It’s a New York Fall…
November 1, 2009 | Filed Under Deployment, Eliza Dove, Eve, Fall, Life in New York (the apple trees and dairy cow part... not the city!), Photos | 32 Comments
Fall in New York is breath-taking…
I have been getting out and enjoying every bit of this season because I know I won’t have this opportunity again for maybe the rest of my life.
I took the kids grape picking at the vineyard this past Sunday evening.
It was, in one word, beautiful.
We enjoyed every minute of it. We had been a couple of weeks before that and it was lovely then, but for some reason the moodiness of the leafless vines…
…and the fallen grapes made it seem all the more beautiful.
The kids helped me pick, they taste-tested, they played tag up and down the rows (we were the only patrons), and they gave each other wagon rides.
Such a good time.
This past Thursday, my Mom and Dad invited us to go to a park with them for a picnic.
We are always up for picnics in parks with a fire and roasted hot dogs! Miss Eliza wore (Eve’s) pink beret the entire night.
She may be slightly in love with hats of any sort. Eliza wore that hat, or, “Haaa…” as she says, with great pride.
Even when she fell down (it’s tough “trailing” through the woods when you are little!) that hat stayed right on her head.
As Eve would tell you, fashion is where it’s at, even when one is “trailing.”
Eliza has taken that nugget of “truth” to heart!
We had a great time at the park; I can tell you exactly just how much fun by the amount of dirty laundry I had to wash!
I am thankful that I have had the energy and determination to get out while Daniel has been deployed. It hasn’t always been easy, in fact, sometimes it took more than I had to give. I have three small kids, after all! But, I refuse to have any regrets. I don’t want to look back on this time in my life and wish I had not held back. Sure, my heart waits for him but my life has moved forward. How discouraging it would be for Daniel to come home and see that I am still the same girl he left six months earlier!
Anyway, happy November first! Not only is it my birthday month,Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday!), and Judah’s birthday month… most importantly, I get to say: my husband is coming home NEXT MONTH!
Hooray!
We found a new place to play…
October 18, 2009 | Filed Under Andrea, Eliza Dove, Eve, Fall, Judah, Life in New York (the apple trees and dairy cow part... not the city!), Photos | 18 Comments
I love finding new places to take the kids on hikes…. they call it “trailing.” That term always makes me giggle a little.
With three (active) kids, one who is particularly prone to wander,
…walking on the sidewalk through town doesn’t work out so well. Besides…. snore…. boring.
The other day, while on the hunt for a road-side stand that sells spaghetti squash (still looking, by the way), my eyes found a new trail! One that I have driven by approximately 48,297 times over the course of my short-ish life of 28 almost 29 years.
Hooray! The kids loved it. And I loved it because the wanderer…
…could wander all she liked and I didn’t have to worry a bit. The trail was quiet, except for one very sneaky biker (Scared me twice! Who knew a bike could be so quiet on crunchy leaves!). We played and played.
And took pictures… I like this one in particular. Miss Eliza is giving her brother the look that sums it all up… “the sideways look.” You know, the look that says, “I’ve got your number.” And oh, she does. She’s a force to be reckoned with, that one.
It was a fantastic time. We couldn’t wait to go back!
So today, after the kids did the jumping, begging, clapping hands thing, I said, “twist my rubber arm… we can go again!” Immediately I was crowned “Mother Of The Year.” And I stayed “Mother Of The Year” until the next time I told them, “No.” to something they wanted. Fickle, fickle small children.
The girls were so staid; quietly walking down the trail hand in hand.
The boy? Like a bull let out of the pen!
Three year old boys are such a phenomenon. He makes me laugh, he makes me cry… Long-suffering sigh… All I’ve got to say is, “Thank you, Lord, for little boys and their birthdays.”
I would be at fault if I failed to mention that Miss Eliza Dove chose her red shoes today. And I commended her, you know. Because every day is a good day for red shoes, I say. Even “trailing” days.
We had a great time until we hit the wall. The “cold” wall. And then it was time to take our chilly selves home. We had nachos and pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting to eat, and “101 Dalmations” to watch. Nobody fussed, not even poor Eliza… though sometimes it’s really tough to be the little guy.
Happy Sunday! Here’s to a great new week….
Fall in my pocket…
October 5, 2009 | Filed Under Eliza Dove, Eve, Fall, Judah, Life in New York (the apple trees and dairy cow part... not the city!), Photos | 21 Comments
Fall in my pocket
Miss Eliza deemed me her treasure carrier tonight on our walk. My pocket was full of acorn tops, leaves, and a pine cone. I drew the line at the sticks and the rocks…
Fall is unequivocally my favorite time of year. I love it. Love it.
Fall in my hand
Here at my house (probably like yours!) we are eating apple pie, pumpkin pie, drinking apple cider, eating homemade applesauce, burning apple cinnamon and french vanilla candles, plotting our dinner plan for Thanksgiving, smelling woodsmoke, wearing fleeces… the list goes on and on.
Fall is our favorite
This week my goal is to find free apples. I want to make more applesauce to can, and lots of it! My kids inhale the stuff. While I love going to an apple orchard to pick apples, the amount of apples I want would put me in the poorhouse. So, I am determined to scour the countryside for abandoned apple trees or non-abandoned apples trees with very generous owners! Wish me lots of apple finding luck…
Fall underneath me
Today I bought two pie pumpkins from a stand on the side of the road. One dollar each. I am planning on roasting them and then making pumpkin pie for our breakfast this week. The kids think that pumpkin pie for breakfast is the most natural thing in the world. And I love that!
Fall all around me
Some of my favorite fall things include: the smell of woodsmoke and leaves, having to wear a sweater but not a jacket, the sound of leaves crunching under my feet, my kid’s rosy red cheeks, cool rainy days, the colors of the trees, and the food, of course!
Fall above me
Tell me, what do you love about Fall?
One year ago today: I didn’t post… for shame!
Two years ago today: A Fall Delight
Almost too busy…
August 27, 2009 | Filed Under Eliza Dove, Eve, In the blue bowl, Judah, Life in New York (the apple trees and dairy cow part... not the city!), Photos | 23 Comments
…to remember that I miss Daniel. But, not quite. He’s consistently right at the front of my mind. I never have to think about him… I just always am.
Having a deployed spouse puts you in this limbo-ish kind of state. I am here, in the flesh, but my heart and my mind are wherever Daniel is.
Well, these last few days have flown by and I have been busier than ever. That is a victory in and of itself. I didn’t actually think I could get busier! But I have.
Monday was hanging out with Molly (spending the day with her while she spent birthday money, eating hawaiian pizza, being attacked by bees, laughing our faces off, you know… hum drum) and then picking loads of blackberries.
Tuesday was all about the blueberries. And getting sunburned.
On my way home I decided to drive the roads that would take me past my childhood home. Sigh.
All I wanted to do was run up the stairs and flop myself down on my bed. I was overwhelmed with memories. I stared at this photo for the longest time tonight… it was like I had a slideshow running through my mind. I miss it.
Today my mom and I processed 15 dozen ears of corn; ten for her and five for me. Phew.
I got about thirty two bags of super sweet, amazing corn to freeze. It was a lot of work but I am so thankful to be able to do it. I will be especially so come February!
In the blue bowl this week, we have blackberries paired with some very bright and cheerful sunflowers.
And this little boy, just in case you were wondering, has all of his teeth still in his head!
I was at such a loss. I didn’t know what to do about his dead tooth. I was praying, Daniel was praying and then I noticed that his abscess was starting to recede. I kept careful watch and to my surprise, it has completely disappeared! I am keeping an eye on him but thank God! All I want is for all of his teeth to stay in his head until they naturally fall out. I can totally deal with him having a grey tooth.
I think I have about caught you up! Any questions?
Oh, by the way, you’re awesome. And you look great today!
Okay, really all caught up now.
Summer Nights… (also: in which I abuse parenthesis)
August 21, 2009 | Filed Under Eliza Dove, It's What's For Dinner, Life in New York (the apple trees and dairy cow part... not the city!), Photos | 17 Comments
I had to get out of the house tonight. Do you know that feeling?
It was 7 o’clock in the evening… there had been late naps ( I fell asleep! I never do that!) I was hot and I was grumpy.
We tidied up the house, combed hair, loaded ourselves into the truck, blasted some music, and off we went.
Since we hadn’t eaten dinner yet I drove to Wegmans for some food. I also needed to pick up a few things for Daniel’s care package (yes, we got the V8 juice honey!) and to pick up a replacement laundry softener for the one I left in my cart on a previous visit (the cashier put it on the bottom. Out of sight, out of mind!). I am all about killing more than one bird, you know!
My children were angels I tell you, angels, in Wegmans. We did groceries first (yay for finding espresso powder!) and then got our dinner. We rode the elevator (favorite part of the night for the kids!) up to the cafe portion of the store and got ourselves situated. I always feel like we are the entertainment for the evening when we eat at Wegmans. Everyone watches us! I had one guy come up to me as he was leaving and say… “I had my doubts when I saw what you were planning on doing but here they are, all sitting and eating! It was like watching an orchestra…”
Hmmm… what a nice compliment! Can’t say as we have ever been called an orchestra before!
We ate our (amazing) salads (topped with chicken fingers, mind you), drank our Bolthouse “Purple Carrot” juice (Yum!!) and had giant raspberries for dessert. It was really, really nice.
On the way out to the truck afterward Eve went on and on about how nice summer nights in New York are. “They aren’t cold like in New Mexico,” she said. And she’s right. Because New Mexico is the desert, the nights do get chilly. There is usually about a 40 degree difference between the day and the night. It can be in the 100’s during the day and dip down into the 60’s at night! It sure makes for good summer time sleeping.
I drove home (slowly because there are massive amounts of suicidal deer here) with the windows down, music blasting; the kids chattered in the backseat, I stuck my arm out the open window… let the wind blow through my fingers and I smiled.
Yes, I surely do miss summertime in New Mexico… it’s stunningly beautiful. I miss spending evenings grilling on the back porch, taking quiet walks, gazing at the gorgeous sunsets, and drinking ice cold fruity drinks with my spectacular husband.
I will be very glad to have next summer all to ourselves, no deployment hanging over our heads, just being able to be a family… together.
But, I tell you what, tonight was just lovely. And I enjoyed it for all it was worth.
I’ll let Eliza show you how happy I felt inside…
Cold hose water on a hot, hot, hot day… happiness!
Yes, Eliza. It is legal to be this happy. No worries, baby!
