Road Trip!!

A few weeks ago we were able to drive up to PA (Philly area) to visit some very dear friends and "on the way there" Chris conveniently went to the Clemson/Maryland highscoring-win by the skin of our teeth-football game. Here's some blips from our trip...

We pull out the DVD players for long trips and it puts our kids, especially Miss I-didn't-blink-for-eight-hours, into a trance. Thank you library for your free DVD's, Backyardigans for keeping our two year old most happy with your upbeat, theatrical song and dance, and Fast Food playgrounds for your germs and energy burning climb-upons.

This is what I enjoyed for hours upon hours. It was DELIGHTFUL. Chris listened to Sports Talk and I read Jane Austen while gazing at the Shenandoah Valley in all its mountainous, pastoral glory. Pure autumn delight for this gal. Indeed Virginia is for Romantics.

Uncle Zuk took us to Ben Franklin's Science Institute! Thank you!!

That place was serious fun...even with one very cranky four year old...

I LOVE Philadelphia.

And I LOVE farms.
Uncle Zuk took us to this great apple/pumpkin/Christmas tree farm and it was good for the soul. The scenery was beautiful. I missed going to SkyTop in NC this year, but this TOTALLY made up for it. No crowds and maybe even more festive fall nostalgia. The only thing I could have lived without was the huge Elk hanging on the wall that crept up on me.

Mr. Cranky Pants

These were her apple babies she found on the ground. She didn't eat them.
Just held them and talked to them. Sounds kinda weird, but it was cute and very Hannah.

There's the smile!

So funny... "You are now entering the CRUM CREEK BASIN. We DRINK this water."
What???

Oh no he didn't. Uncle Zuk encouraged Hb to climb up on the railing by herself,

using the swing as leverage, then jump off like a flying squirrel.

And lastly, what would be a complete trip to Philly without Zeke being able to see his dearly beloved Liz. In all sincerity, we love these people and it fed our souls visiting with them.
Thanks Malvernians for refreshing the Mizes and giving us a boost!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Seriously. It's just a great time of year! This week has been glorious! The warm sun and the gentle autumn breeze. Ahhhh. It is so refreshing. And part of this being the most wonderful time of the year is football season! Going to Clemson is good for my soul. It's such a happy feeling seeing scores of people all around in ONE ACCORD, wearing the same colors, having the same hope for victory! All are cheering for the same thing, whooping and hollering for the same goal, encouraging and yelling out 'atta boys when the players need it most! My blood is pumping harder just talking about it. There is such a spiritual parallel here...and if you want to think I'm bonkers for comparing Clemson football to the Kingdom, go ahead and call me crazy!! There in the stadium we have one goal, we jump up and down in celebration, smiles spread across our faces in sheer joy, we yell so loud we lose our voices because we know EVERY voice matters! It does my body good to remember we are born to replicate the passion in the Saturday stadium into the Sunday through Fridays, too.
I don't have a good transition sentence and naptime is almost over, so onto a funnier note...

Look at those happy faces awaiting a FUN family Homecoming Saturday...note foreshadowing...

Doesn't that look like FUN...apply foreshadowing now. One minute in the stadium and I had complete regret on bringing a two year to the game. Not so fun.

She has no idea how much her daddy loves her. He is reading a princess book during a football game. Sure, it was a time out, but still, SERIOUS points for dad right there.

Good Tiger face there hero!

This is the stance of a man getting ready to catch a field goal kick. Cup in mouth, check. Knees bent slightly, check. Boxing out four year old, check.

"My, what a flexible child you have"

In Clemson, "the world is your playground" perfectly applies. Hb became a happy content child once again as soon as we exited the stadium.

Looka' deM-ize (Look at them eyes) in full affect.
That was the name my aunt thought we should have given to Zeke. She makes a good point.

Something funny, something yummy

I mean this isn't necessarily the funny thing which I wanted to write about, but it is silly funny. Anyways, on to the adorable funny...
Zeke has gotten more and more interested in Firefighters and likes to dress up like them (surprise, surprise). This afternoon Z comes up to me dressed like a firefighter and says, "Mama, call me at 911 if you need me to come fight a fire for you and I'll rescue you. 912 is Daddy's number. He fights the smoke."
That's funny.

On to yummy. I am not a fan of squashes. You probably are supposed to say squash, but I don't care. I don't like it. Yellow squash, Butternut and Spaghetti, too. There's not enough cheese and condensed soup that can make that gourd good enough for me to eat. BUT, then I had Acorn squash like we had it tonight and everything changed. My friend told me about this and I thought, I'll give it a shot. Here's what you do:

Cut an acorn squash in half and cut a little off the bottom so it will sit up straight.
(P.S...One acorn squash served two people tonight)
Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp and massage the insides with a smidge of butter.
Roast the acorns at 350 for 45 min or until they're tender.
Add a little bit more butter and APPLE BUTTER, maybe some salt to balance things.
You'll be able to eat the insides just like a baked white or sweet potato.
DELICIOUSNESS.

Anyone still out there?

Well, for anyone still out there, here's a little of what we've been up to. We...

Went to see the Clemson Tigers win, win, and win again! I will say nothing more as not to jinx us.

Went to Wild Dunes with some very special friends from PA and NJ whom we LOVE to vacation with. These people are exceptionally fun. We only see them once a year, but we adore these people...and our kids do too!

Got A LOT of special attention

played in the water fountains with wild at heart uncle Zuk

and couldn't have been happier.

Pretended to be a statue

Ate low country the boil the traditional way

Entertained ourselves for hours on the beach

Ate food unconventionally

Got some much needed Katie and Zuk time

Started gymnastics. For real. Started taking Hb to gymnastics and she LOVES it. I love having that time for her to do chin ups, bear crawl across balance beams, flip, handstand, and log roll.

Played dress up...surprise, surprise, right?

Made homeade chocolate ice cream with Aunt Ya Ya Yee at the lakehouse.

Ate rock salt

Pretended to be a Clemson "football man"

Realized there's baby growing in Jess' tummy

Went to SCHOOL!!! K4 that is. And yes, I have boo hoo'd over it. If fact, atleast once a week in car line drop-off I tear up when I drive away. So true.

Again with the eating unconventionally. This WAS pizza.

Went to a dear friend's surprise 80's themed 3oth birthday party . She's the one dressed as JEM! Truly outrageous, truly truly truly outrageous!

I went with this fine fellow. I love any opportunity to pull out my Get In Shape Girl legwarmers and hair crimper.

Picked watermelons at my grandparents. Heave ho!

No big deal...It's only over half her size.

and threw walnuts at dad.

How was your September?