My Sweets

I just love this sweetness!  And the fact that she's sleeping 9-10 hours lately :)

 

THE FARM SHOW!

The town I grew up in has a "Farm Show" every year which is very agricultural in nature.  There's over-priced fatty foods, tractors, ghetto rides, baking entries, art entries and lots of animals.  They do a great job providing entertainment for the kids with a baby parade on Monday night, a main parade on Wednesday night and lots of animals to pet and see.  This was the first year Simon actually enjoyed the animals.  He LOVED the pigs and cows.  Oh and the bunnies and the baby chicks and the goats...he loved them all.  Here's a few pics!

 

Emery enjoying her first Farm Show

Petting the newborn calf

Getting brave and close to the goat

Goats are exciting!

Working hard to use the digger

My childhood friend and college roommate, Kat, with her two youngest Eddie and Lucy

Camp Papa

I'm not sure when it started but a few years back my dad (Papa to the grandkids) starting having campfires, S'mores, tenting out, etc. with my niece and nephew who are now 10 and 8.  Eventually Camp Papa got bigger and Papa would take the kids to the cabin and explore in the woods, ride 4-wheelers, build fires and pee outside!  Well this year Papa and Mimi invited ALL 6 grandkids (ages 10, 8, 5, 2 and two babies), myself and my sis-in-law to Camp Papa at the cabin.

 

Camp Papa was held on a Monday - Wednesday and included 4-wheelers, canoeing and fishing for the older ones, cooking hotdogs over the campfire, sleeping on air mattresses in the "Clubhouse", a trip for ice cream, 4-wheelers, shooting guns and more 4-wheelers!  The 4-wheelers are by far the highlight for the kids and Simon LOVED to ride with Papa and just to sit on the 4-wheelers! 

 

We were all a bit sleep deprived coming away from the trip but as Papa says, "We're making memories!" 

 

Can you see the pure joy on this kid's face?!

These two are great buddies (most of the time)!

Anya, Micah and Papa - Micah caught a fish!

Seriously LOVES the 4-wheeler

Emery took her first 4-wheeler ride

The smile after he "drove" the 4-wheeler with mommy :)

Papa with all of his grands

Emery in her pink camo and Papa

Happy Birthday, Chris!

Chris had a birthday on October 1.  The kids and I were leaving to go out of town the morning of his birthday so we celebrated the day before.  As exciting as birthday's get when you're in your 30's, we had peanut butter pie and some presents.  Wouldn't you be excited to get a leaf blower?!!!  I had to throw in one little fun gift which was his new Ohio State Sportula. 

 

Chris actually did have an action-packed birthday which had something to do with being locked out of our house and having to crawl through a small basement window :)  At least it will be a memorable one!!

 

A is for Apple

Apple Picking - September 2012

We picked 40 pounds of apples a few weeks ago at a local orchard.  It was a gorgeous day and Simon loved to pull our red wagon (which was mine as a kid).  We picked Cortland and Ida Red apples and I made applesauce and a lot of apple crisp.  I also tried baked apples for the first time - delicious! 

Simon helped with our applesauce - he "washed" apples (played in the water), "cut" apples (used a dip spreader which he calls his knife) and sampled!  Enjoy a few pictures of our apple picking!

 

A Line of Shoes

 

So I'm pretty proud that my little guy learned very quickly to line his shoes up by the laundry room door when he takes them off (which happens immediately after stepping into the house).  I think I told him two times where to put his shoes and this is what resulted!  I love how he puts one on each end.  And even after I put some of these shoes away he gets them back out and brings the back to this spot!  Detail-oriented?!  He's such his momma's son!