Paint and apples, but not painted apples

Ah, it's that time of year again. Fall. Love it, love it, love it. Soon we'll be going to get our pumpkins but for now we'll just get apples. I love how the orchard is right next to the pumpkin patch. Since there was no school on Monday it was a good time to take a break from painting the bathroom and head to the orchard for some apple picking. I haven't quite decided what to do with them all yet. All 25 lbs of them. With the yard sale this weekend the idea of canning is a bit daunting. Thankfully apples will keep for a while so I can decide later. Maybe we'll eat them all before I need to choose...

A sea of buckets ready to fill with delicious hand picked apples!

The apples were huge!

The weighing of the bounty...

I put the little ones back to work after lunch. Their job was to paint the bench while I painted the mirror frames. Of course, they quit before it was actually done but they got to help out which is what they wanted. And, yes, that is black paint! There's probably a bit of dirt in the paint since the wind was blowing but hey, that just gives it texture and character, right?


Here is a glimpse of the finished bathroom. At least you can see the colors (Mom).

Colors, they are a changin'

After living in our house for over 3 years we are finally painting our bathroom! I think we're on a one room a year plan. The bathroom was so awful! Peaches and green. Bleck! The shower and sinks are still going to be forest green but I think this will look 100% better. I'm going to add tile to the counter top too.

Seeing as I don't have anything better to do ( Like, finish the newsletter for the moms club, finish my paper due Monday, get my office ready for a friend to stay the week, or prepare for the yard sale next weekend!) we picked this weekend to paint.


Seth was a big helper. Hannah and Simon got in on the action too but I had paint all over my hands and I didn't want to get it on my camera. I'll get a shot of them tomorrow. See, I'm painting too. In ugly I-don't-care-what-happens-to-'em clothes.

Poetry?

Back-to-school-night is done! Both of them, I guess. It's so weird to be going into the same classroom that Hannah was in but it's for a different kid. If we're here forever, thank you economy, then in a few years we'll be in the same room, again, this time for Seth. I really love the teacher Simon has this year. She's just fabulous. You know she really cares. It should be a good year. Not that he's had any bad ones but I wasn't a fan of his Kindergarten teacher. She was really phoning it in.

Over the last week-ish I finished up the last border on my crazy quilt. I really don't know how to finish it. Traditional crazy quilting with different stitches on each seam and elaborate embroidery just don't sound fun to me. It sounds waaaay too time consuming. It'd be lovely when in was done but I'd like to deliver the quilt to the recipient before the next century begins! Ideas?

I had to kill the mosquito on my hand first. They're everywhere right now.

Simon couldn't hold the quilt up right. At least, that was his excuse. I think he just wanted to use my camera.

I also brought home a charity quilt from my last quilt guild meeting that needed to be finished off. The blocks were already pieced. I put it all together and sewed it up like a pillow case.


We'll have a meeting in November where we tie all the charity quilts that we donate. I think it's awesome that they do this and I love being part of it. I should do more... the motto of every guilty and over booked mommy!

I have a explication to write on a poem for my English class. God help me or I'm gonna fail this class! I really don't get it. What does midwifery have to do with understanding how to deconstruct a poem? Nothing! I'll do my best to learn enough about tone, meter, foot, couplets, enjambment, etc. Just enough to write the papers and then I can move on to the stuff I'll actually retain! Science! (My mom is probably shaking her head right now, "Yuck science, next she'll mention she likes math too!")

Well, I better get to work on my paper. It's due Tuesday. If anyone has a burning desire to write it for me... ? No? I have to do it myself. I know, I know.

I'll leave you with an amusing picture.


Yes, that's my adorable son in his sisters pink cowboy hat. If he turns out to be a gay rodeo clown... well, we won't be all that shocked.

Dancing and dinner

I took Hannah to the first Middle School Dance tonight. She was so cute about it. She changed out of her jeans because everyone else was going to dress up a bit too. When we went to leave I wanted to take her picture. She didn't want me to but I informed her that the car doors wouldn't open if mommy didn't get a picture. I got one.

For dinner the other night I tried making my own spaghetti sauce. I made Roasted Herb Tomato Sauce. I think it was rather yummy and easy.

Take all the veggies and roast them for 40 minutes.


Take the roasted veggies and puree them. Voila, spaghetti sauce.


Make it even yummier by serving it over spaghetti squash with artichoke hearts.

Where did my time go?

Boy, this school thing has really put a cramp in my style. All that free time I had in the evenings once the kids were in bed is gone! Now, I have to do my school work instead of quilting and watching movies/shows! Sniff. I haven't even finished the baby quilt for the baby shower tomorrow. It will get done but I didn't do two of them, that's for sure. It turns out I won't even be able to go to the shower because it's Back to School Night for Hannah. Next week we will be at Simon's school for his Back to School Night. I still don't get why they do the "back to school thing" after schools been going for a few weeks. Shouldn't it be before school starts? I've never understood that.

Since I haven't blogged in a week I'll recap. Highlight some of the fun stuff. Like splashing in the water with cool rain boots. After all, isn't that what rain boots are for? He managed to run in the water and completely soak all of his clothes. Underwear too.


We also took the monkey to the zoo with his friend Chloe.


What zoo trip wouldn't be complete without a train ride? Tiff and talked about how much cooler the train at the Denver Zoo is. At the Denver Zoo it's a small train, on a track not wheels, and it goes around a bigger area so you can see a lot more stuff. This one goes in a small circle 3 times. Seth loved it though. It is still a train to him! I see a trip to Allaire State Park in our future where he can ride a real train again.


Well, I'll show you the baby quilt almost done. Literally all it needs is one more side sewn down on the biding and a label.

Quilt measures 30.5 x 36.5

Close up of my lovely stipple... ok, it's not all that lovely but I am getting better at it.

I love the backing. The purple daisies are so cute!

I'll have to deliver the second baby quilt I wanted to make to the other mama at a later date. Oops. Haven't even started on it. My free time is all gone. I also get to throw in lots of other fun stuff too to keep me busy. My quilt guild meeting, two PTO meetings, and Back to School Night are all this week. I also can't neglect little Seth all day so he has activities too. Craft, story time, etc.

I might start to develop a slight twitch.

Normal?

It's back to just Seth and I all day long. It's much more quiet but I already miss being able to tell one of the big kids to go play with him. It's all on me now.

We had a laid back holiday weekend. Dan was off in Chicago with some of his guy friends so it was just me and the munchkins all weekend. We had a couple friends over on Sunday for a BBQ. That was very nice. Otherwise it was a mellow, no frills, weekend. We did have a "make your own pizza" night. My creative and adventurous children made peperoni and cheese...


My online classes started yesterday. It's official, I have started school! Woo hoo! Only 9675432 days to go! I really have to make sure I do my school work before I play with fabric. It'll be hard some days I'm sure.


I finished up the quilt top I was working on. I need to start naming the quilts. I'm always saying bland things like "the quilt top I'm working on." Lame. Anyway, I love the colors of this quilt. I recently found out that Dan's cousin is getting married so this might be their wedding quilt... if I can part with it. Getting a picture of this wasn't easy. One of these days one of the kids is going to get hurt helping me. It'll be all my fault but I'll still have to tell them to be more careful next time! The poor kids were standing on the patio table (it's sturdy, right?) and had to hold it way up high. There should be disclaimers on my quilt photos, no children were harmed, I swear. Cross my heart.

I also need to make two baby quilts. I was invited to a baby shower in 2 weeks. 2 weeks! I have to make something! The down side is one of the ladies who was invited is also pregnant and due around the same time. For fear they aren't throwing a shower for her I want to bring her a gift too. So, I dug through my stash, pulled out some brilliant batiks, and started working out what pattern to use. Something simple and quick. Can I do it? Two baby quilts in two weeks? I think I can, I think I can.


One baby girl, one baby boy.

Why do I do this to myself? I guess it wouldn't be normal if things weren't a little rushed and crazy!

Helping

"Hey, Seth, will you come help Mommy take a picture of this quilt block?"


"No, not on your head please."

"Don't drop it honey."


"That's right. Thank you. Can I take a picture of you with the block so I can see you?"


"That was a pretty silly face can we try again?"


"Thanks."

Off to school we go

Oh, my little Hannah. You aren't so little anymore. I can't get over it.


You waited patiently while I took your picture and then you walked off alone.


I didn't walk you to school today. You didn't need me too. You're in 6th grade now, you can walk with your friends. How did you get so big?

Simon, well, I can still walk him for a few more years though. I think I'll let Hannah walk him home though. With friends of course. Then little Seth will be ready for school and I can walk him too. See my walking to school days aren't over yet!

Simon posed for his first day of school picture too. Say, "Cheese!"


He has the same 3rd grade teacher that Hannah had. It won't take but 5 seconds for the teacher to realize that Simon is nothing like his big sister! I wonder if from here on out he'll hear, "Oh, you're Hannah's brother." Hopefully that won't be followed with, "Why can't you be more like your sister?"

Seth wanted nothing to do with the camera this morning. I did however get a picture of him this weekend showing off a new thing he can do. He can write his name! Who knew? I didn't.

Yeah, I know it says, "Happy Valentine's Day!" on the card. He was playing a Dora the Explorer game and he wanted to print out the card. Who cares if it is just now September...

So, now my days are back to quiet or quieter I should say. Seth is still here with me demanding my attention. "Mommy, play with me!" Which I'd better go do. Maybe we'll bake some muffins today while the big kids are away. Reading a recipe, measuring and counting scoops teaches something aside from Mommy likes to bake, right?

BPA in SIGG water bottles

Just read about this. Thought some of you might want to know a bit more. Thanks go to Crunchy Domestic Goddess for blogging about it.

Peach jam

Jam anyone?

Summer is almost over...

Since this is the last week of summer before my kids head back to school we've been trying to make the most of it. We spent Monday at Great Adventure and Hurricane Harbor. Tuesday we went to the beach again. The waves were much bigger than last week. It made the big kids happy and me nervous, nervous, nervous. Both Hannah and Simon also had sleep overs Tuesday night so I arranged babysitting for Seth so I could join Dan and John on the trek to Brooklyn to have dinner with Devon and Monica. We had a fabulous dinner. We picked up Devon and Monica in Manhattan first. I can see why New Yorkers become angry drivers! Ah!


Toady we went peach picking. Surprising, no? You can mark the progress through summer with my fruit picking. First strawberries, blueberries, and peaches. Then apples and pumpkins.


We got white peaches, yellow peaches, and nectarines. Now the goal is to eat it all or make it into something before they go bad! Jam and cobbler, here I come!

Seth had a few friends picking peaches with him today. He seems to like the older girls... sorry Chloe.


Tonight we have one of Hannah's friends sleeping over. Gotta take advantage of summer while it lasts. I think I'll throw a movie on for them and pop some popcorn. It's my stand by for over nights. It also keeps them quite for a few hours. That's my favorite part. They can't stay up late tonight though because they orientation for Middle School tomorrow.


Oh, I got a package in the mail today... my fabric arrived! Sweet! Now I can fix my cutting mistake and when I get time I can make a new quilt with the Good Folks fabric. I did make a bit of progress on the crazy quilt borders. It'll be done sometime in the next decade...


My quilting is going to slow down a bit from here on out. I enrolled in school again. My long term goal is to be a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM). I have a long way to go. There's even a wait list for nursing school. I still have a few prerequisites that I hadn't completed in Colorado to take care of. I have two online classes this semester. Wish me luck!

So, I guess we all have to have some summer fun before we go back to school!

Wonder Wallet

I picked up a little wallet pattern at the quilt store yesterday. Hannah had looked at it last time we were there and wanted one for herself. It's quick and simple. Hannah gets the wallet with the sunflowers on it. It matches the bag we made her a long time ago. And the little wallet on the right matches perfectly with purses I made...


I've made some of the blocks for my newest quilt. I made a huge mistake on cutting. (That's why I was at the quilt store yesterday.) I followed the cutting instructions based on the amount of fabric that came in the kit. It turns out they made some substitutions that look better than what I cut. I decided that I wouldn't be happy with the fix I could come up with or the cuts I already had made so I ordered a few yards online last night to fix what I did. I hate making mistakes like that. While I was ordering my fabric I splurged and got a little extra fabric. Anna Maria Horner, you make delicious fabric! So bold and funky yet it all goes together so well.

I love my husband. When I come in and ask him if it's okay if I spend $90 on fabric he doesn't mind. He says ok. I think he understands that I have an addiction problem. "Hello, my name is Ellen. I am an addict. It's been just a few hours since my last fabric fix..."

Ocean Grove

We finally, finally made it to the beach! Woo, hoo!I was beginning to think it'd never happen this summer. I am a big wimp and I won't go without another adult to help me out. Hannah and Simon are decent swimmers but I have to be on Seth the whole time. I just need another set of eyes and I might need some extra hands too.

Simon and Hannah were disappointed with the mellow waves. I on the other hand thought it was wonderful. Helps to keep the kids alive a bit longer if there aren't crazy, strong waves threatening to roll them over, pull them under, and drag them off to sea... ok, I am a bit dramatic from time to time. Still, I like a calm ocean.

Every time I get a chance to go down the shore it reinforces the cool things about Jersey. There are no beaches in Colorado. There were beaches in Seattle but the water was always a wee bit chilly.

We got to do all the fun things possible at the beach.

Splash in the waves. Seth was a little excited.

Play in the sand.

Fight over the toys to play in the sand with. Hey, there were shells in that bucket! Fight for it boys, fight! Huh, you'd think I might put the camera down to stop it. I helped. Just after I got a picture of what they're usually like.

Don't forget to give your mom a dirty look when she has the audacity to ask you to look up to get your picture taken. I actually like this picture. :)

Cartwheels too. What, that isn't what you do on the beach?

Last but not least, get coated head to toe with sand.

While we brought lots of sand home with us, as usual, we left all our sand toys there. Someone (a boy of about 8) left them somewhere on the trek from the spot we camped out and the car. Guess we'll have to go back and see if they got turned in to lost and found. We might as well play on the beach while we're there checking...