Fruit man and first time in a shopping cart:

Arlin loves fruit/food. I usually find him here:

 Deciding which fruit to eat first:

 Summer picnics have been a blessed way of sparing my home from fruit messes

 I roll him a fruit and keep painting (after oohing and aahhhing).

 

 Arlin's look of wonder as he rides in a shopping cart for the first time!

And then a look of pure joy:

The next day....

Camp RS

For the women's organization at church, Relief Society, I helped plan an end of summer dinner we themed "Camp RS," or Camp Relief Society. I was assigned to make the posters and invitations...and I got paper crafty! 

I like how it all turned out. 

Elliott's 3rd Birthday

Happy Birthday, Elliott! You are 3.

Between trips to Ithaca and Southern California, we planned an impromptu 3rd Birthday for Elliott with friends and family. Just good food, friends, babies, and a kid's swimming pool full of bubbles :)

Watkin's Glen

Watkin's Glen is a beautiful, dense example of the unique gorges in the Ithaca/Finger Lakes region. There is a short (1.5 mile) trail through the narrow, wet canyon, passing 17 waterfalls. Here is a photo-tour beginning in the parking lot right at the mouth of the canyon:

 But first, let's fuel up on soda to last the 1.5 miles: 

 The trail entrance is a short cave to the right of this bridge:

 It is beautiful the way the water cut through the shale (?)

 Pools and narrow chutes

 A spiral staircase in the rock brings us above the steep wall of the waterfall.

 Lush greenery on every side:

 A little example of the rectangular pools made from the shale splitting in straight lines and 90 degree angles:

 I love all the stone bridges:

 Watkin's Glen could be the scene for a Lord Of The Rings elf kingdom:

 At the end of the canyon is a steep stairway out to the upper parking lot, shuttles to take you to the lower parking lot, and a snack shack.

 On our way back down the glen. A short, pleasant walk.

 Then we met Adam's brother's family at the Watkin's Glen pool, free with your parking pass.

 Cousin Darwin and Aunt Tirzah

 I love catching new glimpses of Arlin's developing face and features. He is still new to me and I am always surprised when he doesn't look like Elliott :)