Camping We Will Go

Okay, so we only kind of camped. Last week we spent some time with Spencer's parents who were actually camping. One night we just went up for dinner and s'mores. Yum.  Then the other night we went up for dinner again, but this time the two older boys got to stay and spend the night with Gram and Papa in their trailer. We went home with Case, not because we are sissies but because Case has been a little under the weather and we figured a cool night camping wouldn't help that.

We drove up the next morning to spend the day at the campground where we fished, walked, and watched speed boat races (forgot my camera for that day).

Here are the token pictures (notice my inappropriate camping shoes).

 

Thanks Gram and Papa for the outdoorsy good time.

Thanks Picky Palate

I have learned to really like Picky Palate, plus hey I have seen her on Food Network so that totally gives her street cred.
I have several recipes that I have used from her site. This is an easy one.

I made it for my kids before a long church meeting and they liked them. I will warn that they only store so-so. As in almost all baked goods they get a wee bit crumbly.

Good Morning Breakfast Bars

14 oz can condensed milk

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

6 oz package of craisins

1/2 cup dried pineapple

1 cup Teddy Graham Trail Mix

Preheat oven to 250. Pour milk into a small saucepan over med/low heat and stir until warmed.  Place milk along with remaining ingredients into a large mixing bowl. With a rubber spatural, stir until combined. Pour into a well greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake for 1 hour. Remove and let cool for 15 minutes. Cut into squares and continue to let cool. Store in air tight container.

Then the next day you can hand them to your blurry-eyed kids and say, "Well good morning!"

How 'Bout Them Apples

Can you hear that? No, really can you hear that?

I do believe the winds are changing. The heat is leaving. There is a crispness in the air. The leaves are going from green to golden.

Fall is here. And that is when, if you were listening really close, you would have heard me join in with the choirs of angels with a melodic ahhhhhh.

Our little fam kicked off fall with our traditional apple pickin'. It was a grand and glorious day with our favorite apple--the honeycrisp. Here is our photo diary of the trip...and yes we are all coordinating sorry it is a weakness. Photos omitted--Jack's evil face, Jack refusing to come out of the car, me making out with an apple, and trying to get Case to lick an apple.

Photography

I think one of the new "in" hobbies to adopt is photography. While I don't condone following the crowd...I am one of the cool kids so I kind of have to live up to my cool kid status by also adopting this new hobby.

Truth be told I have always liked taking pictures. The scrapbooker in me saw a new scrapbook page layout at every new step of our lives. In the absence of the funds to scrap, the loss of my sewing machine for crafting, and the addition of a fancy camera several months ago it was really quite inevitable that I turn to photography.

So here are some photos of my favorite subjects--my boys.

Notes:

I do have photoshop, but have not really learned to use it yet so these photos are unedited.

Cole is the main subject because he has crossed over to the easy age of photographing.

With the writing of this post I am in no way saying that I am the bomb diggity at this, just sharing the joy.

Sewing Projects for Those with Boys are Rare

True there are more sewing projects out there for little girls, but occasionally I find something I can do for my little men. I found this tie pattern at The Purl Bee FOREVER ago. I had the ties cut out for about a month. Then I finally got around to hand sewing the lining part. A month later I finally borrowed some one's sewing machine and sewed the one part that required a machine. Another month later I buckled down and got them done. Ta-dah!

I am going to take a stab at making my own pattern. This one was pretty helpful, but really only great for the 5-10 age group. If I alter this pattern to make one that is shorter and one that velcros I will pass on the wisdom. Look for it in oh probably 6 months! Haha.