Apple Days

We eat a lot of apples.  Now that apples are in season and growing all around us, we eat even more apples.  Example, I bought 6 Honeycrisp apples and less than 24 hrs later all but 1 were gone.  Yum.  There really isn't anything tastier than a fresh local and crisp Washington apple.  Awhile back I saw a little flyer about farm tours in Skagit County.  I told my friend about it and we decided it would be a fun time to meet there and do the farms together.
   Good thing we pushed our date to Sunday, because Saturday morning I woke up to a text from my sister asking me if I wanted to do a race with her.  Molly and some of her coworkers have been planning to walk in an all girls 1/2 marathon.  Two of the girls dropped out morning of.  I woke up 15minutes after the text and 15 minutes after that I was out the door, bringing pajama clad kids for Uncle to watch just until Clay got home early morning basketball.  Molly and I arrived in the chilly morning at a local park where women of all ages, sizes, shape, and athletic ability gathered.  The race organizers said there was no timer, and they didn't care if you did the entire course, or just went over the hill for 10 minutes until they could turn the start area into the finish area.  Molly and I walked the trail for 5 miles, turned around and finished OUR walk at 10 miles.  It was a great morning on the trails with my sister, talking, the view, cheering for us and others.
  Sunday we all got ready, loaded into the car and met Krista and her family at one of the farms open for the tour weekend.  There was so much to do, and see and a number of people there with us.  This farm was decorated with loads of fancy gourds and pumpkins.  We did the corn maze, walked among the pumpkins, kids rode in carts and we picked apples.

 There were all of these fun murals around the farm to pose with. 

 4  in the corn

 E was trying to blend in with the corn, yes he ate some. I heard it wasn't very good.

 Spiders all around in the fall.

 Such a cute family picture, oh wait what are G and E doing? Krista took some great ones of us, but this one is my favorite.

 Hand in hand in the apple orchard.

 A bushel and a peck... 

On to the next farm after a quick lunch. This farm was so different than the first.  The 1st was fun, but was in the business of making money.  This family run farm was more about education and letting everyone have a hands on experience.  It was a creamery, and right away they handed you ice cream bars of little cartons of milk.  The kids got to go around on a treasure hunt finding out facts and getting stamps for answering questions. 

 There were newborn calfs the kids got to get up close and personal with.

 Beautiful views that matched the amazing October weather we are having.

 Face painting (G asked the girl for the big heart, in addition to the whiskers) and a "really slow" hay ride.  My kids are used to going fast on the 4wheeler at Grandpa's farm so this was not too thrilling for them.

 Squirtie Gertie to try your hand at milking.  My biggest kid was pretty pleased with his efforts.  He and I both recently milked real cows at the farm.. Me for my very 1st time ever. The kids tried it, twice!

   Beautiful Mt Baker.   

  Our night ended with dinner, than a full evening of everyone but me getting sick.  Last Thursday night E woke up crying and I found throw up all over his bed... and then he got it on the rest of the house.  We seemed mostly fine, but it hit Clay and the kids last night... and cousin C too.  Today we are all trying to recover from the night and hoping that not only are we all done with tummy troubles but that we didn't pass it on to any of our friends we hung out with in the past week.

kicked.

Today kicked my butt.  It wasn't all bad, just a challenging day.  Every day is mostly good, with a few hiccups thrown in for good measure and to keep us all on our toes.  Today started off with spilled milk, literally.  After getting the G and E ready for the day, complete with a breakfast of homemade pumpkin pancakes (I made a big batch last night, easy to pop in the toaster for breakfast.  Packed full of good pumpkin, whole wheat flour, greek yogurt, cinnamon, brown sugar) and local bacon. We were out the door to take G to the bus stop and pick up cousins C and EE.  I was in a bit of a rush, I had plans to get my crew of 3 and I to the 1st Mom group meeting I am starting to attend. As I grabbed the carseat, the fresh bottle of pumped milk fell out which broke the lid and half of it leaked on the floor.  Clean up aisle 4 and we were now off again.... All 3 buckled in and on our way to the meeting, good news I found it by memory after going once last year. E didn't flinch when I left him and C in the kid room (this is a big step for him, my total momma's boy who cries when I try to take him to Sunday school).
   The Mom group was great, after a little fussing and a bottle EE had a quick nap.  I learned a little about the 5 languages of Love, and even told Clay about it - we may even talk more about it. My arms and hands were full of bags, kids, papers, LOVE.   By the time we make it home we are a little late on our normal schedule of lunch, books and nap. C was tired, so tired. E was not listening, refusing to help  or do anything asked of him. E even mentioned he was tired, but wouldn't lay down for a nap. EE was along for the ride, but tired, had wet pants and getting hungry too.  I ate spicy pretzels and fresh blackberry cobbler for lunch (when Clay got home later on he asked if I wanted a salad for lunch. HA.)
    Everyone was tired today. We all are still adjusting to this new schedule of school and childcare.  We all love it (I HOPE!), however it is busy and lots of work.  Baths and showers (G is so independent she totally does it all on her own, and sings the entire time too!) stories and kids asleep before 7:30p.  Tomorrow is early release from school, and we have plans for all of us to go to the farm (more on how country we are becoming later... just to note E went 2x yesterday to help Clay feed the calfs and cows, ride the 4 wheeler and even saw a chicken get its head chopped off.)
   Oh and to let everyone in on the goings on of the first 2 weeks of kindergarten... G LOVES it.  Her penmanship has improved so much. She is friends with everyone, and plays basketball with a boy at recess and also finds time to play princess and super hero.  The first week a shy boy who speaks mostly Russian cried every day.  G came up with her own way to make him smile and not cry. She played chase with him and came up with her own joke; "Whose leg? Oleg. Whose leg? Oleg!"  Apparently Oleg laughed and got over his sadness.  She rides the bus, and knows most of the rules that go along with it now. She doesn't have time to eat all her lunch, and is starved when she gets home almost 5 hours later because there is NO snack. She loves her entire class and all her teachers.
   Also to come, I will post the recipe I have made at least 3 times in the past 2 weeks for zucchini cookies. It involves coconut, and black beans! yum.

Kindergarten!

Beware!

Warning to all those who may stop by our house at any hour.... this guy lives here, and you never know what he may be up to!

Artist Point

Two weeks running Clay and I have hiked.  Last weeks hike was challenging, to say the least.  We hiked off of Chuckanut Drive, up to the Oyster Dome.  It was brutally steep all 6.5 miles round trip. Today we ventured out on a much more leisurely and enjoyable hike. Granted we had the kids with us so we only made it 2 miles... and the pace was slower.  Today we visited the very tip top of Mt. Baker, and did the Artist Point trail. There wasn't too much of an incline, well you don't notice walking it- what you notice is the drastic drop off the path down the side of the mountain.  There is no boundary, just wide open space with lots of rocks.  I spent most of the time reminding Elliot to use nice feet, and holding his hand (or giving him  a shoulder ride, no that wasn't very smart either but I was SUPER careful.)  My dear friend Mindi and her husband Jon were along for the adventure, and I am not sure if they will consider hiking with us again- well at least not for exercise (they did the Oyster dome hike 2 weeks ago.)   On the drive up the mountain we had to stop and let the kids pee along the road. Once at the top while we ate our picnic lunch, Elliot did a very impressive pee down the hillside- making sure he was facing the people in the parking lot below and aiming as far as he could.  We may have had to stop along the trail as well.  Did I mention there was singing of the "Ants go marching one by one" hurrah hurrah! We made it a mile and to the first lookout area.  The view was incredible, there was snow to play in and then it was time to head back!

 Couldn't quite these 2 to hold still, E was more interested in trying to slide down the huge rock (no he didn't get to!)

 Snowball fights in September.. they both whined of cold hands!

 Our Family of 4, on top of the World.

 Seeing this picture reminds me of a quote I associate with Gabby; "Let her sleep. For when she wakes, she will move mountains." She will also run them!  Now I am all teary thinking about her going to school.

Feeling so Blessed.  Today was one of those days that makes your heart smile extra big!
 

End of Summer catch up

All of a sudden summer is coming to a close.  The weather has already shifted and it is starting to feel like fall.  Outings in the morning requite a sweatshirt, to combat the temperatures in the 50s.  I already feel like making soups or getting out the crockpot.   The start of school is inching closer and closer, Gabby knows the count down and is as excited as can be.  Me, well I am nervous and afraid of missing my girl so much while she is gone all day every day.  How is she really old enough to go to school?

We have done lots of cousin playing this summer, and that has been the best part of living back in Washington.  Knight E and Princess C gave tiniest cousin EE a good check up.  She is doing great by the way!

 We checked out the local fountains, the view was great but the other patrons cut short our visit.

 Smarty pants G has taken up reading.  Like one night we got out the Bob books that Auntie M got her, that had been left at the Grandparents house when we moved.  We have finished the 1st set, and she is doing great at figuring out words. If there is one thing you can say about G, it is that she is so enthusiastic, the joy she finds in everything is amazing.

 We did a little swimming in the lakes.  Much different than the ocean we frequented last year, but the kids are really working on their swimming skills.  Clay brought out his snorkel gear, yes we were the nerds out in the lake complete with flippers looking at a dreary lake bottom.

 Not a great picture of either, but it cracks me up that they have the same look!

 This boy, so full of excitement and mischief.  Plus, those eyes!

 The closest zoo just happens to be in Canada.  We ventured there (my 2nd time going to Canada in a week!)  and it was great fun.  The kids climbed on just about every animal statue there was.

 Just to give you an idea of how close some of the animals were to the fence, here are the kids with a donkey.  We reminded them many times not to stick their hands thru the fence.  I have one kid that hasn't yet mastered listening... he got bit by a duck!

Look at that pretty face.

  Now it is off to finish up school supply shopping, we still need a backpack and 3 and a half dozen glue sticks (I only bought 6 so far).  

San Diego Summer

What an adventure we had in San Diego.  First it started with a 2 day drive (yes my husband is nuts, and would rather drive 1300 miles than fly for 3 hours) and getting in very late.  Part of the timing of our trip was so that we could watch our 4 beautiful blond nieces while their parents were off on meetings in Texas.  

 Our 1st day with all 6 kids we went on a bike ride up to the school.  Big mistake, this was the only truly happy moment of the trip.  After this was taken and they one by one made their way down the sloped driveway, G crashed (she didn't use her brakes) and it all went down hill from there. I know it was due to being extremely over tired (lacking 9 hrs of sleep in the past 3 days) but I don't think she stopped crying or screaming the rest of the ride.  She was really upset that we weren't in "age order"... but it was due to her fits, all the younger kids passed her! Clay and I dubbed it the bike ride from hell. Did I mention it was 90* out.

 Popsicle time, and all are happy! (this was the next day)

 My pancake helpers, E cracked his egg- H was a bit surprised by it but then I let her crack one, for the very 1st time! These two were so sweet and hilarious together, I loved listening to their conversations... and H totally bossing E around!

 It happened, his 1st real mohawk.  The beach also happened, but E wasn't thrilled by the sand that got in his shorts and wanted to be naked instead (surprise?)

 E C H A E G   the gang!

 Did I forget to say it was mohawks x2?  Clay ended up shaving his off before he took G to her ER visit for the pussy willow.

 The lone boy on this day, pretty rough.

 4 girls and their amazing mom.  

 G got right back into loving the ocean and the beach.  She got so into rolling in the sand her bathing suit bottoms filled up with so much sand they fell down.

 Life is good.  Eating a cookie in the sand.

Ry Ry came over for a visit!  Clay and I did get to meet him and another buddy from our Japan days for lunch one day too.

Just a quick blog photo update... more to come!