apple picking and pumpkin patch

On Friday night, I got an email that Rocket's final soccer game of the regular season was cancelled.  The other team forfeit as they did not have enough players to field a team.  So I made a spontaneous decision to drive the kids out to an apple orchard and pick some apples on Saturday.  This is also known as MOMMA gets to do something besides sit in the house alone while the kids run in and out the door while playing the neighborhood.

 

So sis had her dance class, then we came home, she changed, I fed them both a snack and I packed lunch for the 90 minute drive out to the orchard. 

The day was cool and windy- a perfect fall day.

At the top of the orchard is this hill that overlooks the entire area.  I don't think sis had ever seen so much empty space.   We talked about our weekend away (coming in 2 weeks) being over in the area far in the distance.  

We decided this hill was perfect for sledding in the winter.

On the way home, I took the kids to a pumpkin patch- some treats before (note to self- sis can not handle this much sugar without become very mean and nasty and defiant- limit her sugar at all times).

The name of the pumpkin farm.  We picked our pumpkins, rode the hayride and walked through the corn maze.  A good way to spend the afternoon.

Hayride- and the boy being silly.

The sunflowers - we had 2 nights of frost so they were very droopy.

finding our way out of the corn maze.

goofy kids

Sunday, we celebrated sis' birthday. Her birthday is actually in 2 days, but this was time the family could celebrate.  Her brother and her former foster mom came to celebrate with us.  It was a good time.

yummy cake- just huge issues with it falling apart while I was spreading the frosting on it. 

sis and her brother.

presents.

 

 

We have the kid birthday tomorrow- at the skating place.  I am never doing this type of party again- only 8 girls were invited and I have definite responses from 2 of them if they are coming or not.  I am over people not RSVPing to parties or even saying they are coming and then asking if the other kids (who don't play with my kids, aren't friends with my kids, etc) can be left at the party too.

 

 

In any case, it is a week of parties here and I will be happy to get to the weekend.  The boy has at least one 1 soccer game- for the end of the year tournament.  If his team wins that game on Saturday, then they automatically qualify for the state tournament (same weekend we are away for the weekend trip) and he also has to play a game on Sunday (at least one game).  if they win the first game on Sunday, then they play the afternoon game to determine the league champion. 

 

I am not sure what I am hoping for an outcome, other than the boys playing their best for the whole game.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb

Halloween Week fun

On Friday, 28Oct, Rocket's school had the announcement of the walkathon numbers at the end of the Halloween party.  Rocket is old enough that his grades no longer wear Halloween costumes, they sit and cheer on the younger kids.

  This is Rocket with his buddies, K (played basketball with him last year) in the orange shirt, Rocket in dark blue shirt, E (ducking down- also in orange shirt), T in purple and A in light blue.  These boys are awesome.

 

the kids in Rocket's school raised $30,391.32 so far from the walkathon.  we have some checks still coming in and it should put us over $31,000.00 for this year.

On Saturday, I took the boys apple picking.  the place was about 90 minutes away- so an adventure through the Ohio country side.  We tool Rocket's friend, P and his exchange student from France, M.  M is only here for 2 weeks, like Falco's class will do in September 2017. I think the boys had a good time

Here is the view from the top of the hill in the orchard.  In the far distance, you can see the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.  If you know your US geography, these are the mountains that run along the Eastern side of the country- from Maine to Georgia.  Ohio is on the western side of the mountains.  They don't get taller until you get closer to the West Virginia/Pennsylvia border, which is about 4 hours from us. But if you remember the weekend away in 2014 when Yutaro was with us, you will recall when we were further into the foothills at Hocking Hills.  That was in October 2014 if you want to go look back at that post.

The boys at the top of the hill

We picked Fuji (red), golden delicious (yellow) and Granny smith (green) apples.  I have processed half of them into apple sauce and I have 5 bags in the freezer.  I still one more bushel to process into Apple pie filling, but I should have that done sometime this week.  Each batch takes about 3 hours to make or 6 hours on low heat.  So with work and other things I am averaging 2 batches a day.

The boys- M, Rocket, Falco, and P.

The orchard we went to. it is very new- about 3 years they have been selling their apples.  Rocket and I are going to have to go next year earlier in the season as they have about 10 varieties of apples that ripen at different times from Sep- Nov.

On the way home, we stopped in downtown so M could see the riverfront, then go buy some presents for his family as he leaves this week.  I keep telling Falco to start buying presents for his family, but he is resisting.  I think it might be making him sad that he is going home in just over 10 weeks!!!  Therefore, he is ignoring the time crunch he is going to be under eventually.  I keep telling him, I don't go near the shopping malls or stores at Christmas time.  I think he does not believe me.  There are too many crowds and people are so rude, it is just too overwhelming to me after working in retail for 16 years (from high school, through college, and then into my early career).  I really hate shopping at Christmas time.

While we were downtown, I bought the boys hot dogs and drinks from a street cart vendor.  That was a cool experience.  this guy was set up right near the fountain, he was super nice.

Enjoying the sun and the fountain during lunch.

Saturday night, we had hot dogs and s'mores in our backyard.  Falco built a great fire and we had a nice evening sitting outside and just being together.  Falco is always fixing his hair before I take pictures.

Halloween night- my Superhero boys- Falco as "Captain Austrian America" and Rocket as Black Panther.  Pablo was the "ruffaree"

they love each other!!

Pretend fighting, which turned to.....

Falco actually being hit.  Rocket said that Falco moved and so it was his fault that he got hit!!!  HAHAHA, Falco was not buying that reasoning and I was dying because it sounds like something I told my sister all the time when we were actually fighting with each other.

dying laughing

Mam came over to hand out candy and we took off to trick or treat.

 

Pablo was so excited to go.  He was so good, no barking at people and no begging for candy.  He was a good doggie boy.

one of our neighbors and the boys.  While we were walking around, Falco said "merry Christmas" to someone and they ended up in a brief discussion that ended with Falco declaring "this is great, they give you CANDY".  I think Falco really likes this holiday a lot.

they boys trading candy after we got home.  We were out for 1.5 hours (Halloween trick or treating hours are 6-8 pm).  Rocket wanted to end after an hour, but we convinced him to keep going.  We walked part of our neighborhood that we have not been in since Rocket was 4 years old. I think Pablo and I will be walking there more frequently.

Falco's haul of candy.  WOW!

 

that's all for this week.  Falco is out this weekend  hiking with the boy scouts.  Rocket is too young to go, but I think Falco will really enjoy it.   Rocket and I have some fun stuff planned with friends and so everyone will be happy.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb