New York Trip, part 1

It's taken me a week to recover from our New York trip (both Upstate and the city).  Saturday, 10/12/13, we got up at the ungodly hour of 2:45am and picked up Uncle Chris by 3:30 so he could drive us to the airport and then take our car back to his place.  The flight was mostly uneventful, except for Little G not wanting to sit still.  Mom had to employ the "straightjacket" maneuver; pinning his arms and legs to his sides in a bear hug while he screamed.  A mere 25 minutes later he fell asleep...then I had to hold him in the same position for the next 4+ hours.  Clara did not sleep a wink, until our 2nd flight right after the pilot announced we would be landing in 5 minutes! The guy in front of her couldn't believe how much she had chatted to herself the WHOLE time...

We spent the first 4 days in Syracuse with Grammy and Grampy.  Apple & pumpkin picking, walks, fall leaves, the MALL, a movie (Gravity - it was awesome!)

Some photos:

Actually this was Central Market in Poulsbo right before we left for NY.  It was just too colorful and I had to add it.

Apple Picking

Riding the cow train in Susie Q.

Feeding the goats.

Family photo op.

Mommy and Little G riding "Flossie"

After the first few days in Syracuse, Big G and I headed down to NYC for a few days on our own. The following Saturday we rented a car at JFK and drove up the Hudson Valley to Rhinebeck, NY to meet up with Grammy and Grampy and the kids, and go the the NY Sheep and Wool Festival.  More post to come with NYC details and Rhinebeck sights.

And...back to school I go

Ha ha --  Back to school more like a full month now.  No wonder blogging has dropped from my radar like a 10-ton boulder.  School is killing me, as is the new routines of new childcare, etc.  Working 3 days/week this year, but I went and signed up for some extra stuff as well at work  (what the *&^$!& was I thinking???!)  That means extra meetings, both during the day and in the evening.  The kids seem to be adjusting fairly well, although Big Sis often falls asleep on the way home at the end of the day and then wakes with the personality of a hibernating bear!  Mommy and kids often hit the hay around the same time each night...

The result!  No big crafty/house/DIY projects.  Just working on some small knitting items.  I have been thinking about sewing, haven't actually done any though.

We leave for our big Upstate NY/NYC trip in less than 2 weeks!!!!!  5 years for hubs and me!  (+ 2 kids, 2 houses, 2 cars...)  We'll stay upstate for a few days with Grampy/Grammy then head down to the city for a few days on our own.  Garment district here I come!  Then on the weekend it's back up the Hudson to Rhinebeck for NY Sheep and Wool Festival.  Dream trip come true!  Do I wish I had a Rhinebeck sweater to show off like all the other ladies?  Well yes, but I'm going to be okay with just going for the first time ever.

Because every post needs a picture.  Big Sis got to show her first sheep this year at the county fair at the end of August!  It was adorable and hilarious.  Thank goodness for a well-behaved sheep that we borrowed.  "Betsy" or whoever she was, was more like a pony to Big Sis' 3-year old size.

 And this is the first day of 3's Preschool!  This kiddo L-O-V-E-S school.  All summer she was asking when she got to go back to school.  Nobody took Mommy's picture on the first day, but I'm pretty sure I was a lot less excited to go back to work/school even though I do love the kids.  Did I mention that as of this morning I have 28 second graders??  Say what!?  That's a lot of 7-8 year olds.

Summer Vacation

We have been reveling in the glory of Sunriver, OR for the last week and a half!  Being from the PNW summer is always a crapshoot, although this summer (post-4th of July anyways) is quite nice.  This hit and miss summers are why we almost always choose Sunriver for our family get-togethers.  My grandparents started the tradition 23 years ago (!) and once they were gone my dad and his brothers continued the tradition.  Sunriver is almost always guaranteed to be dry, hot during the day, and cool at night.  It's high-desert country in Central Oregon, just to the south of Bend.  This year was much cooler than average (high 70s to mid 80s during the day) and we actually had 2 days of rain and thunderstorms!

Why do we go back to Sunriver year after year?  Besides the sun, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

At the High Desert Observatory just after we looked at sunspots through a telescope.

Playing train conductor with daddy and  cousin on the back deck.

 The lava tube cave was probably our favorite excursion of this year.  It's been at least 6 years since I last walked to the end of the cave and none of the kids were around at that time.  It was Big G's first time as well.  He toted Little G through the cave in a backpack... Apparently the caves weren't all that interesting to Little G because he conked right out.  We're all wearing as many warm clothes as we brought because it was 85 degrees above ground, and 43 degrees down in the cave.

Hiking 2 miles roundtrip in an underground lava tube!  C walked the whole way by herself.

The dark hole-in-the-ground that's the entrance to the lava tube.

Snoozing through the lava caves.

Playing putt-putt on real golf greens after a breakfast at the Main Lodge.

Ready for the annual float/raft trip down the Deschutes River.

All in all, an amazing year.  Big G got to bike close to 300 miles while we were there, we spend several afternoons at the pool, we played tennis, and finally did a little shopping in Bend.  Now it's back home and back to thinking about getting ready for another school year.  I am teaching 2nd grade again, 3 days a week and I have no idea who I will be job sharing with.  A situation I am trying hard not to think or worry about yet.

What crafts did I actually attempt to finish while I was away?  I took 3 different knitting projects and spent time working on all of them, but not as much as I anticipated.  During the 8 hour drive south I knit on a hat for Little G for next winter.  Discovered that I did not have enough yarn to finish it in the blue color, so it's on hold until I stash dive for some more Cascade 220 in a coordinating color.  I am making up the pattern as I go along.  I think it's going to turn out on the big side which might mean that I need to knit him another hat for next winter and either gift this one to someone else, give it to big sis, or just save it until he grows.  Not a biggie.

Cascade 220, boys hat, making up that pattern as I go along.

Once my hat knitting was stymied I moved onto another Birthday Cowl.  I think this is my 6th or 7th??  It usually take me just a day or two to knit making it one of my go-to gift patterns. This is for my new teaching partner.  She'll be teaching the other class of 2nd graders this year.  She doesn't wear animal fibers, so this is a silk/bamboo combination.  I usually use Manos silk blend and it takes just one skein.  See that purple tail of yarn at the top?  That's the end of road, so to speak.  This project is also on hold until I go buy another ball of yarn.

Last, but not least, I am trying to finish up my 2nd Powder River Cowl.  The first was for my dad's wife, this one's for me.  It's Tosh Merino Light in the Vulga colorway (purpley-gray).  This cowl has great texture and I know I'll love it! Um yeah, because I knit one already and had to give it away.