Over Packed

Apparently LP and I really overpacked, we brought the cold, wet weather with us to Tulsa. We were so excited for the mid-70 degree weather that they have been enjoying out here. When we walked out of the airport we were greeted by rain, and I listened to the thunder as I fell asleep last night. This morning we woke up to find some large snowflakes blowing around the yard.


Within 2 hours the yard was completely covered in snow, the trees hanging down under the weight, huge flakes coming thick and heavy, and the power flickering on and off. It is the strangest thing, I don't think I have ever heard thunder during a snowstorm before.

Tulsa

LP and I made it safely to Tulsa today. It was a long day of traveling, starting with a 2.5 hour drive to Eka's house, then a flight to Detroit, a dash to make our connection, and another flight to Tula, with no stop for lunch in between, but LP was a trooper. She earned her wings (and an apple from first class)on the first flight for being so good, and only cried for about 3 minutes on the second flight when an announcement over the speakers woke her up from her nap after only 20 minutes.

She got a little upset when I told her the plane was getting ready to land in Tulsa, she thought the plane needed to go up into the clouds to get to Nana and PopPop's house. But she was thrilled when we got off the plane and found Nana, PopPop, and Molly all waiting for us.

We stopped for pizza on the way to the house then LP quickly made herself at home when we got here. She showed us all right to her bedroom and proceeded to pull out everything she remembered from the last trip. She and Molly quickly become friends again and we are happy to be here.

The Ice Cream Truck

Lilypad Princess made a new friend at the beach this summer, the ice cream truck driver. Around 4:00 each afternoon he would make his way past our house, playing his music as he went. By the time we could grab our money and make it out the door, he was usually a few houses down. LP and I would go racing after him, with LP yelling, "Stop, wait!" And one time it was, "Stop, wait, I love you!"

Soon he was slowing down as he passed our house waiting to see if we were there. He remembered what LP's favorite popsicle was, even when we hadn't been there for a couple of weeks. When Auntie La was visiting for the weekend, LP wanted to introduce her to her friend and the excitement of the ice cream man.

Amazement

Lilypad Princess and Nana look on with amazement as the bridge we just walked across rises high into the air.

Childhood Is...

Dancing anyway you want


Believing in pirates


Running through the waves


Staring contests


Swinging high enough to reach the sun


Crabbing


Flying horses


Climbing a tree


Building a sandcastle taller than you


An ice cream cone after dinner


Crashing at the end of a full day



Put them all in one vacation and you have a summer you never will forget.

Shoes On The Beach

Toes In The Sand

And We're Back

Lilypad Princess, Nana, and I have returned from almost 3 weeks at the beach. Lilypad Dad spent a week with us, then came back for a weekend. We had lots of visitors while we were there, Eka, Auntie La, Auntie Diane, Uncle Eli, Baby James and his mom, Jack and Sarah and their family, and as a special last minute guest, Pop Pop!

I will never be able to catch up on all three weeks of events individually, but I will do a few picture posts. Here is a partial list of what made the past 3 weeks so special and full of memories.

1. Visiting
2. Children's Museum
3. Watch Hill Flying Horse Carousel
4. Beach
5. Park
6. Crabbing
7. Walks into town
8. Mystic
9. Dinner Dates
10. Yarn Shops
11. Relaxing in the yard
12. Book Barn
13. Pool
14. Ice Cream Truck
15. Watching the Moon
16. Paperdolls
17. Puzzles
18. Books on CD
19. Angelina Ballerina
20. Climbing Trees
21. Local Fair
22. Music at the Winery
23. Tag Sales
24. Bike Riding
25. Kite Flying

Connecticut Children's Museum

During our last trip to the beach Lilypad Princess took her first alone class at the Children's Museum. We went over earlier in the morning to let her play for a while first, and as usual she spent the majority of her time in the Mexican restaurant serving us rice, beans, tacos, and ice cream.





She also enjoyed blowing bubble, making music and climbing the rock wall outside. The tv weather station also kept her occupied for awhile, she apparently likes watching herself on tv.







After an hour or two it was time for class. Lilypad Princess walked into the classroom without a backwards glance at Lilypad Dad or me. This was her first full class without a parent, and she did a great job. She enjoyed sitting on her carpet square for story time, chose goldfish and water for her snack, and did a great job during the playdough craft time. I had a much harder time than she did, and spent 40 of the 45 minutes watching through the window.

The Essex Steam Train & Riverboat

The highlight of our second trip to the beach house this summer was a ride on the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat. Lilypad Dad surprised us with tickets for the Parlor Car, so we took the train ride in 1920's style. Lilypad Princess loved having a little table to put her water on and being able to swivel her chair around to look out all the windows. We took the train up to a dock and from there boarded a riverboat. The riverboat was not as exciting to LP as the train, she was very happy to get back on the train. We can't wait to go back, we are looking forward to the North Pole Express train in December.


showing off her parlor car seat


watching the world fly by


the parlor car


the view of our car from the steamboat


a view of the CT river from the riverboat


back on the train again


a sleepy LP and her daddy


a sleepy LP and her mommy

On Vacation

Lilypad Princess, 2006

The Lilypad Family and Nana are off to the beach for vacation. We are going to relax, enjoy the sun, sand, and time together. I have scheduled some overdue posts, so there will be new ones while we are gone. Have a great week!

Picking Blueberries

While we were on vacation at the beach we headed to a local farm to pick blueberries. Lilypad Princess thought she was in heaven, she actually told me that she was in her favorite place ever. The blueberry bushes were down a dirt road in a big field, covered by netting to keep the birds and animals out. There were plenty of bushes and they were all covered with big, fat, dark purple blueberries.


Lilypad Dad took bucket and got down to the hard work of picking, while Lilypad Princess and I shared a bucket. She picked a couple off the first bush she came to, then got all excited when she realized there were more on the bush next to her. She ran from bush to bush yelling "mommy look, another one!" picking a berry or two and heading off to the next one to repeat the process.





She started off putting them in her bucket, then started announcing "one for the bucket, one for me" and popping one in her mouth. Soon I realized she had moved on to "one for the bucket, two for me" and soon I think she stopped putting them into the bucket at all.





Overall we picked a bucket and a half of blueberries, completely filling the large, plastic colander when we got them home. LP loved being able to run into the kitchen and grab a handful whenever she wanted them, and they were all gone before we left the beach for home.

Grandpa's House

We started off our last vacation with a night at Grandpa's house. Lilypad Princess had fun helping Grandpa and Nannie water the flowers and running around the yard as Nannie sprayed her with the hose.