Trip to Pennsylvania

Looks like something never got published from...October! I feel like we fully took advantage of the fall weather and while we were there. 

We made sure to go to Highland Orchards to see the animals and get some apple cider donuts - SO yummy! The kids had so much fun playing with uncle Ben on the slides and giant tires.

Another highlight of our trip was going to Lake Harmony, PA for the weekend, which is up in the Pocono mountain range. Had some cooler weather and hiked the trail to Hawk Falls, which was gorgeous!










My parents stayed at Lake Harmony Inn right on the lake which had a beautiful view and Ava loved sitting out around the fire pit with uncle Ben.



I bounced back and forth between where my parents were staying and a cabin that was a mile away where my friends from high school were staying. We were celebrating 10 years of being friends! We did lots of fun things like cook for each other, play games, hike, talk and laugh our heads off, build a fire, drop beats around said fire, ha! Love them. And they were SO fun and nice to my kids, can never be too grateful for that, MUAH!


The day after getting back we went over to New Jersey to my cousin Lori's house for a little birthday party/visit for me! I always look forward to seeing them when we go home, she and my other cousin Allison are just the sweetest, so fun to talk to - and both happen to have boys about the same age as Ava so it is always fun to share crazy toddlers stories :) And there is NEVER a lack of food at a Sandone gathering, my kind of people!

 side side note: 3 months later I hear from Lori that Xavier (furthest to the left) is still talking about Owen and can't wait for him to come again - this cute kid has 3 sisters in middle/high school so having another boy in the house must have been quite memorable for him. Can't wait to see them again!

Couldn't leave the state without a birthday breakfast with the sweetest girl there is. She makes everyone around her feel so special and she showered Ava and I with fun gifts for our birthdays and brought me to West Chester (Classic Diner), one of my favorite places ever. She makes me feel like I'm at home even when I'm miles away! Thank you Nicole.

And this picture just makes my skin crawl a tiny bit at the thought of doing a solo trip with two littles again but they sure are cute (and honestly, they did way better than I expected and it could have been much worse)!!

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Dapper Boy

Oh I just love this boy! I had to take some pictures of him in his little church outfit that he is almost about to grow out of! I feel like I am hanging on to my little newborn for dear life...he'll be toddling before I know it.

 



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December Sleigh Ride

 Devin knows that I usually like "experiences" over a physical gift, so he was awesome and treated us all to a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the beautiful landscape of Garden Valley, ID. 

 ^^Teal, Tyne, and Madison :)

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Winter Wonderland

Thanks to the inversion that is keeping the fog in the valley, we wake up to frosty branches and bushes.  Such a beautiful sight. I am sure going to miss this magical view we have.

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Strolling in Philadelphia

Ava and I spent the night at Nicole's apartment in Philly near Thomas Jefferson University, where she is getting her masters. I just love this girl, she was an incredible hostess and could not wait to take us around the city.

Woke up and walked to Whole Foods for breakfast and then just walked and talked and looked at cute shops along the way.  We didn't get down in the heart of the sight-seeing downtown which was fine because it was a chilly day and Nicole showed me some places that she and Kurt took engagement pictures.  So, the photo buffs that Nicole and I are - we spent most of our time taking fun pictures with Ava!

^^Somehow the trees are green and the leaves on the ground were yellow.  Strange to still so a lot of green around! But everything was so beautiful :)

 ^^Don't worry, this wasn't a stray cat, it belonged to someone on the street. Ava went nuts as soon as she saw it. She's a total animal lover

I love the charm and history of old cities.  You can feel the love. 

Nicole and I were talking on the way home about how refreshing it is to see houses along a street that don't have the cookie cutter mold and have big trees in the yards and nice space between the houses.  I loved driving up and down hills and turning corners. 'Til we meet again, PA!

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