Fall Festivities

I really feel like we made the most of fall this year in Ithaca. I think partly this was because everyone kept telling us to get out and enjoy things before winter comes. Hopefully winter won't be as bad as people say it is. At the beginning of October, we went to the "Pigs and Apples" festival at Indian Creek Farm. Carter had a great time bobbing for apples (he totally cheated), going on a tractor ride, playing with the apple slingshot, and eating cider doughnuts.

We also went to the first annual pumpkin regatta at Beebe Lake on Cornell's campus. It was pretty entertaining to watch because most of the pumpkins were not quite big enough to be made into boats and so they pretty much just sank.

Jeremy is going to get a team together from the MBA program for next years regatta. This fall, we were also able to get some family pictures taken at the arboretum on Cornell's campus.

Carter was not thrilled about getting pictures taken, but we got a few that turned out really well.

The first semester for MBA students is broken up into two terms with a short fall break in between. This year, for fall break, we decided to to visit Providence and Newport Rhode Island with our friends, the Strykers and the Hogges. We had a blast visiting Newport, it is the prettiest little town. This is where the Vanderbilt and Rockefellers, and all of the other really rich people had their summer homes around the turn of the century. Laura, Lacy, and I got to take a quick break from the kiddos and went to the "Servant's Life" tour at the Elms. I'm pretty sure this tour was inspired by the Downton Abbey craze, but it was pretty interesting. They showed us the servants quarters of the mansion, the kitchens, and the laundry. It was incredible for me to learn that the servants washed every guests sheets (by hand) every day and then ironed them!

After the servants' life tour, we all toured the Breakers. It is gorgeous. Carter had a hard time on the tour, so I stepped out with him and we walked around the grounds until everyone else was done.

After we finished touring the Breakers, we headed down to the pier for some lunch. We went to Aquidneck Lobster Co. It was a really fun place. I got a hot lobster roll, delicious!

After lunch, we walked along the Cliff Walk, which is a trail that runs behind all the mansions, right along the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean. The view is pretty spectacular!

That night, we went to the Pumpkin Spectacular at the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence. They have over 5,000 carved pumpkins along a trail through the zoo. Some of them are almost works of art.

 We both loved this, but especially Jeremy. He is definitely the pumpkin carving enthusiast in our household.

A few days after fall break, Jeremy's mom came for a visit, Carter was in heaven having her here. We had a great time visiting Taughannock Falls, touring campus, going to the park, and visiting the cider mill, Carter was pretty bummed when she left, but luckily, my parents came for a visit the next week, so Carter was able to get his grandparent fix again.

I am really glad that both my mom and Jeremy's mom are planning on coming after the baby is born!