DINNER, NOGGIN, AND THE TRIP

(S) loves to help make dinner with me. (yes, I cook dinner 99% of the time) I love cooking and apparently (S) likes watching. She has learned a lot and is actually becoming helfpul. If I need something and she can reach it, she will get it for me. She has learned so much from watching me that sometimes she gets something before I need it. Like the time I said I couldn't cut the meat until it had time to rest and she went to the drawer where the aluminum foil was so that I could cover the meat while it rested. Tonight she got out an onion and started to peel it. She only goes a little way with that as she learned about onions and tears rather early in our relationship.

She loves salad almost as much as she likes Wow Wow Wubbzy and she will start eating lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers etc while I am cutting them. I think it is the chance to eat that brings her downstairs to help. But hey, she is learning a lot.

Speaking of Wow Wow Wubbzy, is that Noggin network great or what? It is absolutely perfect for a kid (S) age. There is Wow Wow Wubbzy, Diego, Dora the Explorer, Yo Gabba Gabba (that one is scary) The Backyardigans etc. She loves watching it and we don't mind letting her as it is so educational. If you have it and a toddler you need to check it out.

So I got a GPS for our trip next month as well as a DVD player for (S) to watch in the back seat. We will be spending a lot of time on the road. Our first place to visit will be Hershey. The park isn't open, but Cholate World is and that will be perfect for (S). Then we are going to go to Cleveland to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (thats for us). Then we go to Indianapolis to a hotel with an indoor water park. After that it is on to Nashville. Neither of us have been there before. then we will go to Birmingham to visit with (B). I think he is more excited about seeing (S) then us. He called today to tell me there is a Chuck E. Cheese right near his house. He also has plans to go to take her to the Children's Hands on Musem in Tuscaloosa. There is a nice zoo there too and since we will be there for a few days we should have time to do a lot. (B) also wants us to take him shopping. Anyway, then it is on to Memphis to visit Graceland, a night in Little Rock and finally to Oklahoma City where I will be for about 10 days. We have plans to see all the sights while we are in OKC. Then we return home through St. Louis, MO. Columbus, OH. and Albany NY. We hope to stop at the Gateway Arch and Niagara Falls on our way back. We think (S) will like the falls.

So now that you all have the itinerary, any suggestions on restaurants we might want to check out, or some of those places to visit that only locals know about, please do pass them along. We still have time to plan as we don't leave for another 23 days.