weston apple festival 2011

Roller Skating

On Sunday we met up with Brad's brother and his family to go roller skating. I was excited beyond words, I love to skate. A couple days before we went I told the girls in the car how much I loved to skate and said "I am pretty good, have you guys ever seen me skate?" Mia said "Yes, mom, I have seen you and you need to work on hills." Ha! She watched me once from the bike buggy when she was 3 and I did wipe out down a hill.


Anyways, Mia caught on after awhile and really enjoyed herself. She can't wait to go back, especially after she got lucky and won a game. Jilli's skates were tiny and adorable, however the wheels didn't turn. So, she walked around the rink, but thought she was skating. The guy at the skate rental area said all skates that little have tight wheels.

Jillian

Aaron & William

M.K. & Brad early on.....

Emma & M.K.

Girls Day

Today I took the girls to see the play Junie B. Jones Jingle Bells, Batman Smells, P.S. So does May at Union Station. We have been reading Junie B for several years, and Mia Kate is now reading one on her own. :) The play was cute and we enjoyed it, although I thought that adult characters trying to play first graders was a tad interesting, just my opinion . Afterwards we enjoyed the train displays at Union Station and then walked over to Crown Center for some browsing and Topsy's popcorn. I was up until past midnight wrapping all my gifts, we got to attend the play, and I just ate my yearly dose of cinnamon popcorn. I am sure the flu that all of my family has passed around for the past two weeks will come and visit me now.

Mia & Claire
Kindergarten Pals

Jillian & Mia Kate

Westin Crown Center Christmas Tree

The Girls & I

When my friend Julie took the girls'

photos, she had them close their eyes a few times and then open them and she would get a picture that wasn't completely posed. This was my attempt. ;)

Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend we made our annual trip to Schaake's Pumpkin Patch. Normally we go on a weekday, but with M.K. in school we had to go on Saturday. Brad likes to beat the crowd, so we were there at 8:51 and it opened at 9:00. It was a good thing, by the time we left the parking lot was packed and cars were at least a 1/2 mile down the gravel road.

Pick of the Patch!

Our rule is that you have to be able to carry it back to the wagon,

looks like they have it under control!

Hay Bale Maze


The real deal folks!
She can charm your socks off or be a stubborn little hoot.

Waiting for the wagon.

Missy Miss!

This year we went for some diversity!
Brad picked the warty ones and I even picked a giant white one.

Grandma Betty lives near the patch and met up with us.

Tis the season......

for festivals! We are loving the fall weather and in the last three weeks have been to four festivals. Two of them (Fall Festival at Church and the Scarecrow Festival downtown) you will have to imagine, no pictures there. Actually, imagine me taking the girls alone to the Scarecrow Festival without a stroller only to arrive and low and behold you really make a scarecrow. Say what now? As in as big as me stuffed with straw and I carried it across a busy intersection while holding a 3 year old. The head fell off in the street and some guy chased me down with it. Go ahead, imagine it!

Below are some pictures from the Westin Apple Festival and the Arrow Rock Festival. This was our second year at Westin and the girls' first year at Arrow Rock. Bradley and I went there 10 years ago.....

Arrow Rock

M.K. making a jump rope.

M.K. making a candle.



Jilli cranking out ground corn.

Jilli making a jump rope.

M.K. cranking out corn meal.

Tree hugger.

Westin Apple Festival

Work it!

Jilli riding "Sophie"

Mia riding Sugar. The guy in charge told them the names of the horses as they were riding and Mia about fell off when hers was "NAMED SUGAR!" That is the name of her little American Girl stuffed dog that she loves!

Daddy & MK walking to the festival!

While I was away on my blog break.....

1. We visited the Clifford Exhibit at Crown Center. I am saying it was a kind of a flop, might have been better if it hadn't been so crowded.

2. Brad was on (for about 2 seconds) Man vs. Food. He was eating lunch there one day in May when they were filming some footage of the restaurant, Papa Bob's in Bonner Springs, Kansas. He mentioned it then, but I read in the newspaper in July that it was going to be aired on August 11th at 9:00 p.m. I was actually shopping at Wal-Mart when it aired and he calls me "Um, you missed it!" I said "Well, didn't you record it?" So when I got home we had to review it in slow mo. The next morning after I came home from my run, Brad was getting ready for work and I said "You are not going to believe the paparazzi outside! You better sneak out the back door." It was fun to show the kids and make jokes about it. You know I love you Bradley, who is such a good sport!

The Prince is Having a Ball

Another notch on our Summer Check List was to attend a performance at The Theatre in the Park. The girls were so excited to attend Cinderella, as it is one of their favorite movies. This marked MK's second visit to TTITP and Jilli's first time. MK loved the entire evening and watched with great intensity. Jilli ate all of the snacks as quickly as possible and then entertained herself with wet wipes. She wrapped them on her legs and sorted them, it was pretty hot. Overall we had a wonderful time, TTITP is a great venue for family fun!

The One Arm Bandit joined in the fun!

Mia Kate wore her Cinderella dress and a crown. :)


Jilli doesn't have a Cinderella costume, but boy howdy she has a "beautiful twirly Little Mermaid" size 18-24 month velour dress. Have I mentioned that she is obsessed with it? Trust me, this was an all day question "Can I wear my most beautiful dress? I need to because it twirls." I let her wear it, but did draw the line with layering a sweater over it? She was sweating profusely, hence the wet wipes mentioned above.

Summer Fun List

At the beginning of the summer the girls and I made a list of things that we wanted to do this summer. We have been busy crossing them off of our list!


Deanna Rose: In early June cousins Dane, Ava, and Ryland came to town and went to the farmstead with us. It was HOT!

Obviously oldies!

Look at the hair above!
Look at Brad extending his arm!
Side Note: He would be so happy to be able to do that again. Actually I would love him to do this. It is driving me nuts that he doesn't extend it. He just holds it folded across his front even when it is out of the sling. For several days, I literally begged him to show me that he could straighten it. Then I gave him an "old tomato" (ultimatum), "I would love to get you your pain pills if you show me that you can straighten your arm."

Jilli (3) Mia Kate (5) Ryland (1) Dane (2) Ava (2)

Shatto Milk Farm: We have been wanting to go here for several years. We made it with my friend Cheryl and her kiddos Andrew and Alina in mid June. Took a tour, tasted samples, and MK got to milk and comb a cow. Jilli's favorite milk was the Root Beer and MK loved the Orange Dream, tasted like Fruit Loops. We had a great time!

Andrew & MK

The Berry Patch: We went in late June to pick blueberries with my friend Sarah and her little guy Owen. Our plans are to make jam and eat them frozen as a snack.

Boss from the wagon.

Kansas City Miniature Toy Museum: This morning we toured the Miniature Toy Museum, which has a special Barbie exhibit. Loved the museum! Why had we never been there before? MK was fascinated with all of the toys.

Playing the drum.

One of the Barbie's swimsuits in the exhibit is one that we have. I think it was my Mom's and I actually just found it on a Barbie in our swim bag. Oops. The girls instantly recognized it. Did you know that the first Barbie cost $3?

You weren't supposed to take indoor photos, but I snuck this one.