Fall in the Poconos, 2011.

The end of October in Bermuda means it's time for the first of many school breaks. This one is called a "mid-term break." Am I the only one who finds it odd that the kids need a week break from school when it only just started a month ago? I suppose I am one of those rare individuals that wishes school lasted all year long. I'm heartless, I know.

In any event, this year, we're spending the week off the island. For the majority of the break, we visited Grandma H. and Michael in the Poconos, PA.

This is a really wonderful time of the year to be in the area. The weather was almost perfect, especially when you've been missing the fall foliage and crisp feel of a cool morning run.

The kids got to indulge in some all American sports on the driveway.

And knock some balls out into the road.

Except when this one was in the field. She had a little arm on her!

Grandpa and Grandma B. came out to visit and hung out for a morning.

Grandma B chilling with the monkeys in the basement.

The kids got a chance to jam out on the piano and guitar. They improvised on some interesting tunes.

And they also were good audience members.

One afternoon we visited a spooky restaurant for lunch. Jordan stuck very closely to Grandma H. during the entrance.

Miss Mina was pretty brave though, especially when it came to eating the biggest ice cream sundae I've ever seen.

Monroe County, PA has a fantastic environmental center that hosted a class geared towards the younger crew. The kids headed outside to learn about migratory birds. Yes, Jordan was thrilled. I really loved this place. The class itself was well run with interesting activities and a knowledgeable staff. The facilities were large, with well lit classrooms filled with kid-friendly displays. Set in a scenic countryside, all we had to do was look outside the large windows and see the flora and fauna around us. I'm looking forward to visiting this place again the next time we come back. Great find Grandma H!

He also spent another afternoon feeding some local birds that had no intention of migrating anywhere.

Later in the week, we took a hike to a protected wetland bog.

Real cranberries growing in the bog.

And a nice little creepy-crawly the guide pulled out from under a log.

This has been such a wonderful week. We all had so much fun; which explains why it went by as quickly as it did. Thanks Grandma and Michael for hosting us and making our short stay so exciting. There really was never a dull moment!

Next stop - a quick trip to NJ! Look out Leonia!

Our first Bermudian Thanksgiving.

Because one Thanksgiving is not enough. I present, round II of holiday eating. They say most people typically gain one pound per year during the holidays. That one pound remains on them the rest of their life. Multiply that by thirty-eight. Cheers!

This year, Jeff decided his new grill needed a workout. Thus, rotisserie turkey was born.

Look at the intense concentration at work here people. That is some grill master action. And while you're looking, check out the palm trees and fluffy clouds in the bright, blue sky. Don't hate me people. It is what it is, as they say.

I thought it would be appropriate to eat in our dining room. As you can see, it's pretty bare right now; and yes there are still boxes in there. Yes, that is a huge, fake black tarantula sitting on top of a plastic bin. What? You don't have one in your dining room? What's the matter with you?

Who needs decorating when you have a roomful of monkeys to keep you distracted? They provide enough visual (and audio) stimulation.

Plus, we have place cards. Seriously, what else do you need for a holiday table?

Voila! Yes, it is a Christmas tree. We get a little ahead of ourselves sometimes.



Jordan drew individual pictures of each family member and attached it behind the tree, along with our names. I love how creative he is with his art projects. My only directions were "maybe you can make new place cards for us." And off he went.

I just supply the table and supplies. Pay no attention to the open laundry room door. There is nothing to see here, folks. Move along.

Not to be outdone, Mina found creative new uses for the napkin ring holders.

And I ate. Again.

Jordan has a more patient approach. First he examines. Sniffs a bit. Sticks his finger in it...

And if we're lucky, he might actually eat something.

The first Bermudian Thanksgiving was sweet, simple and fun. I still feel like a stranger in a strange new place, which might possibly be how the first celebrants felt when they shared a table with the original Americans. Of course, we've crashed ourselves on a beautiful island, surrounded by the conveniences of the 21st century, so I guess it isn't quite the same. Thank goodness.

Jordan's sign translated:

Dear Mina,

I love to thank you a lot. For the whole world. To thank you for the light, and the water, and have a happy thanksgiving.

Amen.

Happy Eating.

This year, we decided to head back to the U.S. and do an early Thanksgiving with Grandma H. and Michael in the Poconos. Of course, being the gluttons we are, we also did a small Thanksgiving in Bermuda on Thanksgiving proper. The highlights as follows:

Thanksgiving, part I.

The Poconos, Pennsylvania.

Everyone gripes (well, everyone meaning Jeff) when I announce I'm taking the annual family picture. But I thought this one came out nice. Everyone (Jeff and Jordan) also complain about changing into "dressy" clothes. But don't we all clean up real nice? Mina doesn't complain at all. I came prepared with two different Thanksgiving ensembles for her to choose between. Accessories and shoe changes included. Thankfully, one of them worked for her.



The kids were very excited. They love the Poconos. I love getting them outside. Mina came across something that caught her eye as we built boulder fields and bunny twig hutches in the backyard.



We burned off loads of calories running around madly.



Yeah right. We'd have to run some ultramarathons to burn off the calories we consumed while we were away.



We weren't the only ones fattening ourselves up for the winter. Check out these wild turkeys that found their way unto Grandma's back yard. It's a shame no one in the house would has a gun. Or would even know what to do with one. City folk.



Coming back to visit pretty much rocked Jordan and Mina's world. They got to hang out with Grandma uninterrupted. You bet I was all over that. Grandma happily babysat, and Jeff and I shamelessly took advantage.

While we happily shopped away, she kept the munchkins busy.









piano

Happy parents.

One of the highlights for me was seeing some old friends from Leonia. I missed this gang big time. It was so much fun catching up on gossip and filling them in on our new life in Bermuda.

Eventually, it was time for the big dinner. It did not disappoint:

And finally, it was time for Jordan's favorite part - dessert. Grandma made molten chocolate cake with fresh whipped cream.

Yeah. Look at the face. I can assure you, he doesn't make this face when we drag the turkey out.

We were amazed when even more dessert made an appearance. Good friends decided we needed even more fattening up. Behold the cheesecake assortment. Thanks Kristen and Brandon!

The fun continued with post dinner entertainment.

This drum set used to belong to Monkey Sr. The kids always enjoy testing it out.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. It goes without saying that we have so much to be thankful for. Just one day to remember it doesn't seem enough.

Part II coming soon!