Things have been very busy around here lately. Since I’m not quite prepared to post a pregnancy update, I figured I would share our last few weeks through photos I took
on my phone. So, not the best quality, but enjoy! We’ve been trying to cram in as much fun as possible in between preparing for the newest Sweet arrival. We hope everyone is well!
I love fall. I don’t like what it signifies - death, change…those kinds of things - but I do love everything that comes with it!
Pumpkins Picking them, carving them, painting them, roasting their seeds, eating them in various ways (pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes with pecans). Let’s face it, they’re cool! This year each one of us chose a different colored pumpkin. Kind of fun, no?!
Color-Changing Leaves It’s neat to drive by the same trees & see how they change each day. What’s even more fun is when they drop from the trees in quantities enough to jump into! The kids enjoyed raking them into huge piles with cousins this year. Their faces were priceless as they dove in with glee!
Tavia - 2 years old
Apples Picking them, carving them (we made stamps), eating them, drinking their cider, baking with them (Apple Crisp is my fave, also applesauce to last the whole year through). Who doesn’t enjoy a good apple?!!
Fall Crafts We have been artsing & crafting like nuts around these parts! Cut-out masks, leaf rubbings, apple & leaf stamps, our very own “tree”, lots of printable activities via the internet, the list goes on & on. We just can’t get enough.
Pecan Pie Incredibly indulgent & full of unhealthy ingredients…need I say more?!
Halloween 2010
Halloween From making costumes to trick-or-treating and all the dance parties in between, Halloween may very well be my favorite Hallmark Holiday.
Autumnal Light Outdoor photography in the fall is usually some of the most beautiful, assuming you’ve captured it on a day full of sunshine.
Places To Go, People To See I’m pretty sure we’ve visited every farm, corn maze, pumpkin patch & apple grove this side of the Mississippi. The fun never ends at these places, so look into it next year for your little ones if you haven’t already. There are usually plenty of free activities & lots to do at little cost…bonus!
Decor Halloween decorations are fun, but so are the colors of fall around the home. I like to have certain seasonal decor like a rust-colored table runner, a scarecrow scattered here & there throughout the house or a few sparkly pumpkin placemats for the kids. It changes things up a bit and makes life fun - always a priority in our lives.
Clothing I am a redhead, fall looks good on me 
Harvest Moon Not many things in life are better than a full, round, low-lying, giant fall moon. You know, the kind of moon that makes you glad your heart is beating.
Thanksgiving At My Parent's House, 2010
Thanksgiving Dinner We are *thankful* to celebrate Thanksgiving three times each year. Though it may be a time-crunching, hectic schedule to attend to, we get to indulge in three meals in return. Not a bad deal! The most scrumptious part about it? Each of our families prepares Thanksgiving dinner in a different way, so we get a smorgasbord of tastings throughout the day. Some of my personal favorites, besides the obvious turkey, gravy, stuffing & mashed potatoes: mushroom caps in a wine-cream sauce, chestnut-stuffed artichokes, homemade cranberry jam, sweet yams (prepared in a way only my Grandmother can) and Yorkshire pudding (prepared in a way only my Grandmother-In-Law can!). Can you say “YUMMMMM”?! I never have room for dessert Even luckier, only two dinners are served on the actual day of Thanksgiving, so the love is spread out (& our waistbands don’t expand too much on the day of)! That is one day where my “all in moderation” philosophy is WAY out the window!
What are your favorite hints of autumn? What do you look forward to most each year? Do tell
Here we are, the summer of 2011! How did we get to this point, friends? Time sure is flying!
We have quite a to-do list this summer. In between the weddings, baby showers & newborn visits, family festivities & birthday parties, there’s a whole other list of things we want to do. Well here it all is, in list form as I love to do:
~Days at the Lake. My grandmother has a cottage/lake house on a Finger Lake in NY…one of the most beautiful places on earth. We are fortunate enough to have full access. I spent my childhood summers there & intend on giving our children the same wonderful experience.
~Fruit Picking. Last week was rainy so we missed out on strawberries, booo! No worries, we’ll make up for it this week.
~The Zoo. We have a membership to a local zoo, a gift we were given from my in-laws. Also plan on visiting some out-of-town zoos.
~Local Farms. Petting Zoos have become one of my kids’ favorite things to do. There are several places very close-by we can go to meet the animals. We also learn a ton about growing produce which is an important life lesson. Support local farms!
~Museums. For rainy days, which there are a lot of here in NY State.
~Aquarium(s). Unfortunately, there are none relatively close. We’ll just have to travel 
.
~Baseball Game(s). Local or not, we haven’t been to a ballgame with the kids…yet. They were born into a Yankee household, though we’re not diehard into baseball. We still enjoy a good game.
~Playdates with our friends! No doubt there will be LOTS of these…especially a re-enactment of this photo:
~Parks/Playgrounds. We live in a mecca of playgrounds. Definitely love visiting new ones, & after 2 1/2 years, we’re still not running out! One of our most favorite things to do there: PICNIC!
~Hikes. Speaking of a nice area to live, there are so many trails surrounding us, we will never be bored! We picked up a “Passport to Wellness” at our amazing local supermarket which gives us a trail guide & a few perks along the way. So fun!
~Pool Swim. Several friends/family have pools & we plan on taking full advantage ! This is the summer our 2 1/2 year old will really learn to swim & we couldn’t be more excited! Luckily, we have a pass to a nearby pool with friends & we can go any time. How fun is that?! Now if we could just get our hands on some good life jackets. any recommendations for a trusted brand?
~Planetarium. My husband has a geeky side, the love of planets. We don’t mind, in fact, we love them too .
~Concerts. Yes, we are those people who bring our kids to late-night, loud, rockin’ concerts. (And yes, we protect our ears.) It’s good for their souls. Great, great fun!
Well, so much to do, so little time. I’m sure there’s more, perhaps I’ll make a list half-way through the summer & see what I’ve missed!
What are your plans?
We try to get together as often as possible for playdates with our friends. There’s so much learning that takes place when people interact. Lately, we’ve been working on sharing. Very important lesson~
In a recent play/dinner day, we made pizza! Easy to do and somewhat healthy but most of all FUN! Do you think there was any sharing going on here? Why, yes! The tots did a lovely job of making the pizza together. Let’s continue to share ideas for fun playdates & activities we do with our friends. We’d love to hear what you do!
…living in a commune on a farm. I know a few folks that would like to join me in coexisting inside a little neighborhood helping eachother in our daily duties. A place where fresh eggs came from our own chickens, fresh milk from our own goats & cows and fruits & veggies from our own gardens. The flowers on the table would be hand picked from the yard every morning. We would all help eachother cook fresh foods at most meals. Houses would be sparkling clean from chore shifts. We would pour homemade soaps and mix homemade cleansers. Hand-knitted blankets, sweaters and mittens, sewn aprons and clothing. Our children would always have playmates. They would be homeschooled among the educators on the group, bouncing from home to home to learn everything from music to farming, hands on. Close quarters, but not too close. My husband would be my husband and my husband only. I’m not talking about polygamy or Amish country here, I’m talking about extended family and community living. Modernized. You could spend as much or as little time with whomever you choose. It makes sense if you think about it. We would all be happy, everything would be sufficient. What do you think? Who’s in?!
