October 2023

 

October 2023 was a whirl of preparing for Tim and Annika's big day.  We had lasts-- last Big Woods walk with all the children; last picture of everyone in the Camel Tree, last Sunday together for best friends at church-- and firsts-- first time I've become a lollipop factory, first Hallowe'en without a Nixie, and a first lost tooth for Lark. 

I still don't know how to write about this month, so that's that.  

T-Minus Seven (October 2023-- A Very Long Post)

 

                   

Annika's wedding was on the 21st, and in between working around the clock to finalize preparations without going crazy (I didn't succeed in this), we also squeezed in a few more family trips. 

Skylark's birthday was exactly one week before the wedding, and her birthday date request was to go to NYC. She has bone-deep memories of our trip there with Titi, and she asks to go back every year. It ended up not being possible to go to NYC, but John surprised us with a full-day family birthday trip to the capitol city! Our first stop was the Albany Pine Bush Preserve, where, among other things, we met Smoky the bear, sprayed a fire hose, and got free doughnuts and juice. We went to the New York State Museum (you should go, too!!!*), whose exhibits are not solely about New York, we rode a carousel with a view of the city, we climbed trees, and we ate pizza on a windy hilltop. 

One of the highlights of the day was when John pulled into Washington Park. Frederick Olmstead designed this park years after he designed Central Park in NYC, and it's full of ancient, magical trees to admire and climb. It was a golden cap to the day for our tree-loving girl and the rest of us tree-lovers, and I'm so grateful to John for the gift of it all.

FYI: I stole all these pictures from Susannah's, Annika's, and Mildred's phones. With thanks, girls.

*Free admission! Do it!

Stop #1: A walk in the pine bush and So Much Smokey Bear.

We even caught him stealing from the cookie jar (suspiciously wearing the same clothes that Annika was wearing that day).

The birthday girl with Papa Bear and Smokey.

Stop #2: The capitol city! We had no idea where John was taking us, but the museum was top-notch.

Some of the kiddos with their spirit animals...

(Very) vintage fashion, including an exhibit featuring wedding dresses. We supplied the moose bride-to-be.

Hand-stitched detailing! 

John had told Skylark that he was taking her to see dinosaurs. This came pretty close!

"Zeke! Come here! There's PIRATE stuff!!!"

An exhibit of items from the WTC attacks was sobering.

A free carousel on the top floor of the museum, featuring the marvel of horses with real horse hair tails and marble eyes, was followed by an elevator ride and an exciting revolving door that stymied the little ones. I couldn't stop revolving. The door is like a carnival ride for hillbillies!

Stop 3: Tree Paradise

Even at 8 months pregnant, I could not resist climbing this magnificent tree.

Neither could anyone else!

The weeping beech was a beauty.

Ransom mostly ignored the trees. 

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Stop 4: Homeward bound. Pizza on a windy hilltop.

Another good day in the books.