A Few Caramel Apples and a Whole Lotta Pumpkins

Wow!  Am I the worst blogger in the world or what?  I really have no excuse except for that I'm so tired by the time I get home, cook dinner, and get the kids to bed.  I want nothing other than the couch or my bed.  So for those of you who "attempt" to check this in hopes of a new post everyday...I'm truly sorry! 

 

Every fall we get season passes to the apple orchard and head out there almost every Thursday.  Andy has his football team meal that night so it's a perfect time for the kids and I to head out there right after school.  We usually close the place down and stay almost three hours.  Below are a few pictures and a slide show of the others I took.   



 

 The kids love their caramel apples!  That's always a must when we get there...it makes for a yummy snack before we start with the fun.

 

 Isaiah and Ava posing in front of the sign at the entrance.

 

 Ava diving into the corn pool.

 

 One happy Boo on the hayride!

 

We have 21 pumpkins at our house right now.  Four of them are from the apple orchard; the other 17 are from the Blackmer's farm.  They invite us out every year to pick pumpkins and gourds.  So to say our house really is a pumpkin patch is pretty much true.  Our yard has pumpkins everywhere...but I love it.  The color orange...just another sign of fall!

Caramel Apples and Pumpkins
(click the link above to see the slide show)

My Happy's:
1) Tomorrow is my first "real" doctor's appointment.  I get to hear the heartbeat and to me that is the first sign that I really do have a little miracle in my tummy.  I'm just 3 months pregnant and of course don't feel anything moving yet.  So it's sometimes hard to believe there's something really in there...well..except for my expanding belly!
2) The kids get their full bunk beds tomorrow.  There's no rush throwing them in the same room yet.  When they're ready.  Ava told me tonight how excited she is to have Isaiah sleep in the same room as her.  So that's a good sign I guess.
3) Dried cornstalks, lots of pumpkins, gourds, and a few metal pumpkins decorate our front yard.  I'm missing my haystack still...but I love driving home each day to see the outside.  The inside is almost decorated.  All the decorations are out...just not 100% in the right place yet...again...no energy at night for anything!

My Favorite:
-Cocoa sounded good the other night so I got a chocolate caramel cocoa.  I LOVE it.  I think because it reminds me a little of how my coffee used to taste with the creamer I used...miss that sooooo much.  The other night I made myself a nice warm little cup and got all cozy in the big chair.  Ahhh...nothing like putting your feet up and warming up with a delicious drink!

This is Cyclone Country

 

It's so fun to live 15 minutes way from Iowa State and the Cyclones.  The kids love football season just about as much as their Daddy!  I'm not sure they really pay that much attention to the game, but love the food, marching band, cheerleaders, dance squad, Cy, tailgating, the hill they can run on...all that makes the Cyclone football season endless fun!

 

A few weekends ago we went to the Cyclone Fan Fest that was held at Hilton.  This place was CROWDED with a capital C!  Geez!  I've never seen so many people.  There were so many things to do that you had to pick and choose what you really wanted to get done in the time you were there...so it was face painting, a visit to the locker room, and trying out some football drills. 

 



Ava wanted her picture with one of the ISU dance team members.  We were watching them perform while we were waiting in line for face painting.

How silly is Isaiah! 

 



We got to see lots of the football players signing autographs.  We didn't even attempt to get in line for that.  Although Andy's parents stood in line for an hour to get Isaiah an autographed football signed by Paul Rhoades.  Now that's one of a kind!

 



A glimpse of part of the floor...busy, busy, busy.  That wasn't even the upper area or the outdoor area.

Let the face painting begin.  Ava wanted a Cyclone butterfly.  When we got there I thought they were just going to do a basic "I-State" on their cheeks.  Oh no...these people go all out. 

 

Check out the detail!

Ava was so excited to see her face!  She loved it!

 



Isaiah insisted that he sit in my lap while they painted his face.  He wanted to be a tiger!

I love his face!  He thought the fangs were pretty cool.

 

Isaiah doing a running drill.  He ran through these squares and crashed into the pad at the end.  The Iowa State football players ran these different stations.

Taking a picture in the basketball locker room.  We've never been back there...it was neat!

Inside the locker room the trainers would tape your wrists or ankles.  Isaiah wanted his wrists taped.

Ava wanted to have a "sprained" ankle.

Daddy, Ava, and Isaiah posing in the media room.  Any future Cyclones sitting here?

The kids were doing a football throwing drill with the players.

On the way out we ran into one of Andy's old Gilbert players that he coached...Ben Durbin.  Isaiah thought he was pretty cool to be picked up by this "big" football player. 

 

At their season opener we sat in the first row...perfect for us and it gives us plenty of room.  Isaiah checking things out.  This kid decided to climb into Andy's lap and fall asleep for about an hour and a half.  Did I mention this was right in front of the cannon that kept firing?  This kid sleeps through ANYTHING!

My Bootles with her face tattoos and new pink headband.  Although they had red and gold ones...she still wanted pink.   She's all girl!

Go State!

One excited fan!

Ava just got done giving Cy a high five!  Isaiah gave him one too...but later during the game.

Running up and down the hill.  Mommy and Ava took a little break while Daddy watched the game and Isaiah slept.  We ate popcorn, skittles, and played football.

Rolling down the hill was just as fun!

 

We'll be cheering on the Cyclones again this weekend!  Go State!

 

My Three Happy's:

1) Yesterday we celebrated Andy's 33rd birthday at Perfect Games with his family.  Everyone had a blast...I have pictures to post of that soon.

2) Today the kids and I went out to the Center Grove Apple Orchard to get our season passes.  We LOVE this place.  We were there for almost 3 hours today and the whole time we were there...there were only three other people.  You can't beat that!  I took TONS of pictures.  That may have to be a slideshow in an upcoming post.

3) I had a really good day of school...you know...one of those days that just goes well, you get everything done, and the kids have fun.  My Mom came to volunteer this morning...that was nice to have her help getting things done. 

 

My Favorite:

**Oh my...have you ever had the apple donuts from the Center Grove Orchard?  I brought home a dozen and I'm sure they will be close to being gone soon.  We all love them.  

Celebrating Star Wars Style

Last weekend we celebrated Isaiah's 4th birthday.  On Wednesday we asked him where he wanted to eat for dinner.  We invited our families to join us...any guesses on where he chose?  Hickory Park...of course.  

Isaiah looking at the present that Grandma and Grandpa Richardson brought him.  Grandpa told him there were cheeseballs inside. 

 



If you've been to Hickory Park you know the famous song they sing for your birthday.  Here are some of the waitresses singing to Isaiah.  He had the merry-go-round sundae...a favorite of me and my cousin Kim.

 



Isaiah watching them sing to him.

 



Blowing out that candle...Happy Birthday Boo!

 



Ava with her scoop of peppermint ice cream.  She looks so cute here...and very grown up!  After two orders of cheeseballs, 2 orders of the variety platter, lots of yummy food, and ice cream...everyone was stuffed.  Love that place...especially with my pregnancy cravings.  I'm famished at dinner and could eat anything!  The breaded cauliflower was my favorite!

 



We had 16 family members over to celebrate...Star Wars style.  We decorated the house with Star Wars streamers, hanging decorations, banners, lots and lots of balloons, and lots of Lego pieces.

 



I ordered these cute placemats that looked like Lego mats.  Andy had the idea to put some of the Star Wars Lego pieces we had out as table decorations.

 



Look at my Boo!  His hair was a little crazy after I spiked it.  He was playing his new Pirates of the Caribbean Lego game for the Wii that he picked out.  He loves playing this with Ava.  I have absolutely no idea how to play that stuff...it's amazing what kids figure out on their own.

 



Riding bikes before lunch!

 



The yummy Star Wars cake Isaiah picked out.  Darth Vader and Luke's ligh tsabers glow too!

 



What a happy guy!

Ava dressed in Isaiah's Batman costume as Batgirl!

Isabelle and Isaiah goofing around with Uncle Kevin.

Everyone eating lunch

One happy camper opening all his gifts!

 



Big sisters get presents too!

 



How cute are my babies!

 



Almost time to make a wish!

 



Happy Birthday my Boo!

 



Yes...that's Isaiah's GIANT piece of cake to the side of him.  He wanted the piece that spelled his name.  Of course he only ate a few bites of the frosting!

Two pregnant sisters...how awesome that we are due exactly the same day...well almost.  Julie's c-section will probably be scheduled for April 2nd.  We'll just have to wait and see when mine is.  Cross your fingers it's not the same day!  My first prenatal appointment is Wednesday.  I LOVE  being pregnant...with the exception of being a little tired still.  It seems like a long time since I've been to the doctor for all this...over 4 years ago...but it's still just as exciting!

 

 

My Three Happy's:

1) The Cyclone's won this weekend against Iowa. 

2) It's almost fall!  Well not quite, but the evenings feel like it.  I love looking around the house at the fall/Halloween decorations scattered around.  Of course Miss Ava saw the tubs and was determined to help me decorate.  Some things are in place...but there are lots of random things everywhere.  Bless her heart!

3) Could our laundry really be caught up?  I mean there is one load waiting to be washed.  But can it be true that everything else is clean and folded????  Seems to good to be true!

 

My Favorite:

**Why does plain old macaroni and cheese sound so good?  Possibly a new pregnancy craving?  Sounds like a good side dish to bring to school tomorrow to go along with my sandwich, yogurt, V8 drink, and fruit.  Thank goodness it can be microwaved and ready in 3 1/2 minutes.