Patterson's Apple Farm

This was the first time I have been to an apple farm. We had a wonderful time. I set out to the Patterson's apple farm to get apples for canning. It was so fun to go into their store, and smell such wonderful smells. They had a bakery that flooded the store with the most delicious smells. I ordered each kid a doughnut, ordered me a huge apple fritter (it was so amazing)!! They had everything you could think of that you could do with apples. My favorite was the free apple samples. It was cool to see the different apples, and then taste each one. It was so yummy. On their website it talked about all these fun fall activities to do, wagonrides, corn mazes, play in haystacks, and treehouse, but soon found out that all this stuff was at a different location (where the actual farm was). I was at the store, and it was at another location, but they still had some fun stuff. I think my kids still enjoyed themselves just running around.

Canning!

I have never canned before, but this fall I decided to try my hand at a few things. My friend invited me to can peaches, which was so awesome b/c she helped me not be so intimidated. It was nice to have someone show you how to do it, and then practice a little bit to boost up your confidence. The peaches turned out awesome, and I can't seem to get enough of them.
After peaches I decided to invest in a Vittorio stainer, so I could can some tomato sauce and apple sauce. I haven't yet tasted the tomato sauce yet, but the apple sauce turned out good. My kids devour it on a weekly basis. Here is a shot of my finished apple sauce. I am so proud of myself for even attempting.

Akron Womens Triathlon

So call me crazy, I participated in a mini-triathlon. This race was half of what a normal triathlon would be, it consisted of a 250 meter swim, 7 mile bike, and 2 mile run. I had a friend tell me about this race in the spring, and I seriously contemplated whether I should do it or not. I decided not to do it, because I did not have a bike, I was not sure if I could do the swim, no one seemed like they wanted to do it with me, and I did not want to do it by myself. So I pretty much put it out of my mind, until my sister-in-law called a month before the race to ask if she could stay at our house, because she was going to participate in it. Matt said I should do it with my sister-in-law Monica, and that it would be fun. I didn't think it was possible because I did not think I could train in a month. Then I found out that Monica had not done any training either, and had only a month to get ready as well. So I decided to take the plunge. Then I registered and paid the NON-REFUNDABLE entry fee, and made sure there was no turning back.
I worked out that first week, and was actually excited to train for this, and then Seth got admitted to the hospital, and I got deathly sick, and was sick for 2 stinkin' weeks. It was a good thing I had registered because after being sick, I would have definitely backed out knowing I had only 2 weeks to train. A couple of my other friends also decided to do it, and I started working out with them. We were told that this was a really laid back race, because it was meant to get your feet a little wet in the world of Triathloning. So here we are at the beginning awaiting for the race to start. How do you like those cone heads?

This picture from left to right is Jen Tanner, Me, Monica, & Jenny Jones.
I was feeling pretty confident about the swim, until I started swimming. We were swimming in a lake with lots of gross seaweed wrapping around your arms and legs. I wore a nose plug to help me when I did the freestyle stroke, but I was a little bit leary to stick my face in the brown muddy water, so I kept my face out of the water, which was a very bad idea. When one wears a nose plug it forces you to breath through your mouth, well since my head was out of the water, and you have lots of women swimming it produces lots of waves, and it felt like I caught every wave in my mouth because that is what I was breathing through. Lessoned learned, forget nose plug. Needless to say when I got done with the swim, I felt like I took the whole lake with me in my belly.

Here I am leaving the lake and heading to the transition area to get my bike & shoes etc.

I finally got on my gear to start the bike, boy am I in trouble.

Like I said earlier the bike part of the race was 7 miles, and this kicked my butt. This is where one of those embarrising moments come in. Leave it to me, the ditsy blonde to make this mistake. The bike consisted of two loops, and coming off the first loop heading onto the second, I made the wrong turn and went the wrong way. I finally run into those big orange cones that block me from my path, at this point I yell " how come there are cones?" A kind soul from the side lines informs me that I am going the wrong way, and I have to turn around. Well don't I feel stupid. I am so frustrated, becuase this now sets me back even further. Finally after 35 mins. of biking I finish that part of the race, and have to begin the 2 mile run.
Did I mention that by this point I officially feel I have been run over by a truck. Seriously my legs were so wobbely, I did not think I would recover, but amazingly the more I ran, the better my legs felt, and I am proud to say I did not stop. My goal was to finish in 1 hour. I ended the race in 1 hour and 7 mins. I do not think I have ever excersized continuously like that in my whole life. I came in last of all my friends, and that is fine with me, because I finished the race instead of giving up (which by the way crossed my mind many times throughout the race).

Here I am almost to the finish line!!!

There it is, the end is in sight! Hallaluah!!!!

Here is the whole gang. We are showing off our prison numbers(this is how they # you, writing black marker on your skin). The one in the red is my good friend Beth Hayes. She was the one that first told me about this race. She is awesome. She ran the race in 45min. She is my idol.

1st day of Kindergarten

Mckayla has been waiting for this day, since I swear the day she was born. She has been so excited to start Kindergarten. She even tells me "you know mom, I have been waiting for this day for forever!!" Her teacher is Mrs. Troy. I have heard she is a really good teacher. Mckayla loves everything about school. Mckayla told me the first week that she asked her teacher everyday if they had homework or not. She rides the bus in the morning, and absolutely loves it. At her school you have the choice to have them be half day or all day. I am the only mother in the whole elementary that chose half day. Can you believe it! Mckayla is so ready for all day, but I enjoy so much having her home with me. I know that once she is all day, I won't have her around as much, and I am going to miss her horribly. I have the choice to switch her to all day anytime I want, but once I do there is no switching back. So far Mckay and I are still enjoying our time together, and she seems to be happy about that. I guess we will see a little later in the year. I love my little girl, I can't believe she is getting so big. I can't believe I have a school age child. Time goes by so quick.

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Unexpected Hospital Stay!!!

Sunday Aug. 16th, Seth wasn't feeling to well. When we returned home from church, I could tell that Seth was having a hard time breathing. His little stomach would retract in and out, and it looked like he was not able to get a full breath. I mentioned to Matt, that I thought something was wrong with Seth, but he hadn't noticed it, so when Matt got Seth up from his nap, he came in to me and said he saw what I had been talking about. We decided that we needed to take him in to be looked at. So with the whole family in tow, we went for a family ride to the emergency. After evaluating him, it showed that he was having trouble breathing, and he began fevering, they thought it was best that Seth should be admitted to the hospital, to be monitored throughout the night. Matt left with the other two, to get them dinner, and clothes for me. While he was gone, I had to hold Seth down while they drew blood, and give him an IV. Once the IV was in I picked him up, and he threw up all over me. What does one do, no change of clothes, no shower, a child who is sick, and all he wants is his mommy, even if it means he has to lay on her puked on clothes. Luckily one of the nurses brought me some scrubs to wear. The ambulance finally came, and we get admitted to the hospital. Needless to say it was a very long night, with not much sleep in it. So the diagnosis for little Seth, he is asthmatic, but they can't term him that until he is two, but they still treat it the same. We stayed in the hospital for two days, they wanted to be sure that he reacted well to the treatment. He became asthmatic due to the onset of a cold. They were a bit worried for him to be having this in the middle of Aug., and with the cold season coming very soon, it was very important that they find treatment that will help him, and not have to go to the hospital everytime he has a cold. He is doing much better. Both Matt and I started getting sick with a cold the same day we admitted Seth into the hospital. A week and a half later I was still so ill. I have never felt so sick in my life. I was so miserable, and I just couldn't shake this horrible cough and conjestion. Finally, I received an antibiotic from the Dr., and I am feeling so much better. I am so glad these last two weeks are behind us. Hopefully, we will be able to make it through the winter months.

This is cute Seth waiting to get released from the hospital.

This is the other two monkeys that had lots of fun on Seth's hospital bed. Nothing like caging the little monkey's.

Ward Camp Out 2009

We attended our ward camp out on Aug. 14th. It was held at the John Johnson farm. We had such a good time. The kids were so excited to sleep in a tent, they kept asking why we don't do it more often, after getting no sleep for the night because of all of natures noises, I have decided there is a reason why we don't go as often as we should. For dinner we had dutch oven chili, and the ward provided breakfast the next morning. Isaiah was happy because we let him bring his swords along, and he found friends that wanted to sword fight as well.

Here's Seth just enjoying being outside, and roaming wherever his little heart desired.

Mckayla and Isaiah couldn't get enough of roasting marshmellows, and trying to keep the fire going. Mckay kept getting leaves and other stuff to throw in the fire.

This was our camping quarters. Mom, Dad & Seth in a tent, and Mckay & Isaiah in the other tent.