Carousel Festival

Yesterday the weather here was fabulous so we headed out to the Burlington City Park Carousel Festival! We love this park and I am sure I have blogged about it before. During the festival all the rides are free!

Sydney loves the carousel, but also enjoys the train and all the other rides.

We had some yummy kettle corn and listened to music. The kids danced and we relaxed.

We bought 5 tickets for the inflatable rides and the kids enjoyed bouncing and sliding. Bill was so afraid Sydney was going to break a leg on the slide but she was fine. We had a wonderful day.

Family Favorite

I thought I would share this yummy recipe with you, the one for Apple Pizza that I mentioned in my post all about fall.

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
4 large apples
cinnamon and sugar optional
1/2 Cup flour
2/3 Cup brown sugar
1 stick softened margarine

optional toppings, pecans, raisin, icing (made from milk and confectioners sugar)

Spread thawed bread dough on a greased pizza pan (I use my pampered chef stone, not greased). Peel, core and slice apples and spread on top of dough. Apples can mixed with cinnamon and sugar if desired (I usually add a little). Combine flour, brown sugar and margarine and crumble over apples. Sprinkle with optional topping such as raisins or nuts. Bake at 325 for 35-45 minutes. Drizzle with icing of confectioners sugar if desired (I leave this off usually). I also reduce to 6 T of margarine to cut down on fat. This is yummy still warm as dessert and also good for breakfast!

Fall

Sydney's First Trip to a pumpkin patch.


First Hayride, I cannot believe how little she was and how dark her hair was at the time.

Trip to pumpkin patch last year with Aunt Ashley

Playing in leaves by our house.

I love fall. I know it is technically not autumn yet but it has started to feel that way so I am thinking about it a lot these days. It has still been hot here in the daytime but cool and crisp in the early mornings and evenings. I love the cool temperatures, the jean and long sleeved shirt weather.

I love when the leaves change colors and fall. We have lots of trees and therefore lots of leaves, we love to rake leaves into piles and Sydney and I run through them and lay in them before Bill gets them out of the yard. I love apples and going to the orchard. I make a few recipes in the fall that I do not make any other time of year, including a family favorite- apple pizza and also apple crisp.

We enjoy going to the pumpkin patch and finding a pumpkin. Although going to the pumpkin patch here in North Carolina is way different than it was in Michigan. The first year we went after moving here I could not figure out why the hay ride was so uncomfortable and then I realized it was because I was wearing shorts and a tank top and the hay was pricking my legs. In Michigan we were always wearing jeans and usually a long sleeved shirt because it was nice and cool not 85 and humid. So even though it is usually still warm here I enjoy the hay ride. I also enjoy apple cider although I have not had any yet this year because most of the fresh stuff is not pasteurized and that is a no no while pregs. I have great memories of carving a pumpkin as a child and we always (well as long as I can remember) washed and baked the pumpkin seeds- yummy! I have yet to let Syd carve a pumpkin, we may this year! It will surely be a mess but oh well. We will also have to start the tradition of baking the seeds, I think Sydney will like them, she loves sunflower seeds and all kinds of nuts.

Do you love the fall season? Does your family have any special fall traditions?

Predictions Please

Well I think its time to start the predictions. Please leave a comment as to when you think Griffin will arrive, (date only), how much he will weigh and how long he will measure. Whoever is the closest will win a prize! I am not sure what the prize will be, scrapbook stuff if you are into scrap booking and if not we will come up with something fun. If you have never left a comment before it is not hard you just have to create a google account but it is easy sign in and password.

A little update, all is well. I am on the weekly doctor plan now. I went to the doctor on Wednesday and I am dilated to 1.5 cm and 60% effaced. He is head down and in the position. If you remember I started dilating early with Sydney but held out until 8 days before her actual due date. I will say I will not be crushed if he is born early. Not too early because preemie boys do not usually do real well. If we can get another 2 weeks in then I say let him come. I am getting a bit tired and my hips and back are hurting at night. He is low and it just gets uncomfortable. So anyway go ahead and let me know what your prediction is for when he will arrive and how big he will be.

The Attraction

DRUM ROLL PLEASE..... okay just teasing here it is






Griffin Sawyer's room...









Quote above crib

We are still waiting on part of his bedding, it is on back order.

Rocking chair

Inside view of wardrobe...I have a few clothes ready.

Wardrobe

Bins for toys

Changing table and dresser

Shelf above dresser

Bill worked hard getting the room painted. Then we had new carpet installed. We bought all the furniture at IKEA and assembled it ourselves. Tonight we finished up by hanging the shelf and putting the quote on the wall. A labor of love. What do you think? Now we just need Griffin but we will wait a few more weeks.

Nesting or just OCD

Here are a few of the things I have accomplished in the last week and a half, you tell me nesting or am I just OCD.

-dusting all wood blinds and the vacuuming the room
-cleaning beside wash and dryer and fridge
-vacuuming under couch cushions and couch and chair itself
-dusting
-laundry, all the regular stuff plus baby stuff I have so far
-putting together nursery
-washing molding along top of cabinets and cabinets, plus top of fridge
-cleaning sun room, wiping down all ledges, furniture, vacuuming floor with wet dry vac
-cleaning off side and front porch
-washing front door and side lights
-cleaning out Syd's drawers trying on pants to see what fits for the fall
-starting to pack our bags for hospital
-buying mums for front steps, sun room and for around mailbox (planted)
-filing (this builds up in office but I save all receipts and file everything for a year)
-set up pack in play downstairs
-cleaned up baby car seat and installed in car

Plus the usual cooking and cleanup, packing lunches etc. I love being prepared and being unprepared leaves me feeling anxious. I would rather get my chores done and then relax and in fact I have a hard time relaxing if there are things that need to be done.

Bubbles

The condo we stayed in while on vacation had a 6 foot whirlpool tub. Sydney has never taken a bubble bath (at least not that I can recall) because bubbles are not the greatest for little girls but since we were on vacation we tried it out. She thought all the bubbles were a lot of fun.

The tub was big enough for two so daddy had to join in the fun. Sydney enjoyed putting bubbles on Bill's head. It was a good time.