November

November started with another presidential election. The last several elections have been so ugly in America that I think every kind of dreads election years now! Davis, who has gotten very interested in presidents this last year, is NOT a big fan of Trump. This was his reaction to hearing that Trump in fact won the election the next morning. No one in America took the news harder. 

Ben found Davis asleep like this one night. How this is even comfortable I'll never know! 

Two weeks after Ben's big surgery I got to take Hudson to Boston! This little one-on-one trip was planned long before we knew about the surgery and I was a big ball of nerves leaving Ben- and also leaving him in charge of the other kids knowing he wasn't nearly at 100%. But Hudson was so excited for the trip, I didn't want to let him down either. So I pulled it together and took him and it ended up being wonderful!

We went out to Rhode Island one day and toured The Breakers. Hudson loves fancy stuff, so he was all over this! (Also these poses were a joke- I suggested I hold him like I used to when he was a baby, he said only if it went both ways)

We drove out to Walden Pond and walked around in all the fall beauty! I'm a big fan of New England in the fall. Hudson had never heard of Walden Pond or Thoreau, but I told him to just tuck that knowledge away for a few years. He'll be sititng in English class and this will come up. 

We stopped at Harvard to look around. Hudson loved it there. He brought his yo-yo and used it all over Boston- and filmed it so put into a montage when we got home. What an idyllic yo-yo setting. I'm wondering if Harvard gives out yo-yo scholarships? Funny story- Heidi dropped us off here and headed out to Davis Square to get us sandwiches from the most delicious bakery. She got to said bakery, turned her car off, and then realized the car keys were in MY PURSE! So, Hudson and I hopped on the T and rode it a few stops to Davis Square and met up with her there (thankful I've been there before, but it was years ago!). As Heidi texted me, "We are always thinking one step ahead. Not always two."

We went to the Museum of Science and Hudson loved it- even Mr. Cool himself couldn't stop from cracking a huge smile during the electrical show.

Huds, Heidi and I walked the entire Freedom Trail! It was such a fun day! Beautiful, crisp, fall weather. Hudson is so happy to be along for the ride and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the city. When we got to Bunker Hill and found out you could climb the monument he took off immediately. He beat me up the stairs by a LOT and then we were both sore for a few days (but mostly me).

It was such a great trip with just Hudson! I loved having time to focus on him. He's a kid who doesn't ask for a lot of demand much attention, even more of a reason to make this trip happen even though the timing wasn't ideal.  Heidi was the best hostess and Ben and the kids at home did great while we were gone!

Davis played a lot of basketball in November! He was so excited to finally be part of a team and relished every game and practice. Since we were all available, the whole family went to watch him most Saturdays.

Thanksgiving! We had a lovely Thanksgiving this year! Our Thankful Tree looked a little sparse- November was just so busy with Ben's recovery and normal life. But we sure did feel thankful a lot!

We went to Will's that morning for some football/pickleball. But these two mostly just played inside.

Ben likes to take us all out to breakfast on Thanksgiving morning. It's such a milestone now that we can eat in a restaurant and not have it be too crazy with tiny babies anymore! 

I took the older two to see Wicked and Ben was home with the littles. It was a late movie and this is what I came home to! Ben still couldn't lift them since he was not quite a month out from his back surgery, so I moved them when I got home. What a sweet little sight!

Lila had a darling Thanksgiving feast at preschool! Speaking of which, preschool has been such a good thing for her! She normally struggles to leave me, but she walks right into preschool happily every day. She's learning such good social skills there too!

Heidi came for Thanksgiving and Lila was especially excited to see her. Whenever she was throwing a big fit during the fall and knew she was being unreasonable, she'd reply that she was just sad because "I miss Aunt Heidi so much!" But then she was maybe onto something because she was delightful the whole time Heidi was here! Also- this game of Guess Who was hilarious. We played by "millennial rules" which means questions about the personality of the person, not just physical appearance. "Would I be friends with this person?" "Does this person spend a lot of time at the gym?" or Lila's favorite "Would this person set up their Christmas tree before us?"

I think I took this photo because all my kids were watching a show together and no one was complaining. So it was probably Bluey.

Ben made the best steak for dinner one Sunday and it made my boys all so happy! These boys are carnivores for sure!

I love how sweet and affectionate Davis is! He's just the best!

Davis really wanted to have his friends over for a campfire night. These boys were so cute and played in our backyard and roasted s'mores for a few hours. It was cold and dark and none of them seemed to mind! 

This is how Lila and Rosie said the prayer on the food one Sunday. 

Hudson loves his lapel pin that Heidi bought him at The Breakers. And he looks so sharp in his suit! He wears it every Sunday now. 

We got snow one fun Saturday! We haven't had much snow this year, but the kids really enjoyed it for this one day. 

Hudson also hosted a fun campfire night. I texted a few moms to let them know he wanted to do it and told them it was a very open invitation to whoever wanted to come. We ended up with about 12 6th grade boys back there and they all had a blast! 

And then we kicked off the Christmas season! I always love this night- decorating the tree, all the memories tied up in the kids special ornaments, cuddling up to a fun Christmas movie. It's just such a simple and happy way to start the most wonderful time of the year!