A Few of My Favorite Things....

Our lovely December has left us...the delicious holidays are over and we are left to wallow through January. That being said, I have decided January should be celebrated just a tad bit more so its an easier "let down".

That being said...we have tried several new recipes that I thought I would give you a glimpse of for your enjoyment as well.

We started off with a tin full of homemade caramel popcorn...mmmmmmm...

Next we added in some delicious Moroccan Style Turkey Stew served with couscous....this turned out a lot better then any of us thought it would & is now on our 5 star meals list!

Being a time of trying new things that have not been cooked in any of my kitchens...we also decided to try a new dessert. For the first time, I put my hand to trying Upside Down Pineapple Cake. Can we say WOW! We ate ours hot right out of the oven & it was super yummy...go Betty Crocker!!

We also gave homemade pizza dough a shot tonight & I am thrilled to say, it turned out fantastic! I never would have guessed honey in a pizza dough, but it worked & was really yummy.

Next up on the docket are homemade Auntie Anne's cinnamon sugar pretzels! Oh double Yum! And scented playdough! Not to eat, but to enjoy entertaining those lovely little minds who eat all my food!

Hope you find fun & exciting ways to make your January less blue & a much more fun transition into the new year!

Pumpkin Challah Bread

I am a lover of pumpkin...I like it in my coffee, goodies, soups, stews, and now bread. It's addictive I tell you! I got this recipe for Pumpkin Challah off the JewishLearning.com site. They have an abundance of quite yummy dishes I have found, and this lovely bread lived up to par!

Shooting the Kids

I will admit, I love to shoot the kids on occassion, especially when they are least expecting it...rubber bands work great, water guns, hoses, the sprayer from the sink...they are all good tools of the trade. While I enjoy these fabulous ways of making my kids scream in shock because they didn't see it coming...I love to shoot them w/the camera too.

Several weeks ago, we watched as the trees went from the long lasting green to the sudden & short fall colors. We had been waiting, anxiously watching...because once they went, we knew we had to be ready to run. Fall pictures haven't happened for several years and it was apparent that I was slacking in my duties as "school photographer". Monday we woke to sunshine & a bounty of fall colors. There was a scurry in all the rooms & yells of "where is my ....." "MOoooooooooooOOOOOOOMMMM" We got it sorted, hair brushed & collars straightened...then one by one they came out of the house to the prepared areas & slowly we made our way around the outdoors snapping individual shots, correcting hair that was blowing, smoothing skirts, fixing the mum plants & trying to keep Jack out of the actual shot, all while being creative & getting good backgrounds. Finally we wore out our options at the house & piled into the truck for a trip to "the projects". This is a piece of state gamelands not far from our house that happens to be quite beautiful & rustic. Exactly what our family craves on a daily basis and hates to be so far removed from living in town. We drove from one spot I had spied over the last several months of driving through to get to grandma's house (yes, we drive over the river & through the woods to grandmothers house...no lie!). The kids did great, very patient with mom's nagging to put their chin down, now turn just a hair to the left, no right, no wait...
Once we finished, we had over 100 shots to peruse...I was shocked that for the first time, they were ALL good, the kids were honestly patient & willing to work with me, no fighting, no sobbing, no arguing, no tantrums. Could it possibly be that my babies are not "little impatient kids" anymore & have turned the corner into that "we like to have pictures taken of us being fashionista's"??? hmmmm...one could have fun with it if they have!!!
For now this will do...I have a sudden yearning to attempt "Christmas" photos...we'll see...it's a real possibility if they can handle the cold!!

Seasons End

When I played soccer, I was always sure I was ready for the season to end. Yet, when it came, I would sit & wonder what I was missing, sure I had forgotten something major & yet couldn't figure out what it was. Today we handed in Hunter's football uniform, had his pictures taken, banquet was last night...and so the "seasons end" begins. This week has been spent washing the multiple pants, cleaning pads, and preparing for the banquet, so despite not having practice each evening, there was still "stuff" to do, at least for me. I have watched Hunter start to wander aimlessly around the house like he is looking for something he feels he has misplaced.

As we waited for Hunter, the last one, to get his "individual" shots done at the field, we got to chat with his coach as we all stood in the rain. We thanked him for a great season, for saving my sanity by turning our otherwise "driving his mother out of her mind w/excessive energy" boy into a worn out, exhausted, football player. He laughed that laugh that says "I've heard this so many times, and been there myself". But he finished his good hearted chuckle by telling us that we have quite a football player. He served as the teams "utility" player this year, but coach, who has coached football for just shy of 50 years, told us w/a shake of his head, that its easy for him to see already that Hunter will be one of those amazing players & he is excited to watch him grow & play each year to see just how far he will take it.

What a proud mom & dad walked off that field...

Dutch Wonderland Day

The kids all read like little bookworms over the summer, so they wound up with "FREE" tickets to Dutch Wonderland for the end of September. This sounds fantastic doesn't it? Yeah, we sure thought so, till we got to this "children's paradise of amusement parks" and found that mom & dad have to pay full price to take said bookworms into the park even though we could only attempt 2, maybe 3, of the rides if we dared. After serious discussions off to the side, Daddy came to the kids rescue & purchased the tickets, dragging penny pinching mom with the 5 of them into the park. I know, I know...but seriously 75.00 for two adults to take the kids to a "special readers day" put on by the park & the library??? Do you know what I could BUY that we NEED with $75.00???? Ok, so I shut up, Len gave me a hug and said "just keep looking at how excited they are" and I did what I was told & "let it go"



The kids had a blast. We had taken them there twice before, many many many moons before, and it was WAY too overwhelming. This time, they were all of a decent age, the older 3 almost TOO old. Being the nut cases Len & I are, we joined in the fun & rode on the rollar coaster (just as frightening this go round as the last time when we thought we would loose someone out the side of the car it jerks around so fast!), we did the log float & got drenched, and we did the space ship (that one WAS fun). We also took them on an "old paddle boat" ride and everyone enjoyed that as well.



Oh, and one that didn't go over so well with "the girls" was the bumper cars. I know, typically those would be a lot of fun, I mean how often do you get told as an adult to drive fast, and HIT as many cars as you can?? On a serious note, they allowed our twins to go solo because of their height, however, our daughter didn't understand how to work things and got turned around and head on hit many times, went wildly fast and out of control (to her) when she did get it turned back around, and just overall, freaked out. We didn't even get to the end of the building upon exciting before she burst into tears and sobbed for the next 5 minutes into my shoulder as I held her. I must admit, I wasn't a fan either, the "mom" in me must be a lot stronger then the "fun" anymore and I felt panicked at the speed as I tried to drive, NOT hit anyone, yet know that we would go faster & faster if we didn't hit someone, and keep my arm around Jazmine, keeping her from getting slammed into the side of the car when we did hit or get hit. I just kept screaming in my head "you can't HIT them, everyone will get hurt" like I was actually driving the truck! Ugh...you know you are old when...



All in all, the kids enjoyed the rides as a whole, all 4 went on everything and it was a great perk to having read so much all summer long. One really nice perk to those tickets was the "free kids meal at Applebees" just up the street for after we were done. Normally, we HATE Applebees...BUT we would HIGHLY recommend the Applebees just up the street from DW on Rt. 30. The manager that was in was gracious & understanding of having 4 kids and told our waiter to take all 4 stubs & let the kids eat free. Apparently, they will normally not take more then the number of adults purchasing meals. I made up for it with a fabulous sangria...apparently Len felt my nerves had been disturbed enough to warrent a little "calming" Like I would argue?!

Watkins Glen, New York

We took the kids on a short day trip from our camping spot in the PA's Little Grand Canyon (Wellsboro, PA) to Watkins Glen, NY at the southern end of Seneca Lake in mid October. It exceded our expectations and we had a fabulous time hiking the falls. It is a nice walk, despite the stairs. You go with the slow flow and with the fantastic structures of walkways, stairs, and bridges that are so natural and almost hidden along the walls, it is easy to enjoy the sounds of the water and relax!



There are two areas where falls flow OVER the pathway and you are able to reach out and touch the falling water. The kids really enjoyed this aspect and it kept the journey up and back down entertaining for even our most "bored". The walk is a straight shot, not a loop, so you go straight up to your stopping point, then back down the way you came. At first I was a little put off by this, but once we turned around to come back, it was obvious that the entire experience would be completely different. The way in you hike UP the falls, always looking up and around the bends to see what is next. On the way down, you get a completely different view as you are now heading down all those stairs & get a fantastic view out the canyon to the town at the base of Seneca Lake.



There is a $6.00 charge to enter in a car. We saw others walk on in or ride bike and not stop to pay, so if you go up and stay close, it appears to be free! They also have a larger (view from the map on the computer) campground with access to the gorge walk if you are into doing a weekend that way. We hiked it and even did bathroom stops before/after and a gift shop run in 2 1/2 hrs. with 4 elementary age kids on a busy sunday fall day.

Cold Weather Camping Anyone???

PA's Little Grand Canyon
October 10-12, 2009
Mission: survive 29 degree nights & enjoy spectacular fall folliage
Status: NEVER again will we camp in a TENT for 29 degree nights!!


I know you are just dying to know...I'll try to keep it brief but toss up some fun pictures for entertainment.

We took the kids for our first "cold weather camping" trip to the Little Grand Canyon in upstate Pennsylvania the second weekend of October. Why? This was when we were told by many that you just HAVE to go because it is always peak fall folliage and amazingly beautiful. Here is our first look at the little grand canyon:



We did come prepared for the very chilly, but dry, conditions w/numerous down comforters, air mattresses, more comforters to go between the ground & the matress, the matress & the sheets, flannel sheets, gloves, hats, 3 layers for each of us to wear at all times, heavy winter coats, and LOTS of hot chocolate & stew, hot cereal & marshmellows. Food wise, we were golden. The stew was amazing, the hot chocolate & coffee delicious & comforting...the down side?? No firewood. Yes, you read that correctly. We camped at the Leonard State Park right on the rim & being good little campers, we followed the rules & brought no wood, prepared instead to purchase their wood due to nasty bugs that would kill all their trees...upon arrival, we were told by the park ranger, that they were cleaned out, so we could scour the woods for anything that we could find to burn...catch to this fantastic news...it had DOWNPOURED allllllll week & every blessed piece of wood was soaking wet. Meaning...lots of lighter fluid, little fire, light dinner & breakfast the next day! oi, not good w/4 hungry kids & a freezing cold mommy who NEEDS her coffee in the am!!!

we took a side trip to Watkins Glen, NY on the south end of Seneca Lake (one of the finger lakes) on Sunday. Look for the next post on that one...I will just say it was our saving grace for the whole weekend!!

We did stop later at the rim for one last look to "see if we could see"...



All in all, the area IS spectacularly beautiful. Maybe we will venture up at a warmer time of the year to explore. Camping will be out of the question at anything below 50 though. Sorry. I'm ALL for adventure, but I do draw the line at some things, and this folks, is one of them!