Visiting Ash- May 2017

Last weekend I visited Ash. I got there on Cinco de Mayo so our first stop was a Mexican restaurant for dinner. Cancun Inn Chester, NY is a family restaurant and they kindly got us a table even though they were all booked and we had no reservation. We took it easy on Friday night though because we were running a 5K in the morning.

Sangria on Cinco de Mayo! 

Saturday morning we ran the Hard Cider Run 5K at Warwick Valley Winery. It was my third and hardest 5K yet. First of all, it rained a lot Friday so the running path through the vineyard was muddy and I was a bit afraid of slipping or twisting my ankle. Second, the vineyard path went uphill, downhill, uphill, downhill, over and over again. It was never-ending! And the downhill was steep enough to worry about slipping so it didn't fully make up for the uphill. On the plus side though, the view was crazy beautiful.

View of the mountains on the run

Uphill and downhill through the vineyard

Ash and I ran separately, but Ash came back for me when she was done

More beautiful trail

After the race with our bottle opener medals

After the race, we got one complimentary hard cider, but we bought another two bottles and lots of food-- more food than we could eat, though we did fine with the cider. We had so much fun just being ridiculous.

Cider waiting for us

Cheers! Regular hard cider and cranberry hard cider

After some recovery time at Ash's, we walked around Warwick a little and then went to meet Kate and Cristin for drinks and dinner. We can't resist the pull of sushi, so we didn't. On the way home, we were too stuffed for dessert but we had ice cream anyway because the Bellvale Farms Creamery is amazing and it's worth it.

Warwick flower fountain

Flower fountain selfie

Cristin, Kate, Ash, and me at Seven Lakes Station

Sushiville in Sloatsburg, NY

Bellvale Farms Creamery

Right before I started spilling ice cream

Basically the perfect weekend, and if only we didn't live so far away we could do this more. Sigh.

Jon and Ben Visit- May 2017

While I was out of town this weekend, Jon and Ben visited for an evening. Miranda's new best friend is Ben.

 

James, Ben, and Miranda

Miranda and Ben playing cars

Miranda and Ben camping in James's tent

Sleepover for the boys. James reads Ben a book.

Sunset Date Night- April 2017

Grandma said we could go out while she was visiting, and we were trying to think of a back-to-basics date so Kevin said he knew a place nearby where the sun sets over ocean. That's a tall order on the East Coast, unless you're on an island. And so we are.

Sunset over the ocean

 

West Meadow Beach walk selfie

It's pretty great

After we went for beers at Checkmate Inn, which was fabulous. The owner is fabulous, though he doesn't remember why he named the bar that. Good easy date night.

Checkmate Inn

Under the bar selfie that Kevin did not approve 

Miranda in Soccer Woddlers 2017

Miranda started soccer last Saturday and she's pretty freaked out by the whole thing. She's pretty good at controlling and kicking the ball, and even following the coach's directions, but she's freaked out by the idea of being separated from either of us in a new environment. It might be that she's a year younger than James was when he started soccer, but I worry that it's just a difference in personality and that she'll be more anxious when she starts school too.

These pictures tell the alternate facts story of a girl who played soccer games for 40 minutes instead of the true account of a girl who cried several times and asked, "Now can we go home?" over and over again. Today's second practice went the same way.

Miranda's first day at soccer, 4/22

Kick!

Dribbling drills

Ball control

Kick!! (Notice Kevin's proximity)

Playing a little tip-toe and freeze game

"Get the broccoli!"

Just so cute.

Good job!

Miranda's 3rd and James's 6th Birthday 2017

For James and Miranda's birthday, Grandma, Nana, and Bob came over last weekend. We had pizza, cake, and lots of presents from the above but also from Great-grandma, Great Aunt Nesie and Great Uncle Steve, Great Aunt Mary, and Great Uncle Dickie, and Aunt Janice. Thank you everyone! Here are the pictures.

Happy birthday James and Miranda!

Miranda blowing out her candle

James blowing out his candle

Cubans eating cake

More cake eating

Nana and her little ones

Opening presents!

Opening presents!

Nana explains real make up


James loves his chess set!

Miranda loves her Doc McStuffins doll!

Having fun in their hideaways

Miranda giving Grandma a checkup

Playing chess with Bob in the tent

Nana applying body glitter

They call each other "huggy monkeys"

Miranda's 3rd Birthday Interview 2017

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Interview, 4/24/17
What's your name? Miranda Clou-fer
What's my name? Mama
What's my husband's name? Dada. 

How old are you? Um, two.
Aren't you three? Oh, free, I think.
How old do you think I am? Um, I don't know.
How old is Dada? Um, I don't know. Is he two? 
I'm 38, and Dada is 37. How old Jame is? 
6. How old Grandma is? 
Hey, are you interviewing me now? How old great-grandma is?
93!

What is your favorite food? My favorite food is oatmeal. (But I asked again later and she said, I think yogurt.)
What's your favorite breakfast? I think oatmeal I said.
What's your favorite lunch? Just carrots.
What? Are you a bunny? I don't eat bunnies! Yuck!
Don't you like sandwiches for lunch? Peanut butter sandwich but not cheese in it. (Peanut butter & jelly sandwich, not a cheese sandwich)
What's your favorite dinner? I think, orange juice, I think. Actually, I think I like milk for dinner. (Usually does not cooperate with eating dinner unless it's mac n' cheese or pizza, but we make her eat a lot of chicken.)

Helping herself to clementines.

What is your favorite animal? I think Lambie.
What is your favorite color? Um, I think, pink!
What is your favorite book? Um, I think Caterpillars ones. (She makes me read Doc McStuffins books almost every night.)

What is your favorite song? I know which one, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star one.
What is your favorite toy? I think Lambie.
Do you sleep with any toys at night? Well, I think Doc McStuffins and Lambie. (Toys she sleeps with rotate. But she did recently sleep with them.) 
What is your favorite game? I think naked run!
What's your favorite sport? Find eggs outside. (Egg hunt with grandma.)
Well, do you like t-ball, soccer, running, or swimming? I think I like swimming most.

Maybe she'll come around on t-ball because she's got a great arm.

What is your favorite show? I think Doc McStuffins. 
Which is your favorite movie?  I like Doc McStuffins ones. (There is no Doc McStuffins movie. She likes Room on the Broom and the original Ghostbusters best.)

Are you funny? No, you are funny.
How do you know? Cuz you are. Cuz you are silly I think.

She is funny. 

Who is your best friend? Grandma is.

With her bestie.

Do you love me? Yes! 
Do you love Dada? Yes! 
Do you love James? Yes!

What do you think love means? I think love means, I love you.
Do you want to get married one day? Yes.
What do you think the person that you marry should be like? Um, I don't know.

What's your favorite thing about Grandma? I think I love her.
But what do you like about her? When she gets my toys.
What's your favorite thing about Nana? I like when she visits. She justs puts makeup on me. (Took me a long time to understand her word for "visit.")
What about Bob? What I like about Bob, I like when he visits.

Nana and Miranda's new makeup set

What do you like to do with Dada? Play games with him.
What do you like to do with Mama? Love you and play checkers with you. (I have never played checkers with her. Though we have done some Candyland.)
What do you like to play with James? I play with him.
But what do you play? Cuz I don't want to play Castle of Illusion, just doctor. (Castle of Illusion is a Kindle Disney game.)

Good buddies.

What do you like to play with Grandma? Play doctors.
What do you like to play with Nana? I don't know. 
What about makeup? Oh, I like to do makeup but Nana puts the makeup on me.

What do you like to play with Bob? I don't know. 
What about the tent? Did Bob go in the tent? I don't know about that.

Bob playing with Miranda in the tents

What do you want to want to be when you grow up? I think, a doctor I think.
How come? Cuz, I want to help everyone, I guess.
Do you know what Dada's job is? What? (I explained. Maybe she'll know next year.)

What do you like better the beach, the library, the aquarium, or the playground? I think the playground.
How come? Cuz, I love to be out there.

What else do you think I should ask? Oh, what? Why Grandma gets toys for me?
Okay, why do you think Grandma gets toys for you? Cuz she loves me.

Okay last one, what do you think the meaning of life is? What do you think life is for? For rescuing someone.

The little one is a wise and I love her so much.

Miranda's 2nd Birthday Interview 2016

James's 3rd Birthday Interview 2014