Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree

Cleaning pictures off the camera and I was reminded of a glorious apple picking day this fall. 

I thought I'd share some them. 



In my next life, I'll live in an apple orchard.



The Father of my Children....the Milkman??

If you are in the grocery store and happen to be browsing the dairy aisle, check out the product shown below.

Next turn the carton around and take a close look at the man fondly stroking the bovine. 

Does he look familiar? 

 I believe he does.  The only difference is that my husband has never been that close to a cow.  I do believe Horizon Milk employs my spouse's doppelganger. 

Strange occurrences so close to All Hallows Eve.  Coincidence?  I think not.

Calling All Parents....

Seeking parental advice for the best way to respond to 7 year old screams of "you don't care about me" and the zinger, "you hate me."

Gheez.  They really know how to get to you, don't they?

Any input appreciated.

Say Click...Take a Pic (Diego Reference- fyi)

As for standing in direct line of the college photographer at Homecoming.....in the words of my nieces' friend, Eowyn, "Well played."  Check us out here.

What in the world??

Apparently Will thinks that Toy Story Woody's hat should serve another purpose. 

How do they come up with these things?? 

Get Your Tissues Ready

Below is a drawing that Ethan did of his Mom and Dad. 

Here's the kicker....wait for it.....he glued our hands together.  Ahhhhhhhhhhh.

Hot Blooded

One of the hardest parts of being a parent is recognizing the traits of yourself that you dislike the most in your child.  I was reminded of this the other day as Ethan, affected by his lack of lunch, was very angry and yelled at his brother, friends and mother. 

"Go away I want to be alone," I was told when I tried to talk to him afterwards.  He eventually came around and we did talk about it discussing the positive ways to relieve the anger inside.  Seems we just can't remember those in the moment! 

I come from a long list of hot heads from my father to my father's father.  My dad would get so frustrated with things that he had a long list of recurrent cuss words to voice his agitation.  I feel like I struggle to keep my temper in tow.  I wish I was more even tempered, like my husband. 

I am still learning how to constructively voice my anger.  Unfortunately my oldest son will have to figure this out as well. 

Out for a Drive a/k/a sanity run

     After an action packed morning of the boys' antics:  Ethan shattering a light bulb with a broom and teaching the baby how to put a marble in his mouth, Ben reciting "I need a tissue." 25 times per hour, and a runny nose Will refusing to leave my hip, I buckled all three in the van and drove around the countryside for an hour searching for my sanity.  I was unable to locate it.  It's gone, gone, really gone.

Tea Drinkers....Unite

Saw this Chinese Proverb in the paper:

"Better to be deprived of food for there days, than tea for one."
                                              
It really rings true for me.  I roll out of bed in the morning and the first thing I do is turn on the teakettle.  I love that morning tea.  One of the ways I knew my husband and I were destined to be together is that his Grandma was a die hard Red Rose tea fan, as am I.

My current requirements for the morning brew are Red Rose, of course, Sugar in the Raw (seems that white sugar has no taste anymore), organic milk (preferably the carton with K's picture on it- that is another story) and a hefty mug.  My favorite right now is the mug purchased at Deep Creek this summer due in part to the puny size of the mugs in our vacation house.  I didn't think I could make it through the week with the shot glass size cups provided.

So here's to tea and drinking it plentifully.  Cheers!

Weekend Travels

We had a lovely weekend in Ohio  We reunited with dear friends and stomped around Wooster for the day.  The weather was gorgeous!  We watched women's soccer, but decided not to attend the cricket match (game?).  It was very fun, although also exhausting to run around our college campus with little ones.  Luckily, my niece and nephew entertained them for awhile as K and I actually got to visit with people.  Wow!  W. looked especially dapper sporting his McLeod Tartan hat that Dianne/Mom purchased him in Scotland this summer.  I tried to stick him in eye shot of the college photographer but am not sure if I was successful.  We were fortunate to visit with K's brother/sister-in-law/mom/dad in Dover. I really lucked out in the in-law department.  Just a group of funny and exceptionally nice people who are great to be with.  

Standards Signifcantly Lowered

Sometimes I feel like I accomplish NOTHING throughout the day....paint still peeling off ceiling in bedrooms and bathroom, paint still chipping of baseboards, clothes still in need of sorting, etc. etc.  It seems as if just muddling through the day to day dinner, laundry and in general care for the children should provide me with some sort of satisfaction, but for some reason my inner checklist needs other large ticket items checked off as completed.

I try to trick myself to get this feeling of completion of a major project by acknowledging the completion of the mundane.....dishes emptied from dishwasher and put away - CHECK, lunch prepared, served and cleaned up after - CHECK, baby kept from leaping off of ottoman - CHECK.  Doesn't always work.

Today I celebrate what may seem to some to be a small feat, yet it has been four months in the works.  All the parts of space shuttle, rocket, launcher, and boosters are assembled together and sitting on the dresser.  They are reunited - CHECK. 

Prepare for blast off....baby is crying. 

I Salute You!

It seemed like your typical Wednesday at our household.  We awoke to the baby crying, plowed through showers, breakfast, packing lunches, dressing boys and donning raincoats to enter the outside world.  I entered the bathroom for the normal reason and saw the following, referred to as Exhibit "A".

My eyes rolled in irritation as I instantly assumed the responsibility to replace it would be mine.  But then, out of the doom and gloom of yet another gray, rainy day....a glimmer of light....a ray of hope....a promise of what was to come....also known as Exhibit "B".

There she was in all her glory...waiting patiently on the back of the toilet to do her work NOT hiding away in the hall closet... placed there by some unknown hero in a selfless, thoughtful act of mercy. 

I would like to thank all those people who helped to make today possible.  I implore you to continue down your path. 

You, my friend, are a mensch.