New York... New York

... oh, how I enjoyed thee!

Camping, lakes, vineyards, wineries, hiking trails, beautiful century old houses, Amish simplicity, quaint little shops... the Finger Lakes region has SO MUCH to offer!!

My parents left a day early and took Alia with them...

and of course, they had a grand ole' time! One highlight (so I was told!) was putting Lukey up through the sun roof to "fly!" Thankfully Grampa had a tight grip on him, otherwise our little vacation could have went south in a hurry!

My parents` best friends let us borrow their camper... and it worked out quite well! Since my parents had a cottage, we didn't really hang out at our campground much, but the camper was a blessing indeed!

Ahh, wonderful lazy vacation mornings!




And okay, fine... I'll admit it. We didn't cook outside even ONCE at our campsite! We ate our breakfast there, and the occasional lunch... but other than that we were spoiled by wonderful suppers at the cottage. And yes, that is macaroni and cheese you see... like mother, like daughter!

Out for a stroll around historic Penn Yan (derived from the names Pennsylvania and Yankee)



Taking a peek at the river...




Penn Yan had a huge old wheat mill that is still in operation... it would have been interesting to see inside, but naps were a calling!


There were historic houses and architecture everywhere... I couldn't`t get enough of it! I could have devoted a couple weeks to looking at all the houses, ALONE!!







Beautiful farmland...

My parents and my aunt and uncle rented a cottage on the lake, so boating was a big part of our fun.

My family has always had a boat... but what fun to see the girls experience the joy of the water too!



Larren was calm as could be on her first boat ride!


One of my favorite parts of the week was taking Alia on her first tube ride. As most of you know, Jonathan is the super duper fun parent in our equation, so it was an honor to experience this event with her! She did go for a faster, longer, and riskier ride with her daddy the next day... but that`s okay! A first is a first!

Geneva had a huge splash park, so we went up there for a picnic and play time!







I wasn`t the most thrilled with being in a bathing suit with hundreds of people around... but the splash park was SO much fun that I soon forgot.


I can`t help but think of the Lion King when I see this picture!





The vineyards were just beautiful... and there were wineries at every turn in the bend! I have never cared for, nor thought much about wine... but I`ve come to realize that
1. - I really like white or blush wines
2. - I like the wine tasting crackers more than the wine!
3. - I`m not allergic to wine
4. - I must still look young enough to be carded
5. - making wine really is an art form
6. - there is so much to learn about it!




In Watkins Glen we were planning on going for a huge hike... but because of rain the four of us went on a boat tour instead.

And since the rest of the family was still out galavanting when we were done we got to join them for some exercise and gorgeous views! But boy am I glad we only joined them for the tail end of the hike... carrying two little ones on slippery trails made this mama a little nervous!

We ended up liking NY more than we thought we would and extended our vacation an extra day. We then headed to Niagara Falls on the way home...

We didn`t have much time there so we only went on the Maid of the Mist... and the line ups were pretty long on a VERY hot day!

But the girls did great!


Our little tour guide in training!



The views of the Falls made the wait worth it...




Rounding the bend to the Canadian side of the falls... which Jon claims were much better! :)

Our little family of blue rain coats!

Larren liked the ride so much that she conked out half way through!

My love and I...

The girls in front of the falls... kind of!

And the ever famous ``carrying the stroller down the stairs with like a million other tourists`` shot!


As I mentioned... we had a terrific time! Having two little ones made the trip a bit difficult at times, but I`m learning to let the little things go and just enjoy the moment.
Let me say that again... just enjoy the moment, Renee! I haven`t mastered it yet, but I`m intentionally making an effort!

All in all, I would go back in a heart beat! And next time we`ll even plan a bon fire or two!

UNOH Getaway

Since both my dad and Jon are automotive instructors, we were invited to go to an update seminar put on by a local university. My dad has been going for like the past 15-20 years... but this was Jon's first seminar. The University of Northwest Ohio (UNOH) treated us like royalty! That's right... US! It wasn't just for the guys, the women were invited, and spoiled, too!
Day 1 -
Race car driving (real race cars or trucks of our choice!), go cart racing, pizza, etc. followed by a HUGE welcome banquet in the evening with 4 different cuisines to choose from.
My dad was scheduled to drive a couple hours before we were...


... but it would have been SO fun to be on the track together!!
Here's Jon and I walking down to the pits...

waiting...

getting all strapped into the trucks... (I was even going to drive my OWN truck!)


... and that's where the fun came to a screeching HALT! We were all geared up... hearts a pounding... and then it started to rain. So they shut down the track for the day... and sadly enough there was no driving experience for us!

We were then treated to a nearby hotel free of charge (for both nights!). We didn't pay a penny for anything the whole weekend we were at the seminar! Craziness!

Day 2 -
Guys : Update classes (which were really really good, according to the gents!)
Girls: SPA DAY! Delightful, I tell ya! Manicure, Pedicure, Facial, Make Up, Color Classes, and a lovely catered lunch. The evening banquet was just as good as the night before with costumes suggested to keep the mood light! We aren't the dressing up type, but with over $9000 in prize money (first place got $1000), we decided to suck it up and don a mask! The theme was "Disney, Cartoons and Comics."

We didn't win any mullah... but Jon did manage to win $200 by playing Family Feud!


Day 3 -
Guys: Update classes (both guys came home loaded with free "garage stuff" and said the classes were, once again, very informative!)
Girls : Go home and relieve the AMAZING friend who watched my babes for 2 days! At least that's what this mama did! The other ladies were treated to a day out shopping, seeing museums, and a big buffet lunch!

Thanks again Patty for being absolutely WONDERFUL with the girls, and for giving up two days of your summer to watch them! They loved it... Alia still jumps up and down at the mention of "Miss. Patty!"

My goodness... what a wonderful little getaway we had! Isn't it crazy what 1 or 2 days away can do?! We had SO SO much fun and look forward to next years seminar!!

Corn and Canning

It's been fun to be home while the garden is flourishing. We've been canning and freezing til the cows come home!
Beets, Beans, Peas, Corn, Tomatoes... the list will continue, I'm sure!

We had a new little member to add to our canning club.



My Grandma's corn recipe is SO SO GOOD. Gracious. If I could take back coolers and coolers of the stuff, I would! Seriously...




Mmmm... not to mention her pizza sauce recipe. We have freshly sealed jars sitting on the counter as I speak.


And since bringing trailers full of it back to Manitoba is NOT an option... I will be canning some as soon as time allows when we get back!

See that little Nuk?

It's never been too far from Larren. She's a little addict to say the least!
BUT... today she's going cold turkey. I've made it clear to her, myself, and all those involved that she is no longer going to have a pacifier!

And I must say... she's doing WONDERFUL! I'm actually really, really surprised how well she's done without it. So, see ya later alligator... there's a new girl in town!

Terrible Twos...

... I don't think so. I'm not buying it for a minute. Yeah, there's the whole "I do it! No, I DO IT!" thing and the occasional temper tantrum... but overall I love the 2 year old age. Love, love, love it.

Like today, for instance, Alia isn't Alia... she is "Skinny Minny Peanut Baby Hippo". Where she comes up with some of this stuff is beyond me!
Goodness... if only freezing time were an option!!