and continued our annual tradition of making homemade doughnuts (the only time each year we do it). About 9:00 that night our power went off.

 School and work were cancelled all week and we had no power for two days. We went to some family friends house for a Halloween party and were glad they had a wood burning stove. We were strating to get a little cold at home. Trick or treating was postponed until Mon.

 Bryce decided it was a good week to read the Hobbit to the kids and they almost finished the entire thing during the week. Halloween night Bryce set up a hobbit scavenger hunt to celebrate--they had to use jackets, flashlights and their wits.

 They did find the hidden candy!

Here is a typical night without electricity: popcorn made on the stove top, jackets, candles and flashlights, and dad reading a good book. We were happy to have the electricity back on. I dont think we will forget this Halloween for a long time.

Hiking and Exploring

Fall is a perfect time for hiking and exploring, so during September and October we took advantage to get outdoors and have fun with friends and animals.

 My boss from my very first job moved Princeton to start a second career and is attending the Princeton Theological Seminary. It has been so fun to reconnect with her. The kids and I invited her to go on one of our favorite hikes with us (Bald Pate Mountain).

 We decided to try a new hike to the Sourland Preserve. We went with some friends and found these great boulders to climb on.

 The kids founds some catepillars and catepillar eggs. We put them in jars in our basement and have been watching their progression to crysalis and the finally to beautiful swallow tailed butterflies. Bryce and the kids have done a lot of research on them and learned a lot. We hope they return next year to our parsley plants.