A Hoppy Life: September 2012

Okay I’m behind again so I’m playing catch up… hey that’s okay! So not last weekend but the weekend before that Kevin, Max and I had a very crafty weekend! Every year Canfield has an annual Fall Market and Craft Show. It’s a lot of fun and a good family event to attend. We usually just walk around and occasionally buy some cookies or something. This year we were up early – of course – so we were one of the first bunches of people there. IT was fun! We did our usual thing walked around and bought cookies.. Then we found this lady that knitted these cute hats and naturally had to buy Max one. We bought him one that looks like Oscar the Grouch, and with the weather turning to fall we’ve already been able to wear it.. SO cute!! We also bought our usual batch of colored sweet peppers at the market and I have cut those up and frozen them for the winter. Gotta love it and it saves lots of money when colored peppers are expensive.

After the Canfield Fall Market we went home, took a nap, ate lunch and then went out to an Apple Orchard in Columbiana – about 15 minutes – if that – from us! It was awesome!! This was by far the best orchard we’ve ever been to. The rows were clean, the apples were huge, the weather was perfect and we had the best time. Max loved it! He was running around eating apples and chasing daddy and mommy! We got one peck of apples for a mere $8 and were there for well over an hour. It was a blast! This will definitely become a family tradition!

Pictures to come on my other computer!! Yikes!!

We love doing outside activities – so far we’ve got ourselves marked down for our annual apple picking trip, pumpkin picking trip, Christmas tree cutting and strawberry picking – I’m going to have to find more of these as they are the best stuff you can do together as a family!

On Sunday we went to another craft show at White House Fruit Farm! Holy moly can they pack people in there. It was by far the most insane thing I've ever seen!! However, it was a good time and we came home was so tasty fresh veggies! Gotta love fall everyone!

Is it just me or am I always playing catch up on here… yep I’m always playing catch up. Each time I blog I promise to update more regularly than one week goes by than 2 weeks go by then I’ve got so much ground to cover. Oh well, I’ll try to do better from here forward. Don’t laugh too hard whomever’s reading.

Okay so where do I start. Looks like the last time I blogged I was telling you what a great little eater my little man has become… well that’s right he is quite the great little eater. I couldn’t be prouder of how far he’s come along and I can’t even begin to express how much less stress I have! It’s great! We’ve even begun to feed him everything that we are eating since he has started to demand it. My mom even gave him steak this past Labor Day weekend – yes steak and he loved it. And no Memaw it wasn’t a “gray” well done steak (I know your favorite just teasing), but a nice medium! He really enjoyed it!

So let’s catch up on what’s we’ve been doing these past few weeks, first let me begin by saying I’m so excited for the fall – the leaves changing, jeans, sweaters, football and things just slowing down. We’ve been non-stopped since the beginning of May and I’m ready to have things relax a bit. I’m also ready for warm fall/winter meals and family gatherings, Halloween, pumpkin picking, apple farms, etc etc etc… ahh I’m so ready! How about everyone else?

Alright so since my last blog – Xavier, our 4 month old nephew, was baptized in his church in Akron, Ohio. It was a nice mass – different than a catholic mass – so it was a good contrast to what I’m used too. He did a great job and didn’t cry once during his “dunking”. Maxwell was also well behaved. He enjoyed moving about the pew, playing with his Aunt Dawn and Uncle Dan and kissing his Memaw, overall he didn’t steal the show from his cousin too much and was very well behaved. Thanks goodness!

After Xavier’s baptism we spent sometime together as a family at the Vuchak’s house. They live in this very beautiful, large 2 story Tudor in Akron. It’s a very beautiful home and Kate’s taste is impeccable. Makes me feel like decorating, except our home is just for the next few years so I’m constantly thinking about that when it comes time to decorate or anything. I’m just keeping it simple, but someday I’ll just have Kate come over and decorate our new home! Ha!

The weekend after that was a relaxing family weekend, just me and the boys. We went out to the Canfield – MetroParks Farm and checked out the baby animals, went shopping and did the Olive Garden thing. Man the weekends go so fast, this one in particular went by in a flash. We did manage to spend a few dollars at the Baby R’ Us buying Mr. Max quite a few new outfits. Preparing for fall after all and buying him so new Nikes. Man this kid has nicer shoes than me! Go figure!

- More photos can be seen on my photo blog too - l emoneyesphoto.blogspot.com.

So this past weekend, Labor Day Weekend, we got to make our annual trip to the Farmhouse in the Catskill Mountains, near Andes, NY. We really enjoy ourselves here, although it’s not exactly a luxurious vacation! Kevin and I have made some nice memories here, having spent about 2 weeks here the summer after we graduated college, with my sisters Samantha! This was before we brought 4-wheelers up with us and so we did lots of mountain hikes, bonfires, and creek swimming. It was so much fun, and we love going back every summer on Labor Day – when we can. Last summer we had to skip our annual trip because Max was just a newborn and the farmhouse is no place for a newborn – although I think we could have done it.

So we left on Thrusday night around 6:30ish – and arrived at the farm around midnight or a little later – okay it was later. The trip was good. Max slept and/or watched Disney movies on our new headrest DVD players – a most to parents with a Toddler!! If you have children, take car trips and don’t have these - god bless you! We just bought these and were very grateful, if you can’t tell!

Once we arrived at the farmhouse, we unpacked the necessities and headed to bed. Max was of course up at this point and excited so putting him down was a challenge but eventually he did go to sleep – on top of me - because he refused to go to bed. And then the kiddo woke up bright and early – 5 a.m. ready to start his day. I took him downstairs and we watched Disney Jr. – luckily we have Direct TV in the mountains, otherwise I would have been extremely tired that day!

Max loved the farmhouse, we played in the stream, took photos, rode 4-wheelers, walked the mountain, played golf – yes we were the people with a 14 month old on the golf course, went shopping in town, went to a farm event, ate lots of yummy food and spent time with my parents and each other! So much fun!

Now this fun didn’t come without it’s fair share of bumps and bruises. Being on a mountain Max had a whole new environment to navigate. Rocks, uphills, downhill, etc etc etc. All and all he did good and didn’t come out looking like a Rocky movie or anything!

Golfing was so much fun! We were all worried about Max, please don’t cry, please don’t act up, but what were we thinking he was so good. He loved being on the green and picking the balls up, he loves the golf cart and he enjoying being with Momma and Daddy! There were a few moments when I got a little worried – when the ranger would come around etc., but we kept pace and Max was pretty good! I even played well, hello what do you expect people I’m amazing! Ha! I took some good pictures with my dad’s iPhone so I will download those and upload them a little later.

We also had fun in the stream. My mom and Kevin built these really neat steps down to the path that leads down to the stream. We had a lot of fun with that, and Max really liked being down in the stream, okay he wasn’t to pleased with the temp. of the water but in a few years we are going to have to pull him from there! He’s gonna love it! I can’t wait!!

By far Max’s favorite thing to do is ride 4-wheelers, I think he could be on those all day!!! Daddy took him up and down the mountain over and over again. He loved it! I know my sister would go on and on about how unsafe it is, but Daddy is very careful and Max has been riding for months, he knows the drill! And like I said he loves it, he screams when it’s time to come off!! Literally!

So after a few blissful days in the woods, it was time to come back to reality. And here we are Friday before yet another weekend! Yippie!

Below are some pictures! (coming later today!)! I will be sure to add more as I get them and also update my photo blog – lemoneyesphoto.blogspot.com!

Til next time!