Homecoming '08

Yes, I realize that Homecoming 2008 has already come and gone but I've got some cute pictures from the events.

Parades make Aidan silly!

And this one made Madisson not-so-happy since she's grounded and had to sit with us. She would much rather be with her friends...

First off, there are the floats:

The Freshmen (2nd Place)

The Sophomores: (3rd Place)

The Juniors: (4th Place)

The Seniors: (1st Place)

Then there's the tennis team
Then of course comes the candy...Smarties, please!

And, for future reference: stand next to some staff member types that will collect candy from the other staff/faculty members driving the cars and give it all to you!!

Next up are the Queen candidates. I was a little biased so I only have a pic of the girl I wanted to win.
Later that night at the game, the Pirates beat the Marshall Owls with a score of 33-13.

The next night brings dinner with friends and attendance at a dance in an adorable dress.

Kat and her friend at the restaurant

Kat and the Girls before dinner

My how time flies...

It's Fall, ya'll

Ugh....it's so hard to be motivated when it's rainy and gross outside. I've done NOTHING today to get ready for my garage sale this weekend. I don't think that it helps that I'm just bushed from yesterday's bake-a-thon that took place in my kitchen. Anyway. After preschool, we checked out savvy seconds in search of some costume ideas for the upcoming Halloween party that we're attending. No such luck. BUT...I did figure out what I'm going to be! Finally!!! It's going to take some serious constructing and, since it's a secret, will be "blogged" about at a later date. Kat's got a tennis match tonight and it's also Senior night so we'll be going to the courts here in a little bit. I hope Mother Nature doesn't decide to drop buckets on us while we're outside! That's all for now. Sorry it's so boring and blah. It's kinda a blah day. Oh, and Aidan's been a GEM since we picked him up from preschool. Yikes, that boy needs a nap! (I guess, in his defense, I can write a blog to vent my frustrations but since he can't yet type he just screams and acts like a Royal Pain.)

Apples!

Apples!!!

Yesterday we packed up the kids and went to Huffstutter's Apple Orchard to pick apples. We didn't necessarily need MORE apples, but we went for the experience of it all. Since we got a bunch of apples from Lorea, we only bought 1 bag from the orchard. Since the bags are only $5 each, we couldn't resist.

On the way to the trees

Look at this one!

Aidan's first time picking apples

This one takes some reaching!

Reaching far into the tree

What a cutie!

Katarina picking an apple

Madisson doing double duty

Madisson picking apples

Kat at the orchard

Look at all of those apples on the ground!

Madisson can't wait to eat this one!

The kids enjoying the sweet apples

Aidan was getting carried and fed...what a life!

Kat with one of her apples

So, here are the kids on the way back to the van after a successful "Pick". With a bag full of apples and one in each of their hands, they're totally in heaven. Aidan enjoyed his so much that by the time I took it away from him, he had eaten most of the core!

Today I've made 4 apple pies (with homemade crust...not the kind from that famous Doughboy!) and I'm in the process of making more apple butter. I've still got a TON of apples left, so if anybody knows of a good apple tart recipe, please let me know. Since I'm freezing the pies, I'd kind of like something that we could eat now. :) Also, tomorrow I'm going to attempt the applesauce. We'll see how the canning goes today. We had one of the pies for dessert...YUM! (If I do say so myself! Thanks Betty Crocker for the fab recipes!)

Stephenson's Apple Farm

Remember this treasure of a place? Oh how I miss it! My mom and I were in KC one day and decided to go there for dinner, but when we pulled into the parking lot we realized that we were the only car there. This has never happened before (there is usually a substantial wait) and we knew something was wrong. Upon arrival at the door, we saw the worst possible news: (as far as restaurant closure is concerned!) CLOSED. We were so saddened that I don't even remember where we ended up eating dinner that night. Wherever it was, it will never compare to my beloved Stephensons! No more Piggy Wiggy (the most DIVINE pork chops to ever meet a fork!!), no more apple butter, no more apple fritters, no more cold cider during the aforementioned substantial wait, no more walking past the rows of corn relish, no more green rice or frozen fruit salad...seriously sad.

But alas! I have a Stephenson's family cookbook that I had purchased years ago!!! I was never forced to make any of the recipes...it just seemed easier to drive an hour and a half and get everything made by the professionals with the accompanying atmosphere. (One room even had an apple "tree" in it...so fun!!) Given the recent events though, yesterday I made apple butter (a different recipe) and the mighty tasty apple fritters. YUM-O Rachel Ray!!! Together they are a match made in heaven...pure ecstasy! Yes, I've got serious food issues and I'm not afraid to admit it. I've got the green rice recipe but I still have to figure out how they made those pork chops so tender that the meat literally fell off the bone by saying "Man, I'm hungry for some pork chop!". You could almost get away without chewing at all...oh how I would love one of those right now.
Those of you who know and loved Stephensons the way I do probably understand the sadness. Those of you who weren't fortunate enough to have experienced it are truly missing out!

Ah, Garage Sales!

My friend is having a 2-day sale this weekend and just came to borrow a clothes rack and table. As we were in the basement, I was pondering all of the great JUNK I could get rid of and make some cash! Why must they (the sales) be so much work though? I swore off selling anything else after the last two I had this summer, but the prospect of making a measley $30 or so is so enticing!!! Why???

Well, here I go...off to the garage to pack up garage sale goodies. Wish me luck! Aidan needs a toybox, Katarina needs to pay off her tennis shoes and Madisson needs swim team dues...oh, and coats would be nice too! I guess I'll be down there for a while. Ugh...

Little Red Reading Box...I

You know, we play games every day and yesterday was no exception. The usual game of Teddy Grahams made its way to the living room floor (Aidan and his dad are playing it AGAIN as I type) and afterward, I pulled out the Little Red Reading Box that I picked up from the library. In this box, I, are books, an abacus, a CD, a VHS tape of Dr. Seuss' ABC, a mouse puppet and some wood blocks. Fun, fun, fun!

Ah, just one more reason I LOVE the Columbia Library!

Lunch with Nature

Yesterday after preschool Aidan just couldn't wait to go pick up Grandma and go to lunch. So we went to Rolling Hills Park for a nice chilly lunch. Too bad we didn't have Wendy's chili... we could have had a chilly windy Wendy's chili lunch. Anyway, Aidan ended up eating his A&W burger & fries bundled up in Kat's tennis blanket. Luckily, we were in the sun a little to help keep us warmer. After eating, it's a given that you have to play!

This is obviously the mysterious A&W fry wrapper flower. It's such a rare one that I just HAD to have a photo.

Runnin' to play!

These are lovely when they're in someone else's yard...but we brought it home anyway.

I don't think we quite get how a teeter totter works...usually best with feet on the ground!

It's sure fun, though!

Who's that following me?

Even though it was so windy, this dandelion just wasn't ready to let go.

No matter how hard Aidan tried...

Until finally, he decided to just tear it to shreds. No photos for those with sensitive stomachs. It was quite graphic!

As we were heading back to the car, we saw these two spiderwebs. What master crafters they are! The spiders, that is.

Have you ever seen such pretty purple Iris (for Barb: Iri) in OCTOBER???