We like family! (and boats...erm...ferries)

Before I get into the nitty-gritty of our trip, I'll finish up our New York adventures with a few pictures of our last week.
Guess who enjoyed playing with Nana, Uncle Steven, and Uncle Clark while they were visiting?
 

She did eventually figure out that Clark and Steven were not the same as Sterling (She still talks about all her uncles and I really think she knows who she's talking about).

 

 

Who taught my toddler the phrase "Are we there yet?"

...because whoever taught it to her deserves a slow, painful death in the worst place on earth.

No, seriously. We made it back to Indiana. Our detour through Adam's mission (the Rochester/Palmyra/Buffalo area) was amazing and fun and perfect, the two long driving days were less perfect.

Lydia figured out pretty early that I had a stash of fun things for her and kept asking "Toy for Ly to play with?" only to be devastated when I ran out of things on the second day...Planning fail.

Rafe had forgotten about that abomination called a carseat during our summer and ended up screaming bloody murder for more than a couple hours of our trip...

We woke up in Bloomington the day after the trip and it felt like the entire summer had been a dream (I would say a bad dream but for the wonderful times we had with family and friends in NY).

The Sacred Grove was beautiful, peaceful, amazing and just what I needed.

Lunch at a gourmet restaurant in the smallest of small towns was hands down the best meal I've ever had.

Niagara Falls was awe-inspiring.

And all in one day. Pictures and posts to come.

Anyone want to go the County Fair?

It's this week! Bloomington friends, let me know if you want to go!

http://www.monroecountyfairgrounds.net/

Leaving on a Jet Plane (er...rental car)

I will be on a bit of a hiatus for a few days as we head home in what has got to be the most anticipated 3-day drive ever.

Another Walk on the High Line

We had a fun walk on the High Line on the last morning Katie and Sterling were here. Then we stuffed ourselves at the New York Google offices.

We loved having you guys! Best houseguests ever! 

 

 

Ground Zero

Last time I was in NYC the ground zero site was just a big whole in the sky where you knew something should be.

Bit different now.

What happens when you give two little people ice cream cones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I tried to get Phoebe to move her ice cream from in front of her face, but she was not having it. She kept saying "Cheese" while licking ice cream. She knows the good stuff.

 

 

And then Lydia started running around with hers which of course ended up with ice cream on the ground. First dropped ice cream of her life. *Achievement Earned*

Staten Island Ferry

Lydia and I have been on this ferry lots of times, but she was much more aware of it this time. I think she loved it.

Phoebe was hilarious "A boat. A wawa."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the lovely photos, Katie! And the bagels we had (Leo's Bagels) were phenomenal.

Being Opera Singers

Lydia wanted to sing some opera, and held a book in front of her (like music). Phoebe had to get in on the action.

We spent a lot of time in diapers. So hot.

Disney, brainwashing since 1928 (? don't quote me on that)

When your toddler asks for some music to dance to, you know it's serious business. Not just any music will do. Thank you, Pandora, for sponsoring the 4-day Walton Dance Party with your Disney station. In the interest of full disclosure, I will note that the dance party was not continuous, in part because Lydia knows how to twirl but not much else in the way of dance moves, which results in more than a few injuries due to dizziness.

Maybe I'm setting up my daughter with unrealistic expectations for love, but I will definitely be showing her Disney movies. She's smart enough to figure out that Mulan is the best one.

Long but good

This article was a good read (over several days whenever I could catch a moment) that I wanted to remember. Lucky blog readers, getting to read all the things I don't want to forget.

K, S, and P

I didn't take nearly enough pictures while Katie and Sterling were visiting. Maybe they should blog all the pictures they took on the iphone (nudge, nudge). These pictures are from their second day here. After a fun day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and cupcakes at Sprinkles, walking home we stumbled on this fountain at Lincoln Center and it was hands down the girls' favorite thing all day. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite things about their visit was that Lydia and Phoebe could play together. They LOVED it, and I loved watching them (and sometimes forgetting about them until they made a giant mess).

I'm a one trick pony

Rafe was looking so cute the other day that I wanted pictures.

It wasn't until I loaded the pictures onto the computer that I realized that I had taken pictures of him in almost the same outfit on the same blanket just a few days before. For the same reason.

 Can I add consistency to my list of desirable attributes?

Apparently I really like little boys in plaid.

On the other side of the lens

Adam and I recently went through our photos and put together a photo book. We kept clashing over which pictures to cut. Never happy with the way I photograph, I was always in favor of cutting the shots of me, but Adam was insistent that we needed at least some with me in them, and since there are so few to start with, they all had to go in. 

"Bleurgh," I said.

Adam told me to hand him the camera more often and tell him to take photos of me and kiddos. 

 So I did and was reminded of why I prefer to remain unseen. These two were the best of the bunch of 30 or so. 

"Bleurgh," I say again.

In other news, the reason I wanted a picture was because I realized when we were out and about that all 3 of us were wearing plaid shorts. Then Lydia got wet/dirty and I changed her into the spare outfit I had with us: plaid shorts. 

Adam says I dress the children like myself. I guess I can see where he'd get that.

And you can barely tell that our shorts are plaid in this picture. You win some, but I think you lose more.