Just after Christmas, Sydney’s brother Nelson and Nelson’s wife Kira came for a visit, bringing 19-month-old Allister with them. We hadn’t seen them since we spent Christmas at their house last year, and Allister has really grown. Sydney and I were amazed that they were willing to travel with a toddler; given how much his lung power is increasing and how much more mobile he looks to be getting, we won’t be surprised if they limit their traveling for awhile. But our kids thought he was much more fun to play with this time around!
We spent a lot of time in the kitchen, playing with bowls and wooden veggies and real veggies and cooking implements–and yes, that means both kids and adults. There was a lot of cooking that week. Given that Kira and Allister joined Nathaniel and me before the sun was up, and Nelson and Sydney are very much the opposite, the kitchen was busy most hours of the day. But we also visited Newport Aquarium in Cincinnati and the Bernheim Arboretum outside Louisville. And we took a number of walks around town, enjoying a mild winter week.
When they left on Wednesday, though, Sydney and I knew we’d better gear up for the spring semester, which begins on Monday. It looks like cold winter weather will be swinging in just in time to demoralize our returning students.
Erin
Alan Schmierer