Sunset

I'm not sure why, but there aren't many sunsets around here that have any color.

So when they do happen it makes you stop and appreciate it.

For Daddy

who can't see this little face tonight. Miss you!

Christmas tree

Thanksgiving is over, so we got our Christmas tree today! We made the 2 hour drive to go to the same place we did as last year on Geer farm in Griswold, CT. It has acres of rows of perfect trees. The kids loved running around there. We had to dress for a family picture to send in for the ward directory so I tried to take one of the kids too. Sawyer insists on pulling goober faces right now, but as you can see on baby's face we didn't have a lot of time to get it just right.

Happy Thanksgiving!

and Josh is 6 weeks old today!

This year's dinner is a far cry from last year's McDonald's. I have been cooking all day so we could have a nice turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, homemade rolls, fresh cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, and two chocolate pudding pies! Yum!

I made everyone go outside and play a little football, which turned into a little soccer. Later the kids want to have a sleep over together.

It's been a good Thanksgiving!

Flag Football Finale

For those who are interested...

This is Sawyer's last football game of the season.

The highlights of the video:

• Sawyer is so excited to go that his tiny little legs can't hold still on the line (very beginning of the video)


• He makes a great "tackle" by pulling the other kid's flag


• I love all the celebration he does (although it will cost him a penalty flag in years to come)

Enjoy!

Sleepy

It's been a sleepy day for this little guy. McKinley loved snuggling him.

I wanted to take some video of Josh for the relatives to see him in real motion. But he promptly fell asleep. Still cute though.

Growing pains

Yesterday Josh had a weight check at the doctor. He is now over 12 pounds! I should be used to it by big baby #4, but it is still shocking to me. He is only 5 weeks old!

Stay at home dad

Kent has been taking 1 of his 3 week paternity leave breaks this past week. I must say it has been very nice. I have been able to go grocery shopping alone, drop kids off places alone, start some Christmas shopping alone, and even take a nap or two! It is nice to have someone to take care of the baby while I need to get other things done. Too bad he has to go back to work someday.

5 weeks

Today Josh is 5 weeks old! He is growing out of his newborn phase and turning into a baby now. He stays happily awake more during the day. He is starting to get some regular nap times down. Last night he slept for his first 4 hour stint. He also has a cold though, so I don't know if it was a fluke because of the cold or not. Fingers crossed that it's the beginning of more sleep! He's also starting some brief little smiles now and then. And yes, his tummy is that big in real life :)

Official Announcement

Family should have received their announcements by now, so now I can post the official announcement for Joshua Crew's birth.

Adventure time

While baby Josh took a nap today, Hayden and I went outside for an "adventure". We made some quick tp rolls binoculars. Haydens job was to find interesting things with his binoculars and then I would take a picture of it. Then he made a few "x"s around the yard for us to go on a treasure hunt. But not just any treasure hunt, a Buzz and Jessie treasure hunt (he is Buzz and I get to be Jessie) complete with an attack by the evil Emperor Zurg. Luckily when I blew green bubbles at Zurg it would destroy him.

I love his little imagination.

4 weeks

He started making some baby cooing noises today. So cute!

Yummy caramel apples

We were supposed to make caramel apples on Saturday October 29th...but the power went out...for a week!
Last night we finally made our caramel apples. I got the recipe from "Our Best Bites" website under the Gourmet Caramel Apples post.
My apples aren't as pretty to look at as those other fancy caramel apples. I guess I need some practice. And yes, that is a plastic knife sticking in the apple instead of wooden craft sticks. But man they taste so good. I may have let a little person eat one of his apples for breakfast this morning, because it has fruit in it!

Big Brother

Hayden is a sweet big brother. He can't seem to get enough of his baby brother. He loves him so much! I have to restrict his "love" to when Josh is awake. Hayden is always trying to kiss him, hug him and asking to hold him. Which is probably how Josh caught Hayden's cold. Poor baby.


He thinks it is hilarious to stick his finger in the soothie and feel Josh sucking.

I don't blame Hayden though. Who wouldn't love this tiny little squishy face?

Bath Time

McKinley loves to help take care of Josh. She has been waiting patiently for the day he was old enough for a tub bath. She loves to brush his hair and burp him.

He is getting so big so fast! I can't believe how quickly they grow!

Finally

The power's back. It came on at 12:01 am. Hallelujah! Now we are busy washing dishes and clothes and cooking real dinners again!

Here's a catch up post of what we were doing this past week...

On Saturday the Nor'easter hit. It started snowing around 9 am and this picture was taken around 3 pm. The kids had fun playing in the snow. Just after this picture I went inside to do some laundry, dishes, and start dinner, you know, just in case the power goes out! Ha! Too late!

The power went out around 4:00 on Saturday 10/29.

Josh stayed inside where it was nice a warm.

On Sunday 10/30 only Sacrament meeting was held for church. Many of the people in the ward actually still had power. We stayed home because of the new baby though.
To pass the unpowered days we took turns on the phone playing "Angry Birds". It was our first experience with the game, so we were pretty entertained...for quite a few days.
The hotels in Connecticut get all booked up by people seeking refuge. A coworker of Kent's had to go all the way to Long Island to finally find a room for a few days.

10/31, Monday, it's Halloween. McKinley is completely bummed that school is canceled because today is the Halloween parties and parades at school. Oh and no trick or treating tonight either. Boo!

But we love holding and watching our little baby.

The days drag on...and on...and on. I took the kids to playgroup at the church to relieve some of the insanity. We stopped by Dunkin Donuts on the way home and got backed into by another car...into my brand new car. Just the icing on the cake of a looonnng week I guess.

Thursday 11/03 Josh is 3 weeks old now! Happy 3 week birthday baby!

Isn't he handsome? Yup!

Friday, 11/04, well the days all blend together by now. We finally see some work trucks out in the area. I hadn't even seen one truck around until today.

Saturday 11/05 12:01 am- the power's back! Now life can return to normal...until the next time.

I have decided I am NOT ready for the winter. Where did the beautiful New England fall go?

We didn't get it this year. At least we saw it last year so we know it does exist.

Grrr

The power company pushed the restoration date to Sunday now. We are not happy with Connecticut Light & Power!

Wednesday

School has been canceled for the rest of the week in Wilton. That makes 2 full school weeks of canceled school already and winter hasn't even started.

The power lines around here haven't even been cleared from the fallen branches yet. They are projecting power will be restored by midnight Friday. We'll see.

Kent's co-worker doesn't have a generator, so they opted to go to a hotel. He couldn't find any in Connecticut, so they ended up in Long Island!

Day 4

School is canceled at least through tomorrow. My laundry is strewn about the room trying to dry out. It's very European :).