Ten Good Things

I'm in Pennsylvania right now, away from my computer and pictures, and I'm not used to posting without illustration! But I hate having a whole week go by without posting anything, so I thought I'd copy my sister Brittney and make a list of the good things that have happened lately. Besides, being in the month of November, it's a great time to focus on the positive and realize how many things we have to be grateful for!

-I got to fly out to my hometown, York, PA with Cami last Wednesday. Although we had to leave Jake at home so he could continue being a hard workin boy, it's been SO nice to get away and be home with my parents for a visit.
-The Southwest flight had lots of empty seats so they let me lug Cam's huge car seat onto the plane and have her sit in it for most of the flight. She took a nap for over an hour, and we had a good time reading, eating snacks and coloring. I even survived without Dramamine! I've been taking it for every flight I've been on since I was like 18, cuz I tend to get a little motion sick, but I think it's more of a mental thing. This time, I didn't have time to grab a couple pills before the flight, but I was totally fine even during the turbulent times. Yay.
-Cam got to see her Grandma and Grandpa Toone for the first time in 3 months and has loved playing at their house. Little mini chairs, lots of animal & ABC books, stuffed animals and baby dolls and a little tricycle have been amongst her favorite play things.
-I've been enjoying the endless supply of goodies that my mom keeps stocked in the house. :) Candy from the piano student goodie box, homemade gooey caramel corn, pumpkin muffins...mmmm. Parents always have the best food.
-Cam and I have stayed on Utah time for the most part. So she goes to bed around 10, I go to bed in the nice big king sized bed around midnight, and wake up around 9. Perrrrfect.
-We took a vacation on a vacation last week by driving down to Virginia with my parents and staying in a hotel on Friday night. My good friend Pippi, who was my very first roommate at BYU, got married and had a reception that night and I just happened to be on the right coast! It was so fun to see her after all these years, and to get Cam dolled up in a party dress. Cami was the dancing queen of the night, and did not move from the dance floor the entire time, doing her twirl dancing.
-On Saturday we got to visit D.C. and the Smithsonians. We walked past the White House, my first time doing it, and went to the Smithsonian of Natural History. Cam loved seeing all the animals and bugs. We got to attend another friend's reception that night, also in Virginia, and wrap up our fun mini vacation.
-Cami actually got through nursery at my parent's ward with NO tears! The trick is PLAYDOUGH. They sit down at a table and play with play dough right at the beginning, and that totally got Cam's attention and she didn't even notice me leave. Brilliant. It was fun to be in my old ward again and to actually attend Relief Society for the first time in a year and a half. It was a lovely lesson on visiting teaching that inspired me to be better.
-I got to see good friends this week that I haven't seen in a long time and who make me happy. My dear friend Sommer, BFF from highschool, came over with her 3 boys and I loved visiting with her again. I got to visit with my 2nd family, the Shoemakers, at their house, and see Brooke at Isaacs today where I got some super yummy chocolate peanut butter birthday pie.
-Yesterday, I took a day trip with cute Kelli and her 17 month old Kylee to one of my favorite places in the world: Amish Country! Intercourse, to be exact. Kitchen Kettle Village, to be ultra specific. I got to sample dozens of yummy jams and salsas, enjoyed a buttery cinnamon sugary soft pretzel, watched a cute Amish lady dipping candles, visited cute little animals at a petting zoo, and loved the perfect weather and fall leaves.