Thanksgiving

We drove down to VA for Thanksgiving to visit Bryan’s family and my sister.  We couldn’t leave Alpha Phi until after 5 pm Wednesday so we drove down on Thanksgiving Day.  Norah happened to wake up at 3:30 am (shocker) so we put her in her car seat and took off.  We made great time and arrived in Ashburn at 10:00 am.  Even though we were very tired it was worth it to enjoy the whole day with Bryan’s family.  Norah with her Aunt Courtney who played with her all weekendNorah and I wearing our matching, door buster hoodies from Target on Friday.  I woke up at 4:00 am to go shopping with my mother in law who is the ultimate bargain shopper.  We had forgotten to pack Norah a coat (I know, what kind of parents forget to bring their child a coat right?) so Susan steered me over to these snuggly deals.  I did pack a coat for myself but decided I needed a hoodie anyway.  Saturday Courtney, Norah and I went to the Zoo with Ashley and Matt.  Bryan was super sick and spent most of the day sleeping.Ashley and Matt made us a delicious salad and burritos for lunch and then Norah and Matt talked on the phone for while and Norah tried on some of Matt’s hats. Okay, on the count of three lets both hang up at the same time:  1, 2,  . . .naw lets talk some more

Later that evening we listened to Christmas music and decorated the tree together.  Norah loved handling all the ornaments and taking them off the tree as put them on.

Camille Visits Ithaca

Last weekend (November 19th –21st) my cousin Camille came to visit.  I hadn’t seen her since before her mission in 2007 so it was wonderful to finally catch up.   

Friday

Camille flew a red eye into Syracuse Friday morning and Norah and I picked her up from the airport and took her straight to Palmyra.  We walked around the Temple and then headed to the Smith Family Farm where we had a private tour since we were pretty much the only visitors.  Walking up to the beautiful new farm house that Alvin Smith built for his parents

After walking through the Farm and Sacred Grove we visited the print shop where the Book of Mormon was publishedThen we finished with Hill Cummorah (notice Norah running around in the background)We didn’t have time to visit the Peter Whitmer farm but hopefully Camille will come visit again so we can go together. 

Saturday we went to the Farmer’s market, toured Cornell and looked at nearby waterfalls.

Camille and me with windswept hair in front of Ithaca Falls.  The coolest part about this waterfall is that it is right in the middle of Ithaca.  It is seriously across the street from Ithaca High School.  When I taught there I could here this waterfall from my classroom. Standing close enough to feel the sprayCamille standing in front of Buttermilk FallsCamille in Treman State Park.  In the summer they place a temporary dam to make this area a large swimming hole.  Where Camille is standing the water would probably be up to her shoulders.  Doesn’t that make you want to go swimming?  If it does maybe you should come visit us. . .

Goodnight Moon

Norah enjoys picking out books for us to read to her at bedtime.  There was a period when she consistently chose There’s a Wocket in my Pocket  and she also went through a Mama Do You Love Me? phase and while she still comes back to group of core favorites it isn’t noteworthy if they aren’t chosen either.  I’m starting to doubt whether there will ever be a day that we don’t read Goodnight Moon.  She never fails to reach for it and usually we read it several times.  She is paying close attention too because she points out the “young mouse” on every colored page in the book.  If you have copy – I challenge you to find the mouse.  I think you’ll be impressed with Norah’s careful eye.  Another little detail you may have missed is the large painting on the left side of the great green room.  It is a scene from from another treasured Brown/Hurd story.  These are very literate bunnies and they even have a copy of the same book on the book shelf as well as their own copy of Goodnight Moon on the nightstand.   

Waters Family Visit

Our friends Mike and Kari drove down from Syracuse with their little girls to visit us Saturday.  Even though it is getting chilly in Ithaca we spent our time outside at Taughannock and the Cayuga Nature Center.  It is wonderful to have them so close.  The trail was very muddy and it looked like the park service was in the midst of clearing away ruble on the trail from a mudslide.  Norah thought the mud puddles were great.I’ve never seen the falls with this much water.  We felt like we were being rained on standing here.