An Apple Picking We Will Go...

Since the start of September, I've been craving caramel apples, apple pie, and my favorite-- apple crisp.  I pinky swore we were going to find time to go apple picking, and last week, we finally had a chance to do it...not just by ourselves but with some of my friends' families too.

It was a warm, sticky day (definitely more July like than Autumn like), which made us feel pretty exhausted all around.  Still, my little guy had a chance to really pick the apples off the trees (and take a few bites of one too!)

This week the apples have been sitting on my counter, a daily reminder that I now need to do something with them.  If all goes well today, the goal is to make apple crisp.  I'll peel and slice the apples, and I'll let little guy arrange the apples in the pan and put on the crumb topping.  I can't promise that some of the crumb topping won't get eaten along the way...I guess I'll have to see how it all works out...

Here's some pictures from our apple picking excursion:

"Give me a high five!"

"I'm ready Mommy!"

"An apple picking, we will go..."

"There's one!"

"Thanks for the lift Daddy!"

"Don't drop me!"

Yay for friends!

"Time to rest!"

"This is the life."

All in all, it ended up being a short trip for us, but I still enjoyed being outside in the orchards.  If I get to making apple crisp today, then my September will be complete!

These Lazy Days of Summer

I love the summertime.  Simply put, I don't have to feel guilty about the endless hours of TV watching indoors.  No, but honestly, there's nothing more fun than going for a swim, relaxing under a tree with an ice cream cone, going for an evening stroll, enjoying a good old-fashinoned picnic, roasting marshmellows...etc. etc.

I'm happy to say that we've been enjoying the great outdoors.  Sure our work schedules sometimes get in the way, but over the last few days we've had a chance to take in some rays.  Here's some pictures from our last few adventures...

Swimming in Ninny and Papa's Pool

Happiness is swinging on the "Big Boy" Swing

Shark Attack?!

Getting some R&R on the beach with his pal Ryan.

Scoping the scene for chicks.

Searching for buried treasure.



Watching the campers across the lake.



"May we please have some ice cream?"

"Don't worry.  It's on me today."

Fast asleep. 

Welcome Fall!

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. Some goals for this season include...

• Going apple picking
• Making yummy caramel apples
• Making apple crisp
• Going pumpkin picking
• Making scary and funny Jack O' Lanterns
• Toasting pumpkin seeds
• Planting spring perennials like Hyacinth and Daffodils
• Putting out our scare crow and other fall decorations
• Taking fall hikes and collecting colorful leaves
• Jumping in leaf piles
• Dressing up for Halloween
• Counting our blessings on Thanksgiving

Last fall, we had the pleasure of taking Little Lewie pumpkin picking for his very first time. In fact, it was his first time visiting a petting zoo, too. Since I didn't blog last year, I thought I'd reminisce and share some of our old photos. It's hard for me to believe that Lil' Lewie wasn't even walking yet at this time last year. He could stand and balance himself up on the fence, but when it was time to let him loose in the pumpkin patch, he just crawled and crawled from one pumpkin to the other.

Now that he's a toddler and RUNS most of the time instead of walking, it should be interesting to see what he does at the pumpkin patch this year...

What are some of your goals for this fall?



Happy Fall Everyone!