Friday, December 23, 2016

Upstate New York: Lovebirds & Snowbirds

John’s Aunt Edie and Uncle Gene celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this month (WOW!), and to celebrate, they invited the whole family to a luncheon on Dec. 18th, near their hometown of Sidney, New York. We couldn’t resist the idea of a family reunion, so we dug out our ski clothes and booked plane tickets to upstate!

Thank goodness, Jeanne/Grandma was along for the trip or else we never would have made it. We planned to fly out on Friday, and a big snow storm was expected in the Syracuse area on Saturday. The winter weather arriving in Detroit (our connection) and delayed aircraft pushed our first leg several hours late (enough that we thought our trip wouldn’t be feasible for the entire weekend). After several hours in the Memphis Sky Club and a baby whisperer of a grandma that was able to get Cressey to nap, we finally boarded a plane to Detroit. When we arrived there, we learned our original second flight had been cancelled, so we were so thankful to have been rebooked on the last flight of the night to Syracuse. We spent some time in the Detroit Sky Club, hopped on the flight, watched snow plows soar down the runways while we were de-icing, landed in Syracuse around 10:30 p.m., and then drove two hours to Sidney. We finally laid our head on the pillow around 1:30 a.m.
Cressey wasn’t great on the flights but she wasn’t terrible (really only cries when she’s extremely tired and fighting sleep), and she seemed to flirt and befriend our neighbors more this time than our trip to the beach. HG was a dream traveler, as always, and was such a big help.

We woke up to several inches of snow on Saturday morning….and HG throwing up. Ugh. Another stomach bug, it seemed. We were able to get her out to play in the snow for a few minutes, but she soon tired out. We sent her back inside with Grandma, and John and I had a ball sledding and exploring. Cressey napped through the entire thing. John’s cousins joined us that night for visiting and game playing around the table. HG was in HOG HEAVEN following her big cousins around.

Sunday brought the anniversary party (and rain that unfortunately melted most of the beautiful snow), and all the cousins arrived, including Griffin (almost two years old) and Abby (six years old). HG had the biggest time playing with them as she has now become the big sister extraordinaire. She is like a built-in babysitter! That night, we all gathered at Edie and Gene’s house again with more time in front of the fire and playing games around the table.

We headed back to the airport on Monday morning for another long day of travel home, but thankfully, we had no delays this time- and no snow! We loved our time in upstate and found the people to be so nice, complimentary of the girls, and helpful. We loved celebrating Edie and Gene’s marriage and enjoying fellowship with cousins that we just don’t get to see often enough. That time together, as well as the memories made, is invaluable.

Thank you, Edie and Gene, for the hospitality, and congrats on fifty happy and healthy years together. Here’s to many, many more!

When I woke up on the 16th in Memphis, I rolled over to check the weather in Sidney…and I about died.
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Slowly getting moving
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At the airport ready to go…until our plane got delayed for the first of four times…
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Finally gave in and took a nap in the Memphis Sky Club with Grandma
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FINALLY ON A PLANE!!
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Detroit Sky Club was perfect for people watching for two tired little girls.
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Waiting on flight to Syracuse
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That snow piled up in the window from the time we boarded to the time we got to the mobile de-icing station. I was beginning to panic at this point, as we watched the snow plows race down the runway. Thank goodness for Grandma sitting next to me to calm me down and a sweet sleeping baby in my lap…and then HG’s nose began to gush blood…
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She slept through the first half of the flight but woke up before we landed.
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Our luggage was a bit out of control. Four suitcases, four carry-ons, two car seats, and two kids. Jeanne somehow has radar for luggage carts at airports- a trick that came in mighty handy!
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We made it to Syracuse!
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And this happened shortly thereafter…
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Made it to Edie and Gene’s house as  the snow began to fall after midnight! This was originally Jeanne’s grandparents’ house and where John and Helen Grace (Cressey) Waldron, Jeanne’s parents, retired.
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Our reward on Saturday morning
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Many, many generations have slept in this nursery.
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Watching her daddy and sissy shovel the front walk down below.
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Lunch at Roma
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The road to Edie’s
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As close as she got to snow
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Time to play!
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After HG went inside, I hopped in her place on the sled. This was the ‘after’ pic of our first ride together. “The brakes (his feet) work!”
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Poor baby did not feel well.
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Cressey generally slept really well there in the nursery adjacent to our room. Sunday morning though, she woke up around 6, so I put her back in bed with me and HG and she slept until 7:30 or so. This is a dream of a view.
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Griffin and family arrive Sunday morning.
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At the Rainbow Lodge for the party
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Abby!!!!
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In the Syracuse airport on the way home on Monday, the therapy dogs were a big hit.
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A much fought nap. Ugh.
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Atlanta Sky Club
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This is what being ‘slap worn out’ looks like. Fell asleep sitting straight up and stayed that way through the entire landing. Only woke up when I was carrying her up the jetway.
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