Spring Break in New York

 Heading back to my hometown for a quick Spring Break. 

March can be finicky anywhere you live, but Syracuse can be REALLY silly at times!

Leaving Chicago...

Buffalo...

and Syracuse.  They call it Siberacuse for a reason!

Regardless of the snow and regardless that her cousins were all still in school, we managed to have a great time. 

Where there are horses...

...Amelia will want to go first.  Met her cousin after school at her riding barn.  

Headed to my alma mater, Syracuse University. 

Amelia's plan since the day she could think about it...is to go to Ohio State to be a teacher. SU isn't really on her list, but wanted to show her my school and then when we go to Ohio this summer, her dad can show her around his stomping ground. Will surely post on that adventure!

Sans her usual companion of her cousin at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, we strolled around and had lunch at one of my favorite zoos.

Not too far from the zoo is the upside down traffic light on Tipperary Hill. There are a couple stories behind this and since I used to live down the street from this intersection this is the one I heard most.  In the 1920's the light was installed upside down by mistake and when righted, the locals threw rocks and knocked out the lights.  It was finally put "right side up" upside down and miraculously no more damage.

We squeezed in one day of cousin time with some rollerskating.

Although an accomplished ice skater, she had to adjust to rollerskating!

Got back home just in time for Easter! 

More on that in the next post.

Fourteen

It is what everyone says.  They grow up too fast.

All she wanted was a quiet day.  No fanfare, no party.  

That is what she got...kinda.

Opened presents in the morning.

Then headed to the barn.  Amelia has a bucket washing business.  She washes buckets for boarders who pay $2.50 a bucket.  She does this on Wednesdays and Sundays.  When I asked her if she wanted to go the day before her birthday to do her job, she said "no, I want to be at the barn."  

Her trainer called and said "want to do a trail ride for you birthday?"

Yes. Of course she does.

Little did Amelia know I had already asked her trainer and barn manager to meet us for a birthday dinner at The Saddle Room, a restaurant close by that is both fancy and horse themed!

First a cake with us at home.  Then I said "Hey, I don't have anything planned for dinner for your birthday...let's go out for dinner to a place we never have been."

She had no idea they would be there and was completely surprised.

Presented her with wonderful gifts that she will treasure.  

I can't say enough about Little Creek Farm. Her trainer and people (horses too) have changed her life here in Illinois.  It was tough moving from Alaska, tough changing schools and even tougher when her dad had a stroke when we moved here.  They have provided her an outlet that no value can be placed. 

Happy Birthday Amelia!

Here is the instagram post of the trail ride.

Won't You Be My Valentine?

I made these bags quite a few years ago to extend the Christmas Advent.  Thirteen days of goodies with a valentine joke and a piece of paper telling her each day one thing we loved about her. 

We made the Valentine box from a Build a Bear box way back when too. 

After the advent of little gifts, she gets a basketful of goodies on Valentine's morning. 

The new Jellycat line of "littles" are truly irresistible.  There is a copy of Animal Farm in there as she needed it for school and thought Napoleon the pig would be appropriate. 

She said she loved her lego card most of all.  Made one for my husband too.

Not too much candy as she still has Halloween treats to get thru.

Guitar stand, Taylor Swift Album and Starbucks mug were some of the favorites.

Although I failed on the photo, Amelia did give a few of her close friends a Valentine Pura Vida Bracelet and a Hershey bar wrapped in a festive bag.

Happiest Valentine's Day!

ON TO THE 14th BIRTHDAY!