arch

I know I've written about Brian's penchant to just decide we're going to go on an adventure spur of the moment before.  He had Monday off from work because of Veteran's Day, but the littles had school.  After he brought them home from school, he announced we would have an afternoon adventure.  I thought about all the stitching I needed to be doing, all the laundry, all the cleaning.  And I almost sat the adventure out.  But I knew I'd regret it.  And I would have!

We all packed into the car and headed to St. Louis to go visit the arch.  Brian and I had been before, years ago when we were passing through the area.  But we had never taken the littles, despite them always being so excited to see it whenever we're near the city.  We had never told them that you could go up to the top of the arch, but once we clued them in, they were all for it!  Fletcher especially was excited, racing forward along the path to the arch, and circling back to us.  Rowan strolled along, eating a snack, and not understanding the urgency.

She was pretty impressed once we were right under it.  If you've never been to the arch, there is a museum in the underground area that is worth a visit.  And if you've never ridden to the top, let me tell you it's not for anyone with claustrophobia.  You ride to the top in a circular, barrel-like elevator that takes 4 minutes to get to the top.  There are seats in it, and it's not tall enough to stand in.  The littles thought it was awesome.  Like a rocket ship, they decided.

But the views from the top are worth the ride!  As long as you aren't afraid of heights.  Fletcher could have stayed up there all day, looking at the cars going back and forth, pointing out different buildings and structures, and watching barges glide on the river.  But Rowan only wanted so much before she was done.  And when that girl is done, she is DONE.

Papa's adventures always work out and seem magical.  I love that he has this spontaneous nature that I just don't possess.  Because these memories?  They are my favorite kind.

halloween!

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween!  Ours was very rainy, wet, and chilly.  So I unfortunately do not have any pictures of actual trick or treating.  Luckily there was a preschool costume parade at the school, so I got to watch and play paparazzi for my kiddos.  Fletcher decided long ago that he would be a dalek from Dr. Who for Halloween.  I decided it was time to hang up my homemade costume hat for that one, but then found out it was nearly impossible to BUY a dalek costume.  So Brian took that one on his shoulders and came up with something pretty great.  Rowan also decided a while ago to be a princess bride.  Luckily my neighbor had a bride costume already.  Unluckily, it was a size 8 and I needed to temporarily make it fit a size 3.  So I made alterations, but didn't have to make her costume from scratch.  Both littles were very pleased with their costumes.

Rowan just didn't want to wear her veil, so she carried it instead.  Fletcher got tired of the helmet and his plunger and whisk while he was trick or treating, too.  And some people confused him with a waffle or chocolate chip cookie.  Or they just had no idea what the heck he was.  He didn't seem to mind, and he still got plenty of candy.

We all went to bed exhausted and full of sugar.  It's tradition.

oh october

I wish October lasted for 2 months.  Maybe 3.  It's pretty much my favorite month of the year.  Don't get me wrong, I am a winter lover and all the fun holidays that it brings, but October is pretty special.  It is cool and colorful, with random warm sunny days wedged between windy cold days.  The leaves changing stun me every time it happens, and I just want the colors to last for a lot longer than the 2 to 3 weeks that it does.  Back home, living on Lake Michigan, the colors would build to a colorful intensity so gorgeous that it would take your breath away.  And then the very next day, bitter winter winds would knock them all down.  Here in the middle of Missouri, the colors take their time, and never build to quite a crescendo, but it does get quite pretty, and then the color sticks around a bit longer.  So I am really enjoying that this year.  The leaves are reaching their peak, and they don't seem ready to leave quite yet.  I'm completely ok with that.

So I love the Fall colors so much, I can't help but bring it inside, too.  I can't say I decorate with a sparing hand, and I never know when too much is well, too much.  But I like it just the same.  So here's a peek of our home, decorated for Fall.  And a little for Halloween, too.

 

pumpkin carving

We spent this past weekend nursing colds.  Poor Rowan had a fever on Saturday, and slept the day away.  It really bugs me that parents send their kiddos to school when they are contagious.  I know that some parents don't have other alternatives, and I feel for them.  But I keep my littles at home when I know they can pass their bug along.  Sorry, rant over.  It's just hard to see your little struggle with being ill when there are so many fun Fall activities to be doing!

Luckily we were able to fit in a fun Fall activity at our friend's the weekend before at their pumpkin carving party!  Dan and Lacy bravely invited a few families with lots of kiddos over to wield knives over pumpkins.  Fletcher was really into it, and he and Brian got one carved up, with his direction of "triangle eyes, rhombus nose, and Spongebob's teeth." The boy is specific, I'll give him that!  Rowan just wanted to draw her face on with a sharpie and call it a day.  We spent the rest of the party eating delicious chili and sipping hot cider around a fire.  It was the perfect pumpkin carving party!

As you can see, there were some very creative pumpkins in there!  Thanks so much to Dan and Lacy for a perfect night!

fall festivals

One of my favorite parts of Fall is all the festivals.  Oktoberfests, pumpkin patch festivals, and all the rest.  I love them.  There was a festival at one of our favorite parks last weekend, so we made sure to make time for it.  The leaves were just beginning to change, and the weather was warm.  Since last weekend, the leaves have changed drastically, and the colder air has moved in.  So I might have to run back to the park this weekend for the dramatic tree pictures!  We had a great time listening to music, drinking apple cider, and feeding the fish in the trout hatchery.  And I actually brought my camera and used it, so wonders really WILL never cease!  I've been so buried in opening the shop, I've had a hard time documenting life here lately.

Here's to hoping for a change in that!  I am really hoping to get out of this no picture rut.  This time of year can sometimes help inspire me to take my camera wherever I go, lest I miss out on a panoramic view of vibrant trees somewhere!

 

**Thank you, friends for all the love and support on my new shop!  And some of you even ordered from me already!  I appreciate more than I can say.**

campfire donuts

A few people left comments or sent emails asking for my recipe for campfire donuts.  They are so ridiculously easy, I really just want to share with everyone.  I got the idea from my friend, Kelly, who made them for us in her home.  So you can make them at home, too!  And really, there is nothing better than freshly made donuts.  Nothing.  Don't argue with me, NOTHING.  Here is all you need:

2 cans Pillsbury biscuits
1/2 gallon to 1 gallon cooking oil
1 cup sugar
1/8 cup cinnamon
OR
1 cup powdered sugar

You will want to find the biscuits that are NOT flaky.  I haven't actually tried the flaky, but I've been told they don't hold up as well.  These are the butter biscuits.  Let me just say right here that there is absolutely nothing healthy about these, and we only felt ok about eating them after 6 mile rambling hike the day before.  Oh, ok, confession: I'd feel ok about eating them after no hike at all.

First you'll want to get your oil into a dutch oven directly over the fire.  Then punch holes in your donuts.  We used a shot glass, since that's what we had on hand.  Save the holes, those are the kid's favorites!  Once the oil is slowly bubbling, drop in a donut or ball to test.  If it takes more than a couple minutes to brown, you may want to heat the oil more.  If the donut turns brown immediately, take the oil off the fire to cool a bit.  It will still cook the donuts off the fire.  We floated 4 donuts at a time, using tongs to pull them out.  Wait until they are a golden brown.

Have your cinnamon sugar spread out on a plate so that you can immediately roll the hot donuts in the sugar.  It will stick better that way.

And that is it my friends!  So easy!  Brian left the oil on and made a batch of scotch eggs, which are also really easy camp food, too.  Happy camping!  The Fall is the best time to get lost in the woods, as long as there are donuts back at the campsite.

into the woods

Over the weekend we went camping with our friends.  Brian and I both grew up camping, and while he's, um, a little more passionate about it, we both want our kiddos to experience the joys of communing with nature.  And this camping trip was filled with joys and just a few lows.

My favorite part about camping is sitting by the fire.  Sitting by the fire drinking coffee, eating, roasting marshmallows, or just chatting.  Best part.  And we got lots of that in with the littles and our friends, Dan and Lacy.  The littles just adored them, and I think Fletcher may be just a little sweet on Ms Lacy.

The sleeping in tents went well, and the littles really like the novelty of sleeping outside.  There were a few wake-ups from Rowan, but it really wasn't too bad.  We stayed at St. Francois state park (in Missouri), and it really was a beautiful park.  We decided that a long hike was in order to fully enjoy its beauty.  And that is when the camping trip hit a snag.

At first all was well.  Rowan found pretty rocks in the stream beds on the hike, Fletcher enjoyed finding bugs and lizards, and it was just a gorgeous day.

But then it started feeling a bit long.  And we asked hikers coming the other way if we were close to the end.  They laughed and told us: NO.  It was a 3 mile hike, and we knew we'd by carrying littles through some/most of it, but we were really planning on it taking about 2 hours, tops.  As we stretched toward the 2 1/2 hour mark, the littles got a little cranky.  Snacks and drinks helped soothe the cranks.

 But then it happened.  The trail just dead ended at a creek.  The guys ran forward a bit, trying to get an idea of where the trail headed, and we all rambled through the woods looking for a path that seemed to run out.  At one point I just stopped, pretty certain that we were just going to get ourselves into trouble if we kept on going on a pathless path.  And then we were introduced to a new Missouri delight, the seed tick.  Fletcher and Lacy were COVERED.  I mean dozens upon dozens of teeny tiny little ticks all over their ankles.  Seed ticks are basically baby ticks, by the way.  A nuisance with really awful itchy bites, but not dangerous or disease carrying.  But really, just GROSS.  Luckily I had tucked my jeans into my socks, so I wasn't swarmed.  But at that point we all just really, really wanted to get the fuck out of there.  Excuse my f-bomb, but I really just need to convey how desperate we all were to find our way out.  At that point, Rowan started screaming, "I WANT TO GO HOME AND TAKE A BATH!!!"  And we all agreed with her.  Yes, a bath WOULD be nice.

We tromped back to the place where the path had ended at the creek, and there it was.  Not in plain sight, mind you, but the trail picked up on the opposite side of the creek.  We hurried on out of there and back to the campsite, where we picked off MORE ticks, and tried to drown our sorrows in beer and marshmallows.  The 2 hour hike had turned into a 4 1/2 hour hike.  Which is fine for adults.  But for a 3 and 5 year old, not so much.

The next morning was very chilly, and the littles were a little cold and grumpy.  Hot cocoa and campfire-made donuts helped the situation.

 Although Rowan didn't end up with the tick infestation that Fletcher and Lacy had (and later found Brian to have) she did get stung by a yellow jacket.  Poor little thing.  But she was a trooper, and didn't cry long.

Despite the hike gone awry, it was a really fun camping trip.  We all loved it, and the littles keep talking about doing it again!  So thanks to Dan and Lacy for inviting us and for making it all fun, even when we were lost in the woods.

Now let's plan the next one!  But with shorter hikes.