First SNOW of the season!

About two weeks ago it snowed for the first time this season. Ben was soooo excited to play in the snow. The snow melted quickly so Ben didn't get to play much in it. It was only a small amount of snow but was exciting anyway...for Ben. I was not so much excited to drive in the snow on the highway! It is fun to watch as Ben is so happy about things that we as adults aren't excited about anymore. It is fun to see things through a child's eyes!

Who's afraid of crab legs?

We went to Salt Lake City this last week, I went to see Dr. Walsh, we did some Christmas shopping and had Benjamin's pictures taken. We also went to McGrath's Fish House...we are not BIG seafood eaters, partly because we don't very often have an option to eat good seafood because of where we live...in a tiny town in the West. I decided to have a shrimp and crab leg platter. Jim had some oysters on the half shell...not my choice, yuck! Ben had a grilled cheese sandwich, we were all eating and Ben asked what the crab leg cracker thing was for, I grabbed the crab legs and thought I would show him how to crack open the crab shell to get the crab meat out. Well when I took the crab legs from my plate and moved them towards him he SCREAMED as loud as he could! He got a horrified scared look on his face and he moved away from me and backed against the wall! The whole restaurant looked at us...like we were freaks!!! Ben was so scared of the crab legs, it took the rest of the dinner to get him to realize that the legs were not going to GET him and he screamed a few more times as I tried to show him they were not going to hurt him. We really need to get out more!!!! Sheesh, you would think we were hillbillies from the country!

Persimmons...

I have joined the co-op, Bountiful Baskets and have been getting wonderful fresh produce and whole wheat bread. We have been enjoying all of the great things we get every other week with our basket. Today we got persimmons, I didn't even know what they were. I have spent time looking on the internet and have found out that we got the fuyu persimmons. I found out that you can eat them like an apple after you peel it. It has a very nice taste and is actually sweeter than an apple but still crunchy. Such fun to try new things! To join the Bountiful Baskets Food co-op go to www.Bountifulbaskets.org., they have offerings in many of the small towns in Utah and other states.

I most thankful...

I am most thankful for a wonderful family. At this time of the year we look at all we have been blessed with and my family, Jim and Benjamin are my most favorite blessing! I am also blessed to be a part of the Westcott family and am grateful for parents who have always taugh what was right and how to work hard. I am thankful for each family, Todd and Amy, Jan and Kristin, Bryce and Nycole, Jen and her children and her ex-husband Tom and Spencer and Al. I have and continue to learn so much from each person and it seems that love is always shown in our family even if it doesn't seem that way to others sometimes. I have many blessing to be thankful for and need to spend more time being grateful for them and not just at this time of the year!

Jim's CRaZy B-Day~

Jim had his birthday, Ben thought he should wear his "Santa" hat. I don't know why! Ben also thought HE should be able to blow out some candles. WE enjoyed the chocolate fudge cake...so yummy!

Like Daddy...

I thought Ben looked so much like Jim in the picture...even if Ben had candy on his lips! Maybe it is the hat! I think they look a lot alike even if Benjamin is only 5 and Jim was 18 in this picture.

tHe SmELL oF PuMpKIn gUTs!

We carved our HUGE pumpkin into a jack o'lantern! There's nothing like the smell of the inside of a pumpkin with all the gooey, slimy, seedy, goop to dig out. Each year I remember the past jack o'lanterns as we scoop, clean, and carve out the new pumpkin. I think this year is the biggest pumpkin I have ever carved. Our pumpkin this year is about 2 feet tall and big! We lit a different candle this year, it is a liquid candle and worked great. I love the smell of pumpkin flesh...brings back the memories of halloween!!!

Vampire, Jack O' Lantern and a cop...

Benjamin wanted to be a policeman, a "cop" as he calls it. So we found a "cop" costume and got all the gadgets to go along with it. This year I decided to dress up...I thought I would go as a vampire to work on Friday, but I have been sick so didn't make it to work on Friday. Saturday was the trunk or treat at the hospital so we decided to get dressed up and go. Jim decided he would go as a jack o' lantern because all he had to do was put his shirt on! Benjamin had so much fun fishing at the hospital and we enjoyed all the games. We did a little trick or treating and went to visit Grandma and Grandpa. We took some pictures with our Halloween decorations! I had to keep Jim out of the candy...you know how some parents are!!!!