James got a new game about Trains, and Norah was really excited (almost as excited as James was) to unpack it and check it out. Here she is helping Daddy pop out the pieces. Now she calls the game, "My Trains" and loves to play with the little train pieces.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Patience pays off
Anna really wanted to ride in the tractor, so her mommy patiently waited with her and they FINALLY got their time to ride in it! Here they are enjoying the view from WAY UP THERE! That tractor was HUGE!
Big Wheel
Norah is both awed by and terrified by tractors. I managed to get her to stand by this one (it wasn't on!) for a photo! That's one BIG wheel!
LIncoln Park Zoo
We went to the Lincoln Park Zoo the next day, and they were having a Kid's Fall Festival. Norah and Anna got to pick out pumpkins and pet goats, etc. Here they are petting a goat who wants nothing more than to be left alone!
North Park Homecoming
Norah and I went to Chicago in early October so that I could attend North Park's Homecoming (it's my 10 year anniversary from graduating from college--I feel old!) AND visit some friends. Here are Norah and Anna wearing matching NPU shirts.
River Museum
Here are Norah and Daddy near the entrance after a long morning of musing at the museum. She loved this tank behind them; it had river fish and turtles in it.
In the bubbles
Then it was my turn to join Norah in the bubbles. Here we are looking at a little sand lizard nearby.
National Mississippi River Museum
We drove to Dubuque one day, which is on the Mighty Mississippi River, to visit this museum. They had a really neat exhibit where you could crawl under the enclosure, and then pop your head up in these bubbles to see the lizards they had in there up close and personal.
Norah loved it!
Kids' area
They left one pile of sand for the kids to run and play in. Norah liked it, but was concerned about getting her feet and hands "dirty".
Sand Castle Festival
In September (yes, people, September...I haven't updated in a while...), I looked out the window while I was teaching and noticed huge piles of sand in the streets. I asked my students what was going on, and one of them replied that there was going to be a sand sculpture festival that weekend.
I had to bring James and Norah by the next day to check them out. This one is a mermaid.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Exploring
We went out to the gorge with Nonna, Jeri, and Breeana, who came to visit. Bree and Norah had a great time exploring the river bed, We saw frogs, little fish, insects, birds, and some crayfish.
Fossil Gorge
Near the Coralville Dam north of Iowa City, there is a place called Fossil Gorge. It is here that, in 1993, when floodwaters topped the spillway, thousands of Devonian fossils were uncovered in the river bed. Last year, in the floods of 2008, more of the bed was stripped away to reveal new fossils. Here is Norah exploring the now-dry riverbed for fossils.
It's been a long day!
Norah and Ethan both conked out around 1:30 p.m., so we made our way to the cars to go home. I don't think that Norah has ever fallen asleep in her stroller (not since infancy anyway)--so she must have been exhausted!
Travelling band
A travelling band of ducks and their owner stopped at the fair to be an attraction. He was trying to do his act, and Norah kept running into the middle of the circle to pet the ducks. There were all dressed in renaissance garb--very strange but very cute!
The owner and his ducks are walking across the USA--maybe they will make a stop in YOUR town, too!
Grand Avenue
The main strip of the fair is called "Grand Avenue." Here is where you can find virtually any food on a stick and any fried food you can dream of. Yummers!
The Petting Zoo
They had a little petting zoo for kids. The goats were a BIG hit with Norah and Ethan!
2nd Place
It's no fun to be in second place--especially when your sole "talent" is being the biggest boar in Iowa. This guy weighed 1,071 lbs, and was lying on the ground, shallowly breathing (poor thing!!!). He was out-weighed by about 30 lbs. Better luck next year!
I took a photo of the sign because you can see the owners: not Joe and Sally Q from Yourtown, IA, but rather "Commercial Edge Genetics!!!" In the future, all our pork will come from gargantuan pigs!
It's Fair Time!
All my siblings (except Marco...) came out to Iowa with their significant others and children and went to the Iowa State Fair. As always, it was a great time--very crowded, but not too hot and lots of good (fried) foods. The best was the fried twinkies--they were very very tasty!
Here are Norah and James in the sheep barn. Norah is both intrigued by and terrified of sheep; at the Johnson county fair, one bleated right in her ear, giving her quite a scare. This one was much nicer, and Norah got to pet him.
We also saw a sheep-shearing contest--those guys were FAST, and they got extra points if they kept the wool in one piece.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
A great visit
We had such a good time with Anna and Krista. Norah still talks about Anna and the things they did together.
It was great to reconnect and spend some time with Krista, too. I am so glad they were able to come out to Iowa to see us!
Anna took this photo of us! Not bad for a pre-schooler!
Dane's Dairy
Then, we went and got ice cream from Dane's Dairy, a local establishment. Norah and Anna insisted on climbing the lawn ornaments...
Petting Zoo
We went to a little petting zoo and had a really good time petting the baby goats and cow, and chasing ducks and geese around.
Krista and Anna Visit
In early August, our friend Krista and her daughter Anna visited from Chicago. We had tons of fun with them, and even though Anna is 2 years older than Norah, they got along remarkably well!
Here they are posing by their chalk portraits.
Lake MacBride Revisited
In 2007, my cousin Alice and her boyfriend Danillo came to visit, and we took them to Lake MacBride. I took a photo with Norah in this very place--she was only 1 or 2 months old!
Here we are again, 2 years later. The time has flown, and she is becoming a very funny little girl!
Nonna visits
Nonna came for a visit in late July, and we went out to MacBride State Park to see the raptor center (where they have several recovering birds of prey that you can observe) and the lake. Here, Norah and Nonna are looking at a bald eagle that is soaring over the lake.
Best Friends
Norah wouldn't go near her Uncle Adam for the first 5 or 6 days of our stay. But, Adam's persistence paid off, and by the end, they were best friends. Sorry this photo is so blurry, but I had to PROVE that she actually did warm up to him eventually.
Sonoma and Napa Valleys
The next day we woke up early, checked out of our hotel, and drove up to Sonoma Valley for some wine tasting.
We went to a place called Kunde Estate, where we did a tasting, and took a tour of their wine cave--a cellar built underneath a big hill. The cellar holds something like 100,000 barrels of wine, and it was HUGE. They don't need air conditioning because it is underground and constantly about 55 degrees. Very nice!
Then, we were going to meet up with Peter and Liz, so we took the "scenic" route to Napa Valley for some more tastings. Here is Napa Valley when it first came into view.
Our favorite tastings of the day were at a place called "Saddleback"-it was relaxed, great wine, great atmosphere, and we WILL go back someday!
One more view
From our room on the second day. See the fog bank rolling in? The tower is Coit Tower.
Alamo Square
What is this place famous for? First person to get it right gets a prize (or maybe just the glory of being first!).
Rhubarb on Steroids
We then went to Golden Gate State Park and walked into the botanical gardens. There, we ran into this monster rhubarb plant. It was near and dear to our heart because this year all of our friends have had a bumper crop of rhubarb, so we have been eating rhubarb desserts, crisps, tarts, etc. all spring and summer! This sucker would make a LOT of rhubarb crisps!!!
Our day was not over yet...we hopped on a bus and headed for Alamo Square.
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