Weekend in Vermont & Chicken "Pops"

One place that we have been meaning to venture to, but hadn't made it there was Vermont. On Friday morning after preschool we packed the kids in the car and drove up to Ricker Pond in Vermont. It really hasn't been too cold here, except this last weekend. I thought the girls would most likely just need a sweatshirt and last minute I ended up packing winter coats, hats & gloves. I was so glad that we did. It was FREEZING COLD!! We decided to rent a little cabin to minimize the hassle of bringing the tent and to hopefully taper off the sounds of our little kids at night so we didn't bug our neighbors. The cabin had a little bunk and a futon and we brought our sleeping bags and blankets. The cabin definitely wasn't any warmer than outside. We just walked around the campground, the pond and then cooked our tin foil dinners by the fire for dinner. For dessert we had the usual smores, which Adeline enjoyed (when it wasn't on her coat, hair, fingers or face :). When it was time for bed, we had no choice but to all fall asleep at the same time. We were all piled in next to each other to stay warm and Norah would not be quiet. The would burst out singing "Twinkle twinkle little star", but sing it in the melody and say, "Twinkle Adeline Twinkle Adeline......". This is one of Adeline's pet peeves when Norah does this and she knows it... that's why she does it! After Norah would do that over and over again Adeline would yell, "TURN YOUR VOICE OFF NORAH!!". Then Norah would be quiet and start singing again. Once she stopped singing, she would make loud noises with her mouth. After all the bickering from Adeline because she was annoyed and tired, she finally fell asleep and so did Abe. So I was stuck with Norah being loud and playing with my face. Probably after almost 2 hours she finally fell asleep. Little stinker.








Enjoying smores

Making bagels for breakfast

Eating breakfast out by the pond in the sun so we could warm up a little bit



After warming up and eating breakfast we packed up and went on a hike up to Owl's head that over looked Kittery Pond. Adeline is such an energizer bunny and wad running up the trail the entire time. she LOVES hiking. When we were done with that hike, she wanted to go on another one.





Instead of heading right home, we took a detour and went to the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Factory. We went on the tour, although they weren't in production because it was over the weekend. At the end of the tour they even gave us generous size samples of the flavor of the day.





On our way home from the factory, we drove right through Sharon Vermont, which happens to be the birth place of Joseph Smith. Abe insisted on stopping since we were practically driving right through it. Norah had barely fallen asleep for her nap (really late nap), so Adeline and Abe went and looked around for a little bit. The girls were going CRAZY on the way home because it felt like it had taken us about 10 hours (not really but that's what it felt like). All in all we had a blast and it was so pretty in Vermont!!


The next morning Adeline ran into our room and said "I have so many itchy bug bites all over!" Abe had looked at her face and she was right, they were all over. He warned me not to say anything when I looked at her face since there were so many. At first we were trying to figure out if she really got bit since we hadn't, or if a spider had eaten her alive in her bed or something. We lifted up her shirt and saw a lot more on her back and knew it most likely wasn't bites. Abe took Adeline to the doctor while Norah and I were at church (since I was supposed to teach) and they diagnosed her with Chicken Pox. Adeline has the WORST LUCK with vaccinations. They just don't seem to work on her. Last year RotaVirus and this year chicken pox. Luckily since she is vaccinated, she has a mild case. She has about 10 on her face, 10 on her back and then a handful on her arms and legs... none on her belly. She has still felt really good despite her spots, but is getting stir crazy and sad that she can't go to school or anywhere for that matter. They are starting to crust over, so hopefully she can be around other kids soon. Such a bummer she has to miss so much school when she hardly has any left. I feel so bad for her. She really is a trooper. Adeline will tell you she has CHICKEN POPS. Let's just hope Norah doesn't get them right before we are supposed to be going to Germany!!




On a side note, the movers called me last night and informed me that they are super busy next week and they wanted to come this morning to get a start on the packing. I informed them that we are not ready, but they can pack our basement and little things and we don't need. Also that anyone that comes in my house should be immune to chicken pox so they don't get them. They showed up and my house was a bomb with the such short notice and they were wanting to pack everything. Since I am not going to see my stuff for 3 months, I would at least like to go through my stuff to separate what I want to bring with me!! It turned out fine, but was really frustrating and stressful for me. I really am not ready to move yet... and especially for them to start packing us a week earlier than expected!

Random picture but I had to document it. Adeline had to answer, "I am sorry when..." at church. She had been poking Norah the entire time in sacrament and bugging her. When I saw her response after church I thought it was pretty funny.

Unaccompanied Baggage

Yesterday our unaccompanied baggage went out. Essentially it is "express baggage" and flies by plane... instead of boat like all our other stuff. This shipment is supposed to take about a month (compared to 2-3 months). We couldn't pack furniture, but were able to pack linens, some clothes, toys, baby stuff (in case our stuff takes over 3 months), an air mattress, fold up chairs, etc. Pretty much we could end up in a house without anything, so at least this stuff can get us by. Our household goods will leave in less than two weeks... yikes. This is going way too fast. Right after our shipment went out, Adeline's friend Mary came over. Adeline immediately said, "We can't play with the strawberry shortcake toys because they are on their way to Germany". She has been a really good sport thus far and has been surprisingly positive. She is just worried about missing her friend Mary; which she says is also her favorite thing about Boston.




While the movers were here Abe brought some donuts for them. Of course the girls needed first dibs on them. Adeline pretty much just eats all the frosting right off the top and then is done. Norah on the other hand will eat the entire thing, but for some reason won't touch it. Maybe too sticky? She leaves it on the table, leans over and eats it with her mouth. She is such a crack up.

Adeline's first day of school

Adeline missed her first couple days of preschool since we were in Utah, so she started last Friday. She has the same teachers as last year... Mrs. Waekling (used to be Ms. Kelley but she got married) and Mrs. Brickley). Adeline also has a handful of kids in her class that she is friends with or knows. She loved school last year too even from the beginning, but didn't talk to the teachers or socialize very much with the other kids because she was so shy. This year is quite different. She is very comfortable since she knows some of the kids, her teachers and is in the classroom across the hall from last year. Adeline loves it so far. Apparently some people may think it is rude of me for putting her in preschool when she will only be there for 5 weeks since she is "taking up a spot", but she loves it and it is nice for her to have an activity every morning. Plus I have a little time in the morning to get more done. Today after I dropped Adeline off at school, Norah and I went walking all around base for the 2.5 hours. I did stop for 15 minutes at the commissary to pick up groceries and about 15 minutes at home to drop them off, but it was really nice to get some sort of exercise. I am started to freak out a little bit with the move coming up and the big changes that lie ahead. Our first shipment goes out tomorrow... hopefully I can do a blog update :)

End of Utah and back to reality

It was SO nice to go to Utah and pretend like I had no worries :) The girls had a blast seeing their grandparents and cousins and I was so happy to be able to see Abe again. We were in Utah for two weeks before he arrived. The entire time he was gone, Norah seemed a little lost. She was ALWAYS asking where Abe went and was extremely clingy to me. I would be in a different room in my house and she would start to panic if she couldn't see me. That was a long 6 weeks for her.... and me... and Adeline. Adeline is such a little cowgirl now and wanted to go horseback riding just about everyday. We also spent a lot of time on the swings both at my parents house and Abe's parents house. Abe even sent me some pretty flowers on our 6th anniversary and then we celebrated by going out for a night once he got home. Here are some of the highlights of our trip...





























Now we are back in Boston trying to figure out what needs to be done. Between all the move stuff, my church calling that is all of the sudden seeming demanding to me, photography (almost done!), selling our car, sewing a handful more sewtinybaby covers and the baby in my belly.... things are CRAZY!! Adeline started preschool today (3 days late due to Utah) and had a great first day of school. I will post pictures this weekend. We also had a ultrasound today (I am 21 weeks) and the baby looks nice and healthy. We did not find out what it is, so that will be a surprise... even though I am pretty sure it will be a girl :)