If the neighbors aren't wondering... you aren't trying hard enough!

 

[sigh]

Apple Pickin'

The boys had no school today (Friday) due to a teacher inservice and at about 9:00 am I knew that I had to come up with a game plan and quick.  Well the garage door was broke and the repair man was due to arrive between 11am and 1pm (another story for another time) ... anyway after he left I loaded the boys up in the van and we headed out to Apple Holler.  The had a great time picking, and throwing I might add, apples.  They also got to feed goats and play on some of the other attractions.  Besides the delicious apples... they have a small bakery that was beckoning us from the moment we got out of the car.  I bought a dozen homemade apple cider donuts... they alone were worth the trip.   Notice... the yummy donuts didn't last long enough to me to take pictures of them. 

yummy golden delicious

lil' apple thief

 Sam actually threw more apple than he picked but after awhile he got the hang of it.

Andrew is my apple pickin' pro.  He inspected each apple for worms, bruises and other imperfections before putting them in our bag.  And at this very spot... Andrew later informed me, is where he left his sunglasses.   And there they will stay!

How cute is this... Andrew made this bag before we left to carry all his apple in.  I love this bag.

Sam's favorite part was the corn pit.  It is like a huge sand box but it is filled with corn.  The boys were absolutely filthy afterwards but the had a great time. 

gonna open a can of whoop-ass

Seriously... this is a real drink and they also have BIG CAN of Whoop Ass too...LOL  It is made by Jones Soda  and I actually tasted it before but have not seen it in years.  Besides providing you with a fruity kick in your step it also "revitalizes attitude and restores faith in mankind"... It says so right on the can (so it must be true...right??? otherwise that would be false advertising and very un-American) 

In light of the upcoming election... I think I might just have to open a can of whoop-ass while watching the debates and perhaps another when going to the polls.

Holy Chernobyl Zucchini Batman!

So when your Mom gives you zucchini...

... make zucchini bread!

***note... a zucchini this size yields enough to make 12 loaves***

So my Mom and Step-Dad have a community garden with some of my other relatives in Michigan.  I don't know what kind of fertilizer they are using but they are growing these Chernobyl size zucchini.  So what do you do with monster zucchini???? You make A LOT of zucchini bread.  I have a few recipes that I really like... but as in all my baking I substitute apple sauce for the oil.  It cuts the fat significantly and at the rate my boys devour it... I feel better giving it to them.  This is Apple Zucchini Bread... Yummy!

Another product of the family garden has been carrots, carrots and more carrots!  Sean LOVES these carrots.  They are almost too pretty to eat... NOT... they are so yummy we have been eating them right out of the jar.  

 

Candy is dandy... but liquor is quicker!

So we packed up the kids on a rainy Saturday to head up to the Jelly Belly Factory just over the Wisconsin boarder.  It is just a short drive and I needed to pick up some tasty treats to fill a gift basket I am putting together for a raffle item for the quickly approaching Buddy Walk.  So while we were there we thought we would take the kids on the "train ride" tour of the Jelly Belly Factory.  OK... there should have been a disclaimer on the ride.  

YES, ALTHOUGH THIS RIDE HAS THE APPEARANCE OF A TRAIN AND THEREFORE HAS ALREADY RAISED THE EXPECTATIONS OF SMALL CHILDREN WHO LOVE TRAINS... THIS RIDE IS NOT FOR SMALL CHILDREN WITH ANTS IN THEIR PANTS.  YOUR GRANDMOTHER IN HER WALKER MOVES FASTER.  THE MAJORITY OF THE TOUR IS WATCHING HOW THEY MAKE CANDY VIA PRE RECORDED CLIPS ON TV MONITORS MOUNTED ON THE WALL THROUGHOUT THE TOUR.  THERE IS NO ACTUAL CANDY MAKING TO BE SEEN.  WILLY WONKA DOES NOT LIVE HERE. THE JELLY BEAN ART IS OF LITTLE INTEREST TO SMALL PEOPLE  WHO WOULD RATHER EAT THE JELLY BEANS.  KEEP THIS IN MIND BEFORE BOARDING.

That being said... my advice is to just buy your candy and get the hell out.  We left with enough jelly beans to rot our teeth and the teeth of perhaps the next several family generations.... after which Andrew informs us... "I don't like jelly beans...just candy corns".  Well thank heaven for that because we got candy corns too!  While we were waiting for the "not really a fun train ride" tour, we checked out the tasting booth where you can sample the jelly bell flavors.  Patrick actually tried bogger, black pepper and rotten egg.  He said the rotten egg was the worst.  My question was... who is the poor soul that has to decide whether or not the taste is authentic? With flavors like bogger, vomit, ear wax, baby wipes and the like... I would think that getting a job as a "taste tester" at the Jelly Belly factory would not be as fun of a job as one might assume.  I wonder if they get hazard pay?  

Anyway... I got all the jelly beans that I needed and we headed back home. The basket (containing hand painted martini glasses, drink flavored jelly bellies, and party favors) is done. I am running around today picking up a few more donations and finishing up all the tags and labels for the silent auction and raffles... then Sam has a doctors appointment and Andrew has a Cub Scout meeting.  I am planning dinner for about 9:30pm...LOL. 

 

Getting Ready for the Buddy Walk

So besides all my mommy and domestic duties, I have been painting wine glasses and martini glasses like crazy to donate to the silent auction and raffles for our local Buddy Walk.   So far I have 5 sets of 6 wine glasses and 2 sets of 6 martini glasses... with a few more to go.  Can you say HOLY WINE GLASSES BATMAN?  We have a ton a of great prizes this year... 

The Buddy Walk was established in 1995 to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. As many of you know Patrick is the president of our local Down syndrome parent support group The DDC (Down syndrome Development Council) and I am also on the board.  Our Buddy Walk is September 21st at Lambs Farm in Libertyville from 12:00-5:00.  It is a fun family event with games, music, inflatables, silent auction, raffles, performances by persons with Down syndrome, food, petting zoo and so much more.  It is free and open to the public so if you are in the area... please stop by and meet a few thousand (we expect 1000-2000 this year) other people who love someone with Down syndrome too.  For more info you can check out the DDC's website at www.theddc.org .  In the mean time I am busy getting things done for our big event... so if you don't hear from me for a bit... you will know what we are doing.  

****BUDDY WALK FACTS ****

*The Buddy Walk was established by the National Down Syndrome Society in 1995 to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October.

*The Buddy Walk has three primary goals:

1.  To promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome;

2.  To raise funds locally and nationally for education, research and advocacy programs; and

3. To enhance the position of the Down syndrome community, enabling us to positively influence local and national policy and practice.

*The Buddy Walk has grown from 17 walks in 1995 to more than 260 in 2006 across the country and around the world.

*At least 250,000 people are expected to participate in more than 275 Buddy Walks this year.

*Since 1995, more than 1,750,000 people have participated in the Buddy Walk program. Last year alone, the Buddy Walk raised more than $6.5 million to benefit local programs and services, as well as national education, research and advocacy initiatives.

*The Buddy Walk program is supported at the national level by the National Down Syndrome Society. Local Buddy Walks are organized by NDSS Affiliates, parent support groups, schools, and other interested organizations and individuals.  Most Buddy Walks take place from September through November to recognize Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October.

*John C. McGinley, who plays Dr. Perry Cox in the hit NBC show "Scrubs," is the 2007 National Buddy Walk Spokesman. Mr. McGinley is both an accomplished actor and the proud father of Max who has Down syndrome.

Anyone who wants to support acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome can participate in the Buddy Walk.  To find a local Buddy Walk in your community, visit the "Find a Walk" section of http://www.buddywalk.org. 

Summer fun

So we pulled out the slip-n-slide and watered the lawn at the same time... dual purpose water usage counts as a "green practice" ... right!  Either way ... everyone had fun and the lawn looks better too.

 

Spreading Awareness

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HAPPY WHEATLAND!

Once again we donned our best tye-dye shirts and headed out for the Wheatland Music Festival in Remus Michigan.  3 days of camping, and the best darn folk music around.  Cajun music, Irish music, Bluegrass, Zydeco music, African Drumming, Dancing, clogging, fiddles, banjos and tye-dye OH MY!  I have been going to Wheatland with my parents since I was a kid but now it is so much fun to take my boys... they love the music and spending time with all our family that also goes every year. 

The weather turned out great!  I have been to Wheatland in the rain, in the blistering heat and even in the snow... Yes, we over packed but besides your tye-dye apparel, you must bring clothes for every type of weather.  

The kids spent a lot of time on "kids hill" and after they crashed, dirty and exhausted, some of us hit the dance pavilion were things were hoppin' until 2:00am.  Several thousand people (I think around 16,000 this year) show up annually for this amazing event... think Woodstock with hillbillies... to camp, eat, dance and play their fiddles.  Andrew has expressed some interest in the past about learning to play the fiddle (yes, the fiddle is the same as a violin... the difference is how you play it... and perhaps from which side of the Mason-Dixon Line you reside)... so this year to spark his interest a bit more he got a CAN-jo (a one string banjo made from a tin can, a long neck of wood and one string) and he has already composed a song entitled "The Lost and Found Dinosaur".  And to think maybe a few years down the road he could be jammin' out on his fiddle on the main stage... oh a mama can dream... lol.