Other Fall Activities

Since the start of school and PSU football, we have only had a few times to truly enjoy the Autumn and all it has to offer. But we have tried to make the best of it when we did get out into the great outdoors.

 Family self-portrait on a great hike through an old train tunnel.

 CJ taking a moment to record something in her trusty trail journal.

 All rocks on this trek instantly became pedestals for striking a pose. Love it!

 Even Ripley joined in the fun!

Crazy trail sighting --- as we were driving out on the gravel road through the state forest, we were on the look out for deer or bears. Much to my surprise, we came across a peacock. Clearly not an everyday spotting.

It was Homecoming Weekend at PSU and the Changs came up for a visit. They got here in plenty of time for Tai to fish before the parade and catch 4 fish on the famous Spruce Creek. So clearly he was smitten waiting for the parade to begin.

 Nathan, Alex and CJ all prepped for the parade!

 The adults so excited with anticipation that they checked their mobile devices. We are such nerds.

Later that same weekend was Alex's last soccer game of the season. It was cold. Unusually cold. But CJ insisted on just wearing her fur-lined vest. Her hands were bright red, but she looked great. She is already suffering for fashion.

 Alex's team shot.

This is the first year that Alex is participating in Cub Scouts. He LOVES it so far!! And he looks adorable!

Rocket Launch day is a big deal in the Scouts. We had a great day for this crazy activity.

 After take off, they chase after it and try to catch it before it hits the ground.

Six days after that amazing fall day chasing rockets, we went to the PSU football game in a snowalloween storm. This was the second October snow fall in the last 3 years. What happen to global warming? Shouldn't it be WARMER? 

 Luckily, we sat inside to watch the game. The kids enjoyed the game... and the buffet.

 As an added bonus, Zack was able to invite some friends up to the suite to hang out with us. So much fun!

Halloween 2011

For the record, Halloween is not my favorite holiday. I never really bought into the scary element of Halloween and I don't like dressing up. But since having kids, I have enjoyed the excitement they have running about collecting candy in the dark. 

The last few years of costume selection have been easy. I have either had hand-me-down costumes from cousins or a quick trip to the store with $20 and the task was complete. If only I really appreciated the ease of those years before now.

Early in October I asked the kids what they wanted to be for Halloween. This question is usually timed with the arrival of the local halloween costume store's sale flyer. They looked through the pictures and were undecided. After pressing them for some sort of idea throughout the week, CJ declared that she wanted to be Tweety bird. Shortly after hearing this proclamation, Alex followed suit and decided on Sylvester. 

However happy I was that they were focusing their attention to one idea, but then I was instantly frightened when I realized that no Walmart, Target, Party City, etc. carried a Tweety or Sylvester costume. Hmmm. Back to step one.

Silly me. After 5 full days of me lobbying for them to pick ANY costume at ANY store (for under $20), they held to their guns and flat out denied my efforts. They wanted to be Tweety and Sylvester. When I explained that you couldn't buy those costumes anywhere, they simply said, "Just sew it, Mom."

My previous sewing experience was a handy little seam on some curtains made of sheets. I did that project under the watchful eye of my sister Ann. She watched me tangle the thread, break the needle on the machine at least three times, and pull the thread out of the seam that was completely crooked. My thoughts on this new project: I'm Screwed.

Fueled by my children's unfounded confidence in my sewing-ability, I headed to the fabric store. (My dislike for the fabric store stems from a very early age when my aforementioned sister Ann and my Mom would drag me on a Saturday to some random fabric mecca for hours and hours and hours on end. But this psychosis is a topic for another blog entry.) Saddled with yards of felt, some feathers, and a pattern for a duck that is two sizes too small for CJ, I headed home to find my sewing machine somewhere in the basement.

 The War Room.

 Hope this is what your suppose to do...

Everything is cut out. Now let's see what this machine can do.

 

Tada!! I did it!! I did it!!

Now the really hard part. I didn't have a pattern or even a good example to go from to make the heads. I searched for images of the characters and then tried to break-down the elements of the face and make a felt pillow. Then I attached it to the felt cap that came with the duck pattern. And this is what I did.....

 Tweety Feet.

 Alex's costume. I was so pleased with the belly. Totally free-handed that one!

 I stuffed the tail and made it look like the pics I found with black hair overlapping the white tip.

 The trial-run fitting.

The school had their parade on the Friday before Halloween. The kids were marching proudly and I was just sooo excited to see them strutting in my handy work.

The Sunday prior to Halloween, State College hosts a kids halloween parade. Anyone can march in the parade and then you head to the high school football field to be "judged". By some freak of nature, the judges were teenage boys who didn't pick our two incredible kids. Idiots.

 Even Zack and I decided about an hour before we left the house to join in the dressing-up.

Finally, Halloween night. Can you tell how excited they are to go 'twick or tweeting'? They were thrilled at all the candy loot, but I was so thrilled to hear the people repeatedly saying, "Those are the BEST costumes". Yeah me!!

Garden 2011

The Garden this year really had its trials and troubles. The Spring was tepid, but so much rain that it was near impossible to get into the garden to till. A few friends tried to forgo this step and just plant the seeds only to have them washed by heavy Spring rains into a puddle at one end of their garden plot... after every attempt. 

We waited until late-May to finally work the soil and plant some items. While it was late in the Spring to plant, we got most of the items we wanted in the soil and growing well by June. 

Here is the first harvest of broccoli of the season with some zucchini. I had started my seeds for broccoli, peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes back in February. So I was THRILLED that we had this crown by July 1.

Three years ago we planted a red raspberry and three black raspberry bushes. The first two years we enjoyed maybe a handful of berries. Much to every one's joy, this year there was a continued abundance. Here's just one of the bowls we harvested (you have to realize that if the kids didn't "help" pick (aka eat) the berries, there would be a significantly fuller bowl. 

Two years ago we planted blueberry bushes too. Since we ate the handful of berries that grew before taking a photo, I am hoping that next year we will have a big bowl full to photograph.

Another big surprise in the garden this year was the discovery of a family of voles that "grew" under a broccoli plant. My green thumb is so good that I created LIFE. HA! There were 4 infant-just-born-nasty-closed-eye rodents in this hole. Farmer Zack was tasked as soon as he arrived home from work to "relocate" this family. Ick.

Round two of the pea picking and broccoli harvest. On a side note, when we pick the peas from the vines it turns into such a funny time. Apparently our dog, Ripley, LOVES, CRAVES, ADORES garden peas and pea pods. She stands right next to me or the kids and waits for a pod to fall and gobbles it up. Then when we sit at the table to shuck the peas, she anxiously awaits for a jumper to fall on the floor. So funny!

After returning home from vacation at the end of August, we found that most of the roma tomato plants were hit with late-blight. We pulled the green ones (see below) and stored them in the basement to ripen. I didn't take any other pictures of tomato harvest bowls, but we had a lot and now the freezer is stocked with sauce. You can also see that the eggplants did wonderfully!!! Too bad I am really the only one in the family that truly enjoys them.

Look at the size of this eggplant. It's bigger than my hand and then some. Oh, how I remember you back when you were just a mere little seed....

 This is the mid-September harvest of the green peppers, last tomatoes and eggplant. Not to bad, eh?

Remember the green tomatoes we pulled ? Ta-da!!! Ripe and ready for roasting. These beauties were the last of the harvest tomato sauce. Should be delicious over the winter!!

Wow. I just realized how much of a slacker I am with my photo taking for the garden record. I don't have any photos of the huge heirloom tomatoes, the 10+ pounds of red skin potatoes, the 5 pounds (at least!) of carrots, lots of zucchinis, and lettuce. Bummer for you -- but take my word for it... they looked great and tasted delicious!