We had such a nice time with Nana!

Exotic Felines

The EFRC (Exotic Feline Rescue Center) was kind of bizarre, but really awesome. 

See this chain link fence? That was all that was between us and this lion - his mane was sticking out. We had a lot of fun talking to the volunteer who gave us our tour about her favorite cats and how the place runs.

So, to sum up. There's this random place out in the middle of nowhere with over 200 big cats in it. We got lost on the way there and the way back, there was screaming, but it was totally fun. Really, really fun.

Smiles

Lydia keeps saying hilarious things that I keep forgetting to write down, so here are a couple.

I've been sick for a few days, so (unfortunately), Lydia has been watching a lot of shows. She learned that the TV in our basement (a) turns on and (b) has some of her shows on it (although she's confused about why they appear to be in a random order and why they always have these weird boring videos in between). So. There's that. We watched a couple shows on PBS.

That evening, when Adam came home, he asked if he should take Lydia to the s-t-o-r-e (he had to spell it because Lyds really, really, really likes going places and gets devastated if she finds out she can't go). She heard him spelling that word and said "I want to go to p-b-s.org with Daddy."

Also, a little while ago, we were at a ward event and she didn't want to leave. We told her that we were going, did she want to stay here without us? She very anxiously got in the car "I better get in mine carseat so you people don't leave me."

We loved being referred to as you people.

An Oobleck day

The other day we had a themed day based on "Bartholomew and the Oobleck"

Lydia loved reading the book and making some "Oobleck" of our own.

Liv and Baby Rafe were more interested in playing.

Baby Rafe does the Mowgli

This picture is a bit old, but I thought grandmothers might like to see Baby Rafe's attempts to get moving. This one is a favorite of mine - his little bum is just so cute stuck in the air like that.

Baby Rafe

Baby Rafe sits up now! I think, based on today, I can say that. He sat and played with a toy for a couple minutes without any intervention until Lydia made a noise, he stretched to see what was going on, and down he went.

Also, he's teething in a major way (not that he has any yet, but his cold/chewy toys are getting workout). Teething in this case equals lots of screaming. My favorite.
Also, Baby Rafe has an extreme reaction to baby Tylenol. He throws up immediately after we give it to him. Any suggestions (besides the obvious, stop trying to give it to him, which we will. I'm just worried this is a sign of something amiss in his stomach)?
Also, while Adam and I were dealing with the throwing up/screaming baby, my toddler drew all over the walls. My other favorite.

I guess I can't complain that I'm not busy.

In other Baby Rafe news, he's 6.5 months old these days (I meant to do a post around his half-birthday and obviously dropped the ball). He's still a jolly easy going guy who thinks his sister is the best thing ever. He has not liked the solid foods we have attempted, which is how Lydia was, so we probably won't push it. He'll eat when he's ready. He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks back and forth a lot today. Then he'll push up into Downward Dog or lean up on one hand (almost like he's going to sit up). But those hands haven't tried going forward so too much action in the legs just makes him nose-dive. He's pretty cute.

Valley Inn

Back to blogging here.

Valley Inn is a little restaurant in Warsaw, New York (think teeny little town). It's run by a gourmet chef and amazing food is actually pretty affordable because...it's in the middle of nowhere. Adam insisted that we go there and after tasting the food, I understood why.

These soups were part of my meal - we forgot to photograph them until we had eaten them all, but I wanted to remember how ridiculously good they were. There was a summer cabbage soup (purple), a fajita soup (brown), and a chowder (I think...it had a little bread crab on top). So good.

I got this quiche. AMAZING.

Adam got tuna and salmon crabcakes which were also good. I really loved the sweet potato...chips? I don't know what to call them. 

And then for dessert, we got a Wonka Mug (AMAZING) and a Cancun Crunch (also quite good).

It was lots of fun!

Hill Cumorah

For some reason I had always pictured the Hill Cumorah as completely bare - no trees at all. That's not how it is now, but Adam says that there's a picture from about a hundred years ago that shows a completely bald hill, so who knows what it was like when Joseph Smith was here.

The Sacred Grove all to ourselves

Visiting Palmyra the week after the Hill Cumorah Pageant ends has it's advantages.

Absolutely no crowds. We were the first tour of the day and were able to take our time, stopping to feed the baby and change the toddler, and then were able to wander through the Sacred Grove completely alone. It was SO so so so nice. 

Peaceful. Spiritual. Tranquil. There aren't enough words.

I'm so glad we were able to do this with our little family.

....

Lydia just squeezed out an entire tube of diaper rash ointment all over her room while I thought she was napping. All over her doll, blankets, bed, pillow, floor, books, etc.

I just...

There are no words.

Friends for almost 20 years

A truly awesome night. Thanks, Jamie and Jen.

New York Bucketlist Check

Lydia had begged to go on a Merry-go-round when we passed one a few days before, so I thought we'd hit up the Central Park Carousel.

She loved it...at least the first half of it.

We stopped taking pictures after the mid-ride meltdown. I think she missed her Mama. Steven was a great sport about it, though, and when we've talked about it since then, she's only had great things to say about the horsey ride.

Poll

Who does Baby Rafe look like?

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.