Sugarbush 2012

We finally made it!  We attempted treking through the sludge of last year's maple syrup festival in Salem, but the mud was just too deep to even park.  This year, I picked a sunny, dry day that was practically wind-free.  It was a beautiful day!

Before I show all my pretty iPod pics that are ever-so grainy, let me say I never thought I'd go to a "maple syrup festival."  Seriously?  I was a city girl from Arizona, so what on earth is a maple syrup festival?  Do we sit around, admiring the leaves and gorgeous amber bottles?  (Actually, that is part of it, but only part...)

S enjoyed the tomahawk throwing, and nailed it all three times.  Knife throwing?  Not as good quite so fast, but he does pick up dangerous weaponry sports quickly (wonder what he could do with a lance?). 

It took forever to get Lovely to even look at my camera with the monstrosity that was on her face.  Child's plate of waffle w/ strawberry, syrup, chocolate chips, and whipped cream, plus a drink?  $3.50.  Unless you're 5 or under; then it's free :) 

This was my dessert:

There were plenty of vendors to explore and demonstration stands set-up.  The smoke was getting to Snugglebug's eyes, though:

A giant stack of hay bales awaited the children, begging to be built into tunnels and forts...The children answered the call. 

And last but not least.  Snugglebug's maple cotton candy 'stache.  Oh-so-stylish, and a downright hoot!

In the end, we bought a few bottles of syrup, two bags of cotton candy (so yummy without the overly sweet aftertaste of regular cotton candy), a jar of maple sugar, two bags of maple candy:  peanut and almond, two jars of local honey, and a jar of yummy pizza sauce (not maple, of course).  My dinner was good, but I recommend getting there before 2 p.m. because I bought the very last chicken dinner.  They ran out of beans after my plate as well, and they were already out of rolls and ice-cream dessert.  There are only port-a-potties to use, but for the life of me, I'm not sure I want to know how they got them smelling like maple syrup, too .  

This is a definite find that I hope to do again.  The Sugarbush festival will resume for it's final weekend next weekend, so get out and try it if you have some time!  It's awesome family fun with lots of kids' activities (including a covered wagon ride that my girls loved). 

A Black & White Kinda Feelin'

I just found these on my computer and fell in love.  I hope you enjoy!  Oh--and I've done nothing to them--no photo shop, no Picasa, nada!

This is S's normal face when I ask him to smile for the camera (which explains why his pic isn't often featured on my blog):

"I'm having fun, Mama, I am...the sun is just so bright!"

A sweeping view from Catalina.  Why didn't I appreciate this when I lived there?

"I think I found another cactus sticker..."

My camera kept going back to this dead saguaro, refusing to leave its post until it completely withers and rots away...

This is just typical Snugglebug.  PERFECTLY captured, attitude and all.

Again, caught red-handed, all Snugglebug:

Who doesn't enjoy watching someone else eat sticky marshmallows?

And who doesn't chuckle when a bit of marshmallow lingers at the corners of such a cute mouth?

Sierra Vista

Finally, some pics from our trip to Arizona:

We drove into the desert and had a bonfire with some hamburgers...pretty yummy.  Freezing at night, though!  And when I suggested to S that we go hiking, he decided we had to climb a mountain.  My ankles were not exactly used to climbing side-ways, but we made it fairly high.

Lovely loved leading the horse.  She rode it one way, but didn't want to ride it back--she just wanted to lead it.  Go figure.

Snugglebug is still slightly scared of dogs (despite our newest family member), yet she couldn't stop smiling while riding the horse. 

Yes, there is water to be found in the desert.

One last sigh of happiness.  Ahhhhhh...

Vacation Pt. 2

I know, I know.  You think I forgot about you.  You think I forgot to add Vacation Pt. 2.  As Darth Vadar said, "I find your lack of faith disturbing." {Lovely has an addiction to Star Wars lately.} I've been thinking about posting vaca pics...for weeks...but you know how things go.  Please accept my appologies. 

The second half wasn't nearly as exciting as the first half.  Snugglebug got to feeling better, but the "I fear no water" girl was completely turned off from it because she wasn't 100% yet.  She had no fever, she didn't seem physcially sick at all, but she only wanted to swim in the hot tub for kids. 

See?  Does the sweet-smiling gal on the right seem sick? 

She was even able to maintain her crazy faces (and no, these aren't just for photos--she makes these faces all. the. time.).

Lovely had a blast on the trip.  I finally talked her into going down bigger waterslides.  She was tall enough to go on almost everything, but she stuck to only two slides.  I did talk her into going on a tube with me on a huge slide, but was we swished down the tunnel and backwards through the funnel, flipping heels over head on our landing, she had second thoughts (honestly, I did, too).  There was a lifeguard there to grab her, but after we climbed out, she said, "Mommy, let's not ever do that again!"  and she told her daddy her heart was beating like this {insert hand gesture of flapping palm against chest repeatedly with great speed}.

We were all smiles as we left--despite Snugglebugs temporary abhorance of "cold" {i.e. 85 degree} water.

Let's Take a Hike

The other day, S decided to go on a difficult hike to one of his hunting spots.  Since the girls and I were told we "couldn't handle it," I offered to take them to the local state park to go on our own hike.  Won't you join us?  We're taking Trail 2, which is only 1.4 miles and defined as "moderate," so it shouldn't be too much for all of us to handle!

Watch out!  A very nice buck just jumped out in front of us before we even get on the trail.  It has a nice "spread" as S would say, in beautiful velvet.  Next, the bushes crackle and shake as Lovely spots a white bunny. Whew! The heat is a little much, but I think we can keep going.  Let's stop first and get a drink.

Look!  A box turtle!  Isn't it cute?  Lovely, quit holding it!









Lovely, I said let it go.  I know you don't want it to leave, but it doesn't look too fond of you right now...











One doe and many spiderwebs later, we find a water fountain.  Quit splashing!  On second thought...Keep splashing!  Mama is hot, too!  (no call for jokes on that one, please!) 

Lovely, is that going right up your nose?  And Snugglebug, are you dancing again? 

Ok, we'll end this hike with a sweet pic of the girls.  Aren't you exhausted?  I know I am!

Sales, Muck, & Mmm!

The day began with the intention of visiting the Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival in Salem.  However, since we were starving, Hubby isn't a huge fan of pancakes/waffles, and our plumbing backed up (iiicck!), we stopped at Cracker Barrel first.  Next, we headed to the hardware store to get some drain cleaner.  Finally, at around 1 p.m., we headed to the festival.  And so did the rain.  Again, iiick.  The muck just looked too deep--not exactly conducive to the girls short legs.  Once again, the weather channel had it wrong.  Down with the weather channel!

I digress.

So, we maneuvered through the country roads and headed to the Little Treasures kid's consignment sale in Louisville.  Who needs to save gas or the environment anyway?  >: /

I spent about $80 at the sale (the picture doesn't include 4 My Little Pony toys), and I got some nice stuff for the girls for this summer and next fall.  They will both be wearing uniforms to school, but they need clothes for weekend and dress down days.  I normally shop these sales instead of resale or garage sales because they are:  a) orderly, b) clean, c) 1-stop shopping for clothes, toys, kids furniture, etc.

Next, we were starving again (we didn't eat much at Cracker Barrel in great anticipation for waffles with berries, whipped cream, and ice cream...and syrup, of course!), so we headed to Buca di Beppo, a place we go about 2-3 times per year.  It was super yummy, which helped improve our moods tremendously, as you can see from the above pictures!

The store may still be open at the Maple Syrup farm next weekend, so here's hoping...

What did you set out to do today?

A Day at the Faire

In the beginning of October, we hit the Renaissance Festival in Fishers, Indiana. I had gone last year with my best friend and her kids, and we found it was clean (in more ways than one) and very child friendly. So, I talked my hubby into going this year (against his will), and we drove up for a few hours.

Honestly, this year was a bust. I attempted to watch a rendition of Green Eggs and Hamlet, but was vastly disappointed. The best part of the day: the Punch & Judy Puppet Show and the apple dumplings. Yuuummm...those apple dumplings! And of course, the girls were laughing like crazy during the puppet show. Their view was a little hampered by an obnoxious girl who was twice Lovely's size and insisted on fitting between Lovely and another girl on the haystack.

This has to be one of my all-time favo pics! I believe I was actually manually adjusting my camera (go me!) and look how the girls are just lit up! Muy impressive!