Vacation to VA & PA

April 13th-23rd, Kelly & I took our second voyage to the East coast to visit everyone on my mom's side of the family. Kelly did so good traveling the first time we went, when she was about 2 1/2, I expected this to go as well or better, and... (thankfully) it did! She did absolutely great in the airport and on the plane, even with a change of planes, she followed along with the plan and we had a great time.


We flew into Norfolk/Virginia Beach first to stay with our cousins Patty & Nathan. After chillin there a couple days, we packed up the car and went on a road trip up to York, PA. According to my cousin Patty who does that jaunt all the time, this trip normally takes about 6 hours with a stop half-way for lunch. Well... with Kelly still newly fully potty-trained, we had to make a stop everytime she had to go, which was like 10! So the 6-hour trip turned into 8! We didn't stress though, just enjoyed the ride and each other as much as possible. (But I will say, thank GOD for portable DVD players!) Here are a couple photos at one of the many rest-stops.




We finally arrived at Aunt Lois' house in York, PA. Kelly and Nathan were excited to "camp out" on the air matress....

...and play on Aunt Lois' furniture. They liked rolling around the living room on the wheeled ottoman. (Don't think the neighbor below liked it much!)





While in York, we went to visit Neil's gravesite and to talk to the Cemetary Director about a special tribute/memorial they were constructing to honor our lost heros, including Neil. They are going to hang a banner in his honor, the dedication will take place over Memorial Day. Being in a a funeral home or cemetary office to me sort of feels like being in Church or the Library in the sense that you feel like you need to be really quiet. Not sure why that is... In any case, the kids (especially MINE) were being a bit antsy, so I decided to take them outside to... er, play...but then didn't want them running around or climbing on the gravestones... so thankfully, we found this little grassy hill which made for great fun rolling down over and over again! (never mind the headstones!)

Our second night in York, we visited with some of Patty's hometown girlfriends. The kids played while we had a yummy dinner and lots of wine, laughs and group facebooking. The kids had a blast playing together - here is Kelly's first encounter with a hamster - so cuuuute!

That Saturday, Aunt Lois arranged for a family gathering at her community clubhouse. Kelly & I got to see and visit with almost everyone on mom's side of our family. We ate, drank, gabbed, visited, played and caught up on each others lives. It was a wonderful family reunion, and I look forward to doing it again next year! Here is Kelly's (Great) Aunt Lois & Uncle Gary.

Saturday night, Aunt Lois had the joy and privelege of watching the kids so that us big kids could go out for a night on the town in York! We warmed up with some card-playing at cousin Steve & Nissa's house, then we were off to the York Pub, the best dive in town, where I wowed the crowds with my kareoke talents. We ended the evening with some dancing at another club that none of us could remember the name of, and brought in the early morning with breakfast at Steve & Nissa's again. What a fun night - my cousins rock! Here is a pix of us early in the evening at the Pub - clockwise - Missy, Tim, Steve, Nissa, Patty & me:

Thankfully, our ride home took a lot less time than the ride up, with only one stop made at lunch (wow!), but we were all pretty cranky by hour #5 - The DVD players ran out of juice and the kids were sick of all the toys they brought, so we resorted to People magazines! They still were not amused!

Back in Virginia Beach, we visited the other memorial site for Neil at the entrance of the community they live in. It is nice to see that even after several years that Neil is still remembered and so honored in the community, especially for Nathan, as it helps to keep his memory alive for him.

That week, Nathan had to go back to school, but we went to visit him one day and brought Wendy's (Kelly's favorite). Nathan was excited and proud to show us his school and classroom. Kelly was in awe and I think it really helped get her excited about the prospect of her going to "school" soon too.

We had SUCH a fun time! Kelly loved hanging out with her cousins and was really sad to leave. But we'll look forward to another voyage to the east coast again soon!

Easter Fun!

Every holiday gets more & more fun for all of us as Kelly gets older and gets a deeper understanding and interest in the traditions involved with each. This Easter was no exception. I especially liked that I was able to use the Easter bunny (as we did with Santa this year) as a way to keep her in line! i.e. "You need to clean up and be a good listener, otherwise the Easter bunny might not bring you any treats for your basket!" Most of the time, this was of great enough concern to her that she would think twice about misbehaving!

So, Kelly & I went up to Nana & Papa's the night before Easter to visit & spend the night (I had to explain and assure her that the Easter bunny knew she would be there and would still bring her a basket!). She woke up to a huge basket on the table and a bunch of eggs to hunt for around the house. She was really excited!

Then I dressed her in the adorable Easter dress that mommy couldn't resist this year, complete with matching bonnet, gloves, and purse. She loved dressing up and looked adorable!

This year, daddy took her to her first ever live visit with the Easter bunny. She was not at all scared or intimidated and treated him like her good buddy. (she knows how to get those jelly beans!)

Misc Kelly Moments - Mar & Apr 09

Just a few random moments cought on film these past couple months....too cute not to share! (as far as this mom's concerned at least!)


Like this one...I just thought she looked so cute this particular day all dressed up in her little outfit ready to head to daycare. Most of the time now, she insists on choosing her outfits, so it's quite rare that everything matches as well as it did this day. Love the look too... "Aw Mooooommm! Put the camera awaaaay!"


I used to take oodles of bath time pictures, but I guess I have grown a little more modest as my baby has started growing into a little girl. Couldn't resist this one though. She has discovered the blissful feeling of "floating" and loves to float on her back and relax during every bath. So after we wash hair & bod, she says, "ok, mom, go out now." So I leave her alone while she does this little floating meditation thing. (I peer in often to make sure she is ok!) (ps - yes, that is a temporary flower tatoo on her cheek - if left alone, those things take weeks to go away!)

This is at our local park, Leucadia Oaks, which we visit 2-3 times a week or more. It has fun play equipment and a big open grassy area to run around on. If none of the other kids we know that go there happen to be there that day, she insists I engage in an imaginary adventure with her on the play equipment. She is always "in charge". Here she was driving the "pirate ship" trying to escape some other bad (imaginary) pirates that were about to get us.

At the end of March, Nana & Papa and Gee-gee B all moved in to a great new house together, still in Murrieta. Before our first visit, I told Kelly all about it. She pondered for a moment and then asked me, "will all my toys be at the new house too?" (she has a box of stuff that they have collected for her that is her toys when she visits so I don't have to bring so much). Ah, the priorities of a toddler!

She loves their big bathtub! Now THAT's a bubble bath!