Countdown to Thanksgiving

Last Monday I came home from dropping Arwen off at school to find the truck unexpectedly in the garage. Chad had delivered his morning lecture, feeling increasingly terrible as the class period progressed. With the help and support of some wonderful co-workers and bishopric members, he managed to spend the rest of the week in bed. He’s now feeling grateful to be pretty much back to normal.

My fun last week came in the form of my friend Sarah, who stopped for a brief stay on her way to a conference on Boston. After I picked her up at the train station, we drove out to Harkness Memorial State Park where we strolled leisurely along the shore, then explored the nooks and crannies of the old estate I’ve never managed to get to with family in tow. An extensive, abandoned greenhouse offers up the setting for mysterious musings, as do tiny headstones hidden under a tree in a garden I’d before overlooked and an immense tower now shut up. I found myself wanting to find a book on the history of the estate. Here’s what I’ve found so far from the Department of Environmental Protection: Harkness Memorial State Park: History and Renovation.

Leaving Harkness, we made a stop at Waterford Beach where we explored the west end of the coastline and scrambled on the rocks (again, something I’ve never attempted with the kids and beach equipment in tow). After our meanderings we remembered mutual friend Meggan Stein from Seattle with a delicious dinner of African Chicken Peanut Soup , then enjoyed a quiet night out at Bean & Leaf.

Arwen was excited for her opportunity to serve as preschool Special Helper last Tuesday. The Special Helper has many duties still mysterious to me, but the one I do understand is bringing the milk for snack. Having had her heart set on chocolate milk, Arwen was less than thrilled about the pink variety we found instead at the store just before class, but her story had changed by the time I picked her up. Strawberry milk (for special occasions) it is from now on!

For the past week Gavin has been flying off the bus in the afternoon with a huge smile, reporting the great job he’s been doing at school. Today he achieved the much-anticipated reward of a Lego Racer Rally Sprinter car. We’re very proud of the work he’s been doing. (Samples are on display at Gavin’s Planet – let us know if you'd like access.) Yesterday he got to share some special things about himself as class Superstar of the week. It was great seeing him volunteer that one of the reasons he's a star is because he loves to read.

On the countdown for Thanksgiving, Gavin and Arwen transformed plastic drinking cups into gobbling turkeys with Grandma and Grandpa Jones yesterday. (Amazing what you can do together over the webcam!) We’re looking forward to the big day, including some extra time off school starting tomorrow. We hope you have a wonderful holiday.