Weekend of Fall Fun

We headed to Patterson's to pick some apples this past weekend, only to find out they don't start letting the public pick until the end of September. So the boys enjoyed delicious homemade donuts and fresh pressed apple cider instead. Charlie had a white cake donut with vanilla frosting and rainbow sprinkles. Tommy had a chocolate cake donut with chocolate frosting and topped with crushed chocolate cookie to look like dirt and a gummie worm. I miss eating sugar....sigh!

Then we headed to the pumpkin patch and drove the wooden tractor for a bit before heading out.

Fall was in the air, it was cool and crisp but so sunny and bright. I got us all it the mode for one of our favorite holidays...Halloween. So while Daddy slept in the boys and I made some cute and quick Halloween decorations for our home.

First we made Mummies. We raided the recycling bin and found an empty milk carton and a coffee can. We spread glue all over them and then the boys pressed down toilet paper as the mummy rags and glued eyes peaking out of the bandages. I think they are so cute!!







Charlie wants to decorate the house all scary this Halloween. Mummys and Monsters seem to be the limit to his idea of "scary" this year....I am grateful! I love Halloween, but not all the gross gory and bloody stuff. So this year I am still safe that my idea of cute and his idea of scary are one in the same ;)

Tommy's monster, Tommy working on his monster, Charlie's monster

We made scary Frankenstein Monsters out of cereal and cracker boxes. I cut out shapes for the boys and they glued the ones down that they choose. Charlie wanted to add stitches to his Frankenstein and Tommy wanted the side pegs on his "happy monster".

The backyard, yesterday and today

The other day I was fed up with our backyard. We had it all nice and pretty looking at the beginning of the summer. Mulch down, Daisies planted, porch painted. And then life happened. The kids strategically moved the mulch around the yard in their dump trucks, the dog dug up and ate the Daisies and we are in the midst of porch renovations. Oh and did I mention that I am 8 months pregnant and haven't the energy to pull weeds or fill in holes in the garden beds that said children and dog have dug?

Unfortunately, I voiced my disdain for the backyard to my dear, overworked, tired and sick husband and in not such a nice way either. I even think the word "Trashy" was used. Immediate shame and remorse filled my being. I hate it when I catch myself complaining about something so silly as the current state of our flower beds, it is ridiculous really.
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Today is a new day. My expectations are more realistic for the season of our lives. The boys and Miss S. are busy in the backyard playing. Miss S and Tommy are pretending that they are "going to Nie Nie and Papa's house" and Charlie is mining (digging holes on the side of the house), the dog eating an orange sand bucket and I am planning curriculum for the next week of school and blogging. The sun is out in full force and the sky is a bright blue, not a cloud in it and it is cool enough for a sweater.

The backyard feels so warm and inviting today, our own little green paradise. It is bright and big and full of laughter, it is beautiful and peaceful.
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I apologized to my tired, sick and overworked husband last night. He is so forgiving and loving. He kindly reminded me that there had been a lot of big changes to our little oasis this summer...his way of telling me it is all ok, and it is, it is better then ok!

Getting Ready For Baby: Freezer Cooking

In the next 2 weeks I plan on doing our mega freezer cooking marathon to stock the basement freezer with dinners and quick meals for when the baby is born. I came across some new recipes that I wanted to try out beforehand just in case they were flops. I learned my lesson after making a slew of meals that sounded great but in the end I had a freezer full of "yuckies" as Tommy said after eating one of the said meals.

Today while the boys were napping and Trent was doing some work I whipped up:
2 dozen Banana Cinnamon Muffins
1 dozen of Banana Cinnamon Muffin Bites
1 Beef Roast, half for dinner the other half for spicy tacos
2 dozen Sloppy Joe Cornbread Muffins
1 batch laundry detergent
6 Bacon, Egg and Bacon Breakfast sandwiches

The Banana Cinnamon Muffins are a favorite in our house. We can literally go through a dozen a day! The boys love them for breakfast or a quick snack. I altered the original recipe a bit to make it healthier.

Ingredients
1/4c white sugar
1t ground cinnamon
3/4c butter
3 c white sugar (I use Splenda)
3 eggs
6 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 (16oz) container sour cream (I only use 8oz)
2t vanilla extract
2t ground cinnamon
1/2t salt
3t baking soda
4.5c all purpose flour (I use 1c white flour, 3.5c wheat flour)

Directions
1.Preheat oven 300 degrees. Grease muffin pan. Stir 1/4c sugar and 1t cinnamon together in a small bowl. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture. We usually just use the cinnamon.

2. Cream butter and 3c sugar (or splenda). Mix in eggs, bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Put in muffin tins.

Bake 15-20 or until fork comes out clean. If making bread instead of muffins, bake for 1 hour.
Sloppy Joe Cornbread Muffins
Cornbread muffin mix:
1c cornmeal
1c wheat flour
1t baking powder
1t salt
2 eggs
2T honey
1/4c melted butter
1c buttermilk

Directions:
1. Stir together dry ingredients, add eggs, honey, butter and buttermilk. Stir.

Sloppy Joes:
I cheated and used Manwich with browned ground turkey

Spoon the cornbread mixture into a greased muffin tin, about half full. Then put a large Tablespoon of sloppy joe mixture in the center of each muffin tin.

I think I baked these at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes, can't remember.
Breakfast Sandwiches

So incredibly simple!

Stirred 5 eggs then poured into 6 greased muffin tin. Baked at 375 degrees until done...20 minutes?

Meanwhile I cooked 6 strips of turkey bacon and toasted 6 English muffins.
When the eggs are done let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Make sandwiches, English Muffin, egg, bacon, slice of American cheese, top off with other half of English muffin. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and place all in a freezer ziploc bag.
When ready to eat unwrap and heat in microwave until warm, you can also place the sandwich in a damp paper towel when reheating.

Lake Chautauqua Summer 2010

We had a great time at Lake Chautauqua, Ny on our annual summer lake trip. The first few days it was overcast and rainy, but that didn't stop our troops from having a great time. We found plenty of ways to enjoy the water. Charlie and Tommy waded in to their tummies, Charlie even lots a shoe but Daddy came to the rescue and fished it out of the mucky bottom of the lake:)

Charlie loved digging in the sand. He made a really cool sand "attraction", that had several tunnels and pathways, moats around castles and stone walls. He and Tommy had a great time filling up their buckets and letting the water rush through the chambers.

Tommy and Daddy had fun fishing on the docks and catching minnie perch. He loves to fish and it is a great tool in teaching him patience ;)

We also spent a lot of time painting rocks we found as well as a few wooden kits that I had picked up at the art store. Who would have known that 49cent wooden trains and boats would have kept us all busy for hours?

Daddy and the boys on the rocks (that Daddy use to play on when he was little) outside of the Casino in Bemus.

We spent a few days on Lake Erie and Grandma Pam and Grandpa Brian's new house. The boys had a fantastic time running on the beach and playing in the water.

Tommy cutting the grass with Grandpa Brian

Grandma Pam kept the boys busy having fun playing golf in the backyard.

We spent some time at the Choo Choo playground at our lakeside resort. They have an orange train (can you imagine the excitement???!!!!), tug boats, swings etc. It is really a cute set up and the boys LOVE it!

A visit to the Bemus Point Fire Department. Tommy was in Heaven!
Having fun in Bemus Point in front of the Lenhart Hotel. I think the bearded lady was all our favorite :)

EARLY morning snuggles.

We went on lots of rides, played a lot of games and rode the train as many times as we wanted at Midway Park.

And we walked the entire trail through Panama Rocks. Trent took the boys through all the caves and in all the nooks and crannies of the huge rock formations. This place is so beautiful and amazing. I can't wait until the kids are older and we can really explore all the caves and fun hideaway sites this place has to offer. It was a great hike, but I literally thought I might die by the very end. I am pretty sure that not many other ladies have attempted to hike the rocks at 8 months pregnant....anything for my guys!

Arent' these fellas just the cutest?!
Charlie loves to go into this tree each time we are at the Rocks. I am not sure if he and his little side kick will fit in it next year.

Once again the Lake provided us with a great week full of fun and adventure. We make so many great family memories there and love to visit all of our family and friends when we are in town.