New York Trip

We went to the city a couple of weekends ago with our friends Ami and Matt Moffitt. We had tons of fun, despite the fact that it was FREEZING!!!! Here I am getting on my first train ride ever! I was actually a little nervous, so we decided to save my first subway ride for the next trip.

Here we are at the Rockefeller Tree. Since I didn't know any of the history of it, I had to steal info from the Arbuckles page. This tree is 84 feet high, and 45 feet wide and was relocated from Shelton, CT in 1947.

This is Ami and I in front of what used to be the star on top. Lindsey Arbuckle didn't mention anything about this star, so sorry I have no facts about it, but it was gorgeous!

Us and the Moffits in front of the NBC store. We couldn't resist taking pictures in front of the giant Michael Scott and Dwight K. Schrute bobble head posters.

Us outside of Les Miserables- My first Broadway experience. I LOVED IT!!!

Good ole' Grand Central Station. I never realized how amazing this place is- everyone needs to visit it at least once in their lives.

Ami and I riding the train.

You don't want to mess with these 2, they are T-O-U-G-H!!!!

And a random Lindsey close-up- Brookey Babe, this is for YOU!!!

Blog Ettiquette???

Just a few blogging beginners questions. When do you add someone's link? I don't want to sound like a stalker, but I love looking at peoples' blogs. So if I want to add a link, do I just add it to my list? Or is that weird, I don't want someone to look at my blog and think why is my page on the Stokes' page! Do I wait until they comment on my blog? I dunno.
Also, I love all the great Christmas graphics, songs, templates, etc.- HOW DO YOU DO IT?!?!?!? I guess this blogging thing is alot more complicated than I thought, so if I could get some help that would be GREAT!

A Little Game of Catch Up (sorry-picture overload!)

SEPTEMBER

We moved to Connecticut in July, and for a month I looked for a job but gave up due to a lack of motivation... then I got bored. The last week of August I decided to start looking again, found a job in a school on Thursday and school started Monday. It is really hard, rewarding, fun, exhausting, etc. working with young kids with autism. I wouldn't trade it for any other job (except maybe a Burlington Coat Factory parking garage attendant, because I think they get paid to sit there). Anyways, this is my "first day of school" and Jared INSISTED on taking a picture.

OCTOBER

Jared and I started exploring our surroundings. One of our favorite weekend activities is to drive to a random town and find random stuff to do. This was a cool place in Bridgeport, CT called Captains Cove. It had a bunch of little shops on a dock, and random things to take pictures by, such as this:

This is us trying to be dork fish (please refer to Blue Collar Comedy's Bill Engvall for questions)

We also had a ward Halloween Party/ Trunk or Treat. We were sadly mistaken when we thought grownups would be dressed up as well as the kids (with the exception of our friend Matt in the background sporting a stunning black mullet).

My October highlight, though, was this: My parents came out to see us the weekend before Halloween. We had TONS of fun with them. We went on a hike at the Greenwich Audubon- yes this sinfully good looking woman is my mother!

Then on Saturday and Sunday we went to Boston. We saw Fenway Park, walked the Freedom Trail and ate in Little Italy.

We even made a detour into Salem. We thought it would be this little rinky dink town with no night life. However, we discovered the weekend before Halloween is HUGE in Salem. They had locals giving tours, people were dressed up (we were embarrassingly underdressed for the occasion in our street clothes), etc. Here is a picture of Mom, Dad, The Grim Reaper, his wife and Jared. I really feel like we established a new family tradition of visiting Salem around Halloween time!NOVEMBER

Finally, November was great as well. We flew to Idaho to spend "Thankmas" with Jared's family. We had an AMAZING dinner and it was so nice to just spend time with everyone! We drove up to the mountains and cut down their Christmas trees (unfortunately we didn't think we could get one past airport security). We also had a gift exchange since we will be with my family for Christmas. Abby got Pretty Pretty Princess (which I am now a pro at after playing it many many times- I LOVE THAT ABBY GIRL!). Here are Lori, Abby and I playing a very competitive, intense game. At the bottom is all the Stokes women, Suzanne, Susan, me, Abby and Lori (who is "carrying" Ava in her belly). I LOVE MY IN-LAWS and can't wait to see them again, whenever that will be!

Let the Games Begin!!!

So we are officially jumping on the Blogging Bandwagon! Everyone keeps telling us to start a blog, and we have finally succumbed to the pressure. So I (Lindsey) will probably be doing most of the family blogging, and seeing as I am COMPLETELY computer illiterate, any tips would be greatly appreciated. First of all, I can't find a cool template, so until I get some help it is plain Jane blue for us. Plus, I don't know how to make that list of links to friends' blogs- HELP! Wish us luck, blogging here we come!