VALEN
We let Valen skip school today so that she could go with us to Palmyra. Our first stop was The Hill Cumorah. Valen enjoyed being the leader and showing everyone which way to go and how to do things. When we got to the top she spent most of her time looking for the cat that was there last time we went. Next, we went to the Smith Family Farm and the Sacred Grove. This time we took the tour of the log cabin and frame house. Every time we go there, Valen begs to go on the tour and it has never worked out for us, but this time it did. I think she still liked the barn the best, even though it is not a part of the tour. We didn’t spend very much time in the Sacred Grove because Riley was getting a little crazy, so the girls and I went back to the car so that Grandpa Mike and Leah could have a few moments of silence in the Grove. After stopping to get some pictures of the Temple we headed into Palmyra. We went to Grandin’s Printing Press. Valen’s favorite part was folding the replica sheet of Book of Mormon pages. Then we went to the LDS Harvest bookstore where Valen gave me all the reasons why she needed everything she saw.
RILEY
We went to Palmyra first thing in the morning. We stopped at The Hill Cumorah first. The weather was warm with a little wind, but there was snow on the ground and that had Riley’s attention very first thing. She had one glove wet before we even got into the visitor’s center. She really wanted to go into the Christus room, so, while everyone else was talking to the Sister Missionaries, her and I went in. She enjoyed looking at the statue, and I showed her the nail prints in his hands and feet and told her that Jesus got those because he died for us because he loves us. She sat for just a brief moment and looked into his face. When everyone else came in and they started the presentation I told Riley to be quiet so she could hear what Jesus wanted to say to her. When the voice started talking she seemed very surprised and looked over at the statue. When she realized that he wasn’t actually talking she went back to climbing all over the chairs.
When we got outside, again Riley was drawn to the snow. The only way I could get her up the hill was to run along side her and tell her we had to catch up to Valen. She also liked walking on top of the retaining walls. Every once in a while she would stop, look at me and say, “Bye, bye Mom,” and turn around and start back down the hill.
Next, we went to the Smith Farm and Sacred Grove. First, we went to the log home. Riley loved walking outside to each structure, but wasn’t so excited that she couldn’t run around the log cabin and play in the fireplace and swing on the ropes that blocked the off limit rooms, or get on the beds upstairs or play with the place settings on the table. In the frame house she liked the two bowls of pinecones underneath the kitchen table. She had to make sure each bowl had exactly the same amount of pinecones. It took her several tries before she got it right. She didn’t like the barn or the machine shed, but liked crunching in the leaves to the Sacred Grove. We made it as far as the outdoor chapel when we stopped and let Riley run around and get some energy out. Then we headed to the car to get some snacks.
We stopped by the Temple on our way into town so Grandpa Mike and Leah could get some pictures. Then off to the grocery store to get some food. Riley ran up and down the isles and became obsessed with the package on one of the frozen turkeys.
Then we went to the Grandin Printing Press. Once again, like the first time we went there, Riley was super excited about the elevator. She ran through all of the rooms and had to go behind every rope they had there. This time she also really enjoyed looking down at the floors below us.The final stop was the LDS Harvest bookstore. Riley ran straight into the toy room. At one point she went around the store and collected as many of the CTR teddy bears as she could and put them in the toy box. We had to get them out and put them back, she wasn’t so happy about that.
October 31, 2008
VALEN
Valen did go to school today. Grandpa Mike, Riley and I went to her school to watch her in the school Halloween parade. Her and William Eaton walked with each other. Then, during the Arthur video, she got to hand out her Halloween treats—ghost suckers and pumpkin cookies.
A quick trip home to get Justin and then we were off again to the Albright-Knox art gallery. Riley and I left 15 minutes into it, so I didn’t get to spend much time with Valen, but I think that she liked the gift store the best, “When kids go to museums, they never know what to expect, but they always know there is going to be a gift shop.”
After the art museum we went Trick-or-Treating with Ron Douglas and his daughter, Anoth. Valen decided to dress up in her Karate uniform instead of being Ash. I think she had fun—all of the kids were four and under. There were several cats to help out though, and most of them followed her. After that we went to The Royal for dinner with Grandpa Mike and Leah.
A quick trip home to get Justin and then we were off again to the Albright-Knox art gallery. Riley and I left 15 minutes into it, so I didn’t get to spend much time with Valen, but I think that she liked the gift store the best, “When kids go to museums, they never know what to expect, but they always know there is going to be a gift shop.”
After the art museum we went Trick-or-Treating with Ron Douglas and his daughter, Anoth. Valen decided to dress up in her Karate uniform instead of being Ash. I think she had fun—all of the kids were four and under. There were several cats to help out though, and most of them followed her. After that we went to The Royal for dinner with Grandpa Mike and Leah.
RILEY
We started the day off at Wegman’s, where Grandpa Mike and Leah bought Riley a ghosty sugar cookie. Then we drove around down town looking at a lot of the old churches and buildings. After a quick stop at the Lexington Co-Op, we headed to Valen’s school for her Halloween party. We watched the kids parade around the school—Riley spent most of her time digging in the mossy dirt; and then we went inside for some Halloween treats and to watch Arthur videos.
After that we came home to pick up Justin and then head to the Albright-Knox art gallery. Riley made it for about 15 minutes before I decided that instead of chasing her around a museum with millions of dollars worth of art, we should run around outside at a playground. Deleware Park is right behind the art museum, so we went there instead. There is a pond/lake there that you can walk right up to. Riley was very excited and told me to take her shoes off so she could get in the water. She was very disappointed when I wouldn’t. So we headed up to the playground, passing some ladies with their very little dogs; Riley insisted they were cats, but I assured her they were dogs. She looked at me and said, “Cats.” End of discussion. We had a lot of fun at the playground. I pushed Riley in the swing for a few minutes, and then attempted the big kid playground, but decided that was too scary—she stood at the top of the big slide and cried. We went to the little playground and she climbed up the pole, went through the tunnel and came down the slide, over and over and over and over. The only variation was that eventually she wanted me to lift her onto the playground equipment and bypass the pole. At one point we did lay down on the slides and pretend to sleep.
After Justin and Valen were done in the art museum, we met up with Ron Douglas and his little girl, Anoth, for some Trick-or-Treating. At first, Riley was very unhappy and did not want to walk, wear her coat or even her costume. But by the end, she was running from house to house, even dragging us and yelling for more treats and candy. We found several cats along the way, and that did lend some entertainment.
After that, we went to eat at The Royal with Grandpa Mike and Leah. Riley ate everyone’s bread and had two cups of chocolate milk. She was also put out that I didn’t let her play in the fountain on the wall behind the tables.
After that we came home to pick up Justin and then head to the Albright-Knox art gallery. Riley made it for about 15 minutes before I decided that instead of chasing her around a museum with millions of dollars worth of art, we should run around outside at a playground. Deleware Park is right behind the art museum, so we went there instead. There is a pond/lake there that you can walk right up to. Riley was very excited and told me to take her shoes off so she could get in the water. She was very disappointed when I wouldn’t. So we headed up to the playground, passing some ladies with their very little dogs; Riley insisted they were cats, but I assured her they were dogs. She looked at me and said, “Cats.” End of discussion. We had a lot of fun at the playground. I pushed Riley in the swing for a few minutes, and then attempted the big kid playground, but decided that was too scary—she stood at the top of the big slide and cried. We went to the little playground and she climbed up the pole, went through the tunnel and came down the slide, over and over and over and over. The only variation was that eventually she wanted me to lift her onto the playground equipment and bypass the pole. At one point we did lay down on the slides and pretend to sleep.
After Justin and Valen were done in the art museum, we met up with Ron Douglas and his little girl, Anoth, for some Trick-or-Treating. At first, Riley was very unhappy and did not want to walk, wear her coat or even her costume. But by the end, she was running from house to house, even dragging us and yelling for more treats and candy. We found several cats along the way, and that did lend some entertainment.
After that, we went to eat at The Royal with Grandpa Mike and Leah. Riley ate everyone’s bread and had two cups of chocolate milk. She was also put out that I didn’t let her play in the fountain on the wall behind the tables.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
