STELLA'S BLESSING

Its a long flight to Connecticut, but made longer when we had a five hour delay in Chicago! It was all worth it, once we got there though.

Grandpa was very excited to meet this little girl- even though we didn't arrive until after 11:00 p.m.!

This is a little outfit I'd saved from when Jesse was a baby. He looked cute in it, and so does Stella, even thought it's a little boyish.

There's a big monument at East Rock Park, on the hill above where Jesse and Sarita live, so you can never really get lost. It's kind of a beacon, even lit up at night. You can see the whole city and surrounding area from up there. It was a bit of a walk though, since the last part of the road up was closed for the season.

Stella likes books already because Jesse and Sarita have had a bedtime ritual of reading to her since she first came home from the hospital. I think the first book Sarita read to her was The Little Prince, and now she's reading The Goose Girl. However, she seems to like picture books too. 

Jesse took us to see the building where he has all of his classes. It's really beautiful and modern. Here, he's standing in one of the classrooms.

This is the view across the street from his building. Most of the buildings are very old and historic. 

Here is a closer look at the Peabody Museum, across the street. 

This us the library. We rented a studio apartment for the week that was very close to campus, so we passed by here in the mornings when we went for walks (in the freezing cold weather)!

Here's another part of the campus.

Stella was all excited about her blessing day, as we prepared to drive to RI. Jesse and Sarita wanted to bless her there, where they have so many good friends. The friends were all thrilled to see them, and especially Stella!

We arrived just in time for Sarita to get Stella dressed in the Mother's Room before Sacrament Meeting.

Sarita wanted to spend some time with the Primary kids rather than go to Sunday School!

Some of their friends prepared a really nice dinner for us after church, and we stayed there and visited for a while.

Sarita had been very busy meeting a deadline for the book she's illustrating, so didn't have much time to spare until our last day there, so we all went to the PEZ Museum, and then out to lunch.

Jesse took us to the Yale Art Museum, which had an amazing collection. 

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It was just barely beginning to snow as we entered the museum.

This is what it looked like when we came out.

Stella is a very happy little girl!

CHRISTMAS

 Since we spent Christmas in AZ with Carly's family and Abby and Kevin, we had an early Christmas Eve with the Ellsworth's. We enjoyed our usual scones with fillings for dinner, and then retired to the family room for more celebrating.

 Ethan's "selfie"!

 We weren't sure the kids would still want to do it, but they willingly participated in our traditional Nativity play.

 Mary and Joseph.

Shepherds.

 Addie was excited about presents.

 Avery admiring a picture of Stella.

 Jackson and Daniel after their haircuts.

We left for AZ a few days before Christmas and Carly and Rich found fun things for us to do. We went out for lunch before embarking on a three mile hike to the Wind Caves. 

 It got pretty rocky and somewhat steep toward the top, but Audra and Bella made it all the way.

 It was pretty up at the top. The area was all desert, with giant cacti and bushes and rocks. It's a hike you wouldn't want to make in the heat of summer!

 Bella loved being right by Kevin's side at all times!

 Don't they look cute and snuggly?

 There was a lot of yoga and pilates and such going on.

 Rich's family does more of a production on Christmas Eve than our family does, but the idea is the same- to remember Christ's birth and what it means to us. Evan and Bella were Mary and Joseph in their Nativity play. The Ewer's, Rich's sister and brother in law, are always very welcoming when we go with Carly and Rich. This is the third time we've done it.

We missed seeing Joey and Katie and the boys, but looks like they had a good Christmas too.

 Christmas morning-

 Bella loves babies, and she got this doll with a sling so she could carry her around.

 We had a marshmallow roast our last night there.

 Jake made a delicious Christmas dinner for his kids in Reno.

 Katy posted this great picture of her and the kids and the Snowman, Olaf, they made when it snowed in Yucaipa.

 Stella in her Christmas outfit.

Audra having her first cooking lesson. Her mom is giving her lessons as a Christmas gift.