Find a Pumpkin...

The pumpkin patch we went to had all varieties of pumpkins. The bluish pumpkins were called Fairytale Pumpkins, so naturally Madison had to have one. Here she is with the pumpkin she picked out.

The other day Madison said "I wish that I could marry Mitchell." When Eliot asked her why she wanted to marry Mitchell she responded, "I don't know, because we love each other." It was really sweet. These two have such a fun time together!

Another "like father, like son" moment. Notice how hard Mitchell is concentrating and how he is sticking his tongue out. Eliot often does the same when he is deep in concentration. Mitchell was so cute because it looked like he believed he was pushing the wagon all by himself.

Fall Apple Picking

We have been apple picking every fall for several years now. It is one of our favorite things to do together as a family. We spent the afternoon in Julian, California sampling apple cider, apple pie, and carmel apples. Then we got to work and picked our own apples at an orchard just outside of town. (sidenote: this area has been evacuated today due to wildfires. We are not threatened here, near the coast, but the air quality is extremely poor. The air is dark with smoke and particles.) We picked several bags full of apples and really enjoyed ourselves. This week we did many fun things with our apples. We ate them raw, we made applesauce, we used them as stamps to make art, and we also made Grandpa Jack's Favorite Applesauce Cookies- a personal favorite of mine too. I messed up the recipe so I had to double it and ended up making about 12 dozen cookies. I was baking all day, but I have enjoyed having the cookies around- maybe a little too much. I was wishing I could take several dozen to Grandpa so that he could enjoy them too. The cookies will always remind me of him and I have been thinking about him constantly. Apple picking was a fun way to bring in the fall as it always is.

Hawaii Top 11 on Angie's Camera

We had a wonderful time on our trip to Hawaii. I am certainly one who loves to travel. I love seeing new places, meeting new people, tasting new food, hearing new sounds, and all around having new experiences. Special thanks to my husband who indulges my need for all types of travel. It was an awesome way to bring in our thirties. Here's to many more years and many more experiences to come!

1. Spending time with my honey! (In this picture we were at a black sand beach.)
2. Cruising on the road to Hana with the top down!
3. All kinds of waterfalls; short ones, tall ones, fat ones, skinny ones- all very neato. (Remember that song, "Don't go chasing waterfalls, please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to." What does that mean anyway? We were all about chasing waterfalls on this trip.

4. Hanging out with friends and family and getting some good grub while we were at it. More specifically, sushi and steak -yum!

5. Learning to Paddle Board and not falling once.


6. Being with Darl, Michelle, and Mitchell Gleed! They were so kind and extremely hospitable.

7. Finding exotic and secluded beaches. Notice the red sand. (Also of note, some of the beaches were so secluded that many people visiting them were scantily clad, I mean very scantily clad. In other words, a whole group of nudists showed up while we were at this beach. C'mon now, that ruins it for everybody, for real!)


8. Ocean view rooms at every stop. 9. Picking breakfast out of the backyard.



10. Seeing where those yummy mac nuts come from.
11. Kayaking through Kealakekua Bay where we saw hundreds of dolphins.
(This is the infamous bay where Captain James Cook was killed.)

Big Jud's... Just eat it!

Believe it or not, Natalie and I thought about making hamburgers this size years ago. We always talked about making our huge, 'bread bowl' hamburgers. I guess Big Jud got to it first. It wasn't necessarily how I wanted to be remembered anyway.

Madison and Nathan patiently waiting for the food.

Mitchell digging into the French Fries. Very good, especially with fry sauce.

I can't imagine trying to eat the whole thing myself. It was challenging enough to eat a quarter of it.

J.A.N. Sisters

I have been feeling nostalgic all day because tomorrow I am turning 30 years old. This seemingly large number has given me pause and I have been reflecting on my past. As I was looking through all of my photo albums and scrapbooks I noticed a recurring theme. In every stage of my life I have pictures with two beautiful girls on either side of me, my sisters. So today, I am going to "throw it back" sister style and give tribute to my wonderful sisters. How lucky I am to be in the middle of such fabulous ladies. They have always been there for me through the good times and bad. I have always had my sisters by my side in every way and I will forever be grateful for that blessing in my life. I love you!

Geography Lesson

Last week we had the opportunity to host a girl at our house from Moldova. I got a call on Thursday afternoon finding out that she needed a place to stay. Rodica told me that she was from Moldova and I hate to admit it, but I had no idea were that was. In my mind I was thinking it was "somewhere over there." Anyway, I have since learned that Moldova is located between the countries of Romania and Ukraine (see map). If you don't know where those countries are then you might need to brush up on some geography. Eliot, however, did know right where Moldova was and I was quite impressed. Afterall, he did serve a mission in Ukraine. In Moldova they speak Romanian, but also some Russian. Eliot was able to communicate well with Rodica because her Russian was better than her English. It was an interesting week with Rodica and kind of nice to have my own au pair for awhile. She helped me make dinner, watched the kids, cleaned, played with Madison and entertained Mitchell. Rodica did not really want to go home and Eliot said that he could understand why. The GDP in Moldova is US $381. Rodica did not have any opportunities to return home to. Eliot and I (mostly Eliot) convinced her to return home as she was considering staying even though her Visa was going to expire. She would have had a hard time making her way in the U.S. with no money, no connections and no papers. Rodica sent word that she is now back in Moldova safe and sound. I think it was fun for everyone to have a week of cultural exchange.

Madison Marie

For my first Throwback Thursday I wanted to post some pictures of Madison from years past. The picture above is of Madison when we were living in San Francisco. I love this picture because Madison looks like a girl who knows what she wants and is ready to go out and get it. The picture below is of Madison on her second birthday. We had a little Strawberry Shortcake party with a few friends. Madison insisted on wearing her Elmo slippers to her party. Madison also had her first haircut on her second birthday. Before then, she really didn't have enough hair to cut. I am not one to get mushy at birthdays (okay except when we go around and say what we love about each other), but I have to admit I have been feeling a little sentimental about Madison as I have been looking at old pictures. I can't believe Madison will be four on Sunday. She is so grown up. Time really does fly whether you are having fun or not. I guess the point is to try and enjoy each moment while you can.