A Fun (Full!) Fall Weekend at the Cabin

Fall is here! What a difference two weeks can make; suddenly, the air feels cool and crisp, leaves are beginning to fall from the trees and it's getting darker outside earlier in the evenings.

Andi is home again after a whirlwind month of travel in September. We hadn't been to the cabin since September 13, so all four of us were chomping at the bit to get up to the lake this past weekend. Even Aden was walking around the house asking, "Cabin? Cabin?"

We left home late Thursday evening after Andi got home from work, and used Friday morning at the lake to run our usual errands -- trips to the grocery store, hardware store, liquor store, and the meat market. I love when we're able to knock out those chores early so we can fully enjoy the "real weekend" together.

Friday afternoon, Andi and I took the kids for a nature walk on the mile-long trail by our cabin. Several of the neighbors (us included) collectively own the wooded area which is used for recreational purposes. It's wonderful to have a safe and secluded place to let the kids and the dog run free, or to go for rides in our UTV. This was Aden's first time walking the trail on his own two feet, and he absolutely loved it! It's quite a ways to walk for little legs and even Tory asked to be carried toward the end ... but not Aden. Every time I picked him up, he'd say "No! Walk!" He'd trip and fall down, pick himself up and keep on moving. Andi and I were just beaming watching him explore.

I put together a nature scavenger hunt for Tory to do during our walk, and she had a lot of fun finding various items on our list. In addition to finding the usual items like pine cones, sticks and leaves, I also asked Tory to use her senses and find:

"something smooth"

"something rough"

"something round"

"something pointy"

"something crunchy"

"something fuzzy"

"something smelly"

It was amazing how engaged in her surroundings Tory became! A fun twist on the typical nature scavenger hunt. 

Saturday, Andi and I took the kids to Autumnfest in nearby St. Croix Falls. There were various events taking place -- an arts & crafts fair, farmer's market, live music and kids activities. After walking around the small downtown area for a while, we decided to stop by Fawn-Doe-Rosa wildlife park. Andi and I took Tory here when she was about Aden's age and she loved it; we were certain the kids would go gaga over seeing the various animals up close.

Oh parenting, how it always keeping us on our toes!

About six seconds after we paid admission and walked into the Fawn-Doe-Rosa park, a flock of geese charged toward us in search of food (you can buy bags of feed for the goats, deer, sheep and geese on property and I'm sure the animals have learned this). As the geese waddled toward us, they noisily honked, and Tory and Aden nearly died on the spot. Screams of terror! Sheer panic from both of them. I looked at Andi in bewilderment and he repeated one of Tory's favorite phrases, "Well, I wasn't expecting that to happen..."

We skipped the free-roaming animals and walked over to the barnyard area to see the goats and sheep. Tory and Aden still weren't sure about the whole situation, but seemed a bit more assured since the animals were enclosed in fencing.

A few minutes later, of course, Tory tripped on a rock and face-planted into the dirt. More screaming! At that point, we decided lunch might be a better idea. Andi really wanted to try a farm-to-table restaurant in Amery, Wisconsin but I wasn't so sure a fancy restaurant lunch was the best idea given our morning's success rate. We went for it anyway and surprisingly, it was the best stop of the trip! The kids were well behaved and Andi and I were very impressed with the restaurant's commitment to local sustainability. 

A surprising amount of leaves have fallen at the cabin already (there are hardly any on the ground at our house in the Twin Cities), so after we returned to the cabin Tory and I raked up a pile to jump in. This is one of Tory's favorite fall activities, and it's so simple! This was Aden's first time jumping in a pile of leaves and he was a big fan, too. 

That night, we let the kids stay up past their bedtimes and took them to Boogie Nights at the Pipe Dream Center. It's a very kid-friendly music venue located right down the road from our cabin, so it was easy to pop in for a bit before the kids were too tired. Aden and Tory loved the music and danced in the aisles so freely. (There were about 10 people there, so it wasn't completely empty like the picture portrays).

 

Sunday morning, we met our friends Val, Brionn and their family at our favorite apple orchard by the lake cabin. It was Val and Brionn's first time, but Andi and I visit as often as we can during the fall because the owners are so sweet and the kids have such a great time there. We picked pumpkins in the patch, went for a hay ride and a scavenger hunt, fed the goats, and played chess with ornamental pumpkins. It was a perfect fall outing. 

Summertime is my favorite season, but there's something to be said for fall. With the crisp, cooler air comes different activities and new memories. 

Stitch Fix Round-Up: #10 & #11

My wardrobe is in desperate need of new fall season items. I was a larger size this time last year, so nothing I wore then really fits anymore. Jeans, tops, dresses -- to consignment they went. Now, it's time to fill my closet again.

Stitch Fix is really the only way I shop for myself anymore. I can't beat the convenience, and my stylist is really starting to understand my style. Not that I have a lofty bank account to support buying all the clothes Stitch Fix sends me! I only keep the items I really, truly love. For this reason, I stopped buying clothes at Target and Gap and Old Navy. Nothing I ever buy there makes me feel as confident as SF's clothing.

My Stitch Fix boxes arrive so quickly now, I barely have a chance to blog about them before another one arrives! (Clearly, personal time to write has been hard to come by.) Anyway, here's some of my recent items:

AUGUST 2015 Fix #10

Mavi Freida Skinny Jeans in Navy

Stitch Fix's skinny jeans are my weakness - I simply can't say no! The fit is always spot on with my body type, no matter the brand. These jeans are soft and smooth, almost like velvet in a non-weird way. I love them! No question; KEPT.

RD Style Hollen Raglan Knit Top

I love the lightweight fabric of this sweater; it's perfect for fall. I've worn it with the red skinny jeans I received in my very first Fix, or regular denim jeans. My only gripe are the "holes" in the knit. Aden likes to dig his fingers into them when I carry him around so I'm not sure how long it'll last. KEPT.

Mo-Ka Simon Lightweight Jacket

Honestly, this is the one item from August Fix I would've sent back had it not been for the "buy all five" discount. It seems a little big, no? And, I have the Market & Spruce Chaplin Hooded Anorak Cargo Jacket from a previous Fix that I already own and LOVE. 

I joined one of those Facebook Stitch Fix Buy/Sell/Trade pages so maybe I'll try to sell it on there. KEPT (for the discount). 

Pixley Beaverton Crochet Split Back Knit Top

Love this light-weight top. Comfortable, easy to wear with jeans, and the back-detail gives it a fun flare. KEPT.

Loveappella Evie Draw String Funnel Neck Sweatshirt

Easy like Sunday morning ... this sweater is so comfortable to wear while still looking like I cared to get dressed in the morning. I like it with jeans, but also think it'd wear well with leggings. KEPT.

--------

SEPTEMBER 2015 Fix #11

And, now I do that very time-consuming thing where I search Pinterest boards to find the names of all the clothing I sent back when an easier method would've been to save my style card. BAH. Bear with me.

Denim Boyfriend Jeans

Boyfriend jeans just .... aren't me. I know the fit is suppose to look baggy, but these didn't feel flattering. Like, if I wore them for more than an hour they'd stretch out and droop in the behind. SENT BACK.

Cotton Striped Top with Sleeve Detail 

(The official term)  

I hem-hawed about this shirt because it was really comfortable and easy to wear with jeans. Perfect for my stay-at-home-mom lifestyle. I liked how the lace sleeve detail really kicked things up a notch, and turned this average striped shirt into something fancier. But in the end, I couldn't justify the $50-ish price tag. SENT BACK.

Striped Henley

I really liked this top -- the colors and the pattern are so pretty for fall. I tried this top on over and over again ... and even modeled it for my mother-in-law for a second opinion. At the time, I thought it looked too big and figured if I was questioning the fit so deeply it should probably go. SENT BACK. (... but now I kinda wish I would've kept it!)

Off-White Colored Open Sweater Cardigan

I liked this one, too (and I still sorta do!) This open cardigan would be so easy to wear in the fall. When I tried this cardigan on, it looked too big. Like, I was swimming in it. Maybe that was the style? I asked my mother-in-law for her opinion and she didn't think the off-white color was my best color. SENT BACK.

Blue and Orange Striped Sweater
 

This sweater fits like a glove and is so, so soft to the touch. The weather hasn't been cool enough to wear it yet, so I'm excited to have the chance to try it. KEPT.

Aden's First Haircut

I promised the grandmas I'd let his hair grow until age two, but I just couldn't do it.

I loved Aden's blond curls as much as the next person, but the change of seasons and lack of humidity in the air turned his head of hair into a straggly mess. A few weeks ago, Aden was sick with an ear infection and he and I spent a lot of time snuggling in the rocking chair. His disheveled hair kept tickling my face as I held him and it was so annoying! A few days later at the park, I snapped a photo of Aden and didn't love what I saw on the back of my camera. It was time for a haircut.

Tory, Aden and I left the park right then and drove to the nearby kid's hair salon before I lost my nerve. I knew Aden was going to have a FIT when someone tried to cut his hair, so I threw the iPad and a couple of Dum Dum suckers into my purse for back-up.

Sure enough, Aden FREAKED OUT the minute I lifted him into the chair. I figured the stylist would be annoyed with us because the store was closing in 20 minutes, but she was very sweet with him. I comforted him / held him down in the seat while the stylist worked as quickly as she could.

I would've loved to take a few pictures with my real camera, but that wasn't going to happen. Too chaotic! So, I pulled out my iPhone and snapped a few one-handed photos like any loving mother would.

Aden was MAD, and continued to cry during the entire 20 minute appointment. Tory stood in front of him and tried to comfort her brother the best she could by holding his iPad in view and singing songs to him. Nothing worked; not Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, not a sucker, not a sweet big sister.

Later, I brought the kids home and tried to get a few "after" photos of Aden's hair to send to Andi who was traveling for work. Aden was completely against the idea, and cried every time I tried to remove him from my arms.

You'd think I made him eat Brussel sprouts. A haircut -- the horror!

Before / After

The cosmetologist styled Aden's hair into a faux-hawk at the appointment, but I haven't brushed it that way since. It's cute, but requires too much effort on my part in the mornings. Most days, he rocks a wake-up-and-wear-it hairstyle. 

I loved Aden's curls, but I also think his shorter hair is adorable. Andi wasn't a big fan of his longer hair in the first place, so he was thrilled. And, the grandmas are coming around ....

39/52: A Weekly Photo Series

The calendar has turned to fall, but it continues to feel like summer around here. At least, where the weather is concerned.

The kids and I met my friends Val, Erika and their kiddos for a playdate this week at Como Zoo. I can't say I remember visiting Como Zoo any time other than summer and let me just say -- IT. WAS. AWESOME. We practically had the place to ourselves, which meant the kids could get out of their strollers and run wild like animals.

See Tory practicing to be a monkey?

When we go to the zoo in the summer, it's constant kid pandemonium with big groups of day care tours and other families visiting the zoo. There's never time to do anything but see the animals, and I'm usually exhausted by the end after being on high parenting alert the whole time. On this day, we were able to meander along the path and let the kids play and climb all over the rocks and structures. We could stand and watch the animals for as long as we liked without worrying about blocking other people's view.

It was also really fun to see (Val's kids) Kasen, Linden and Tory have such a ball together. These three have known each other their entire lives, but this was the first time I've seen them truly pick up like old friends and play together. One more cool thing about having "big kids" -- their ability to develop real-life friendships with others.

What an unexpectedly relaxing and fun fall day at the zoo with friends!

A Trip to the Apple Orchard

It's 1:00am, I'm awake and blogging. Not ideal, but I'm capitalizing on the quiet peacefulness while I've got it. I no longer have a babysitter for a few hours each week, and it's been difficult to find the time to do anything for myself -- blog, cut my fingernails, etc. Isn't that ridiculous? I enjoy my quality time with Tory and Aden as we dive into our new school-year routine, but mentally I seem to be searching for a few minutes alone ... even if I find them in the middle of the night.

Andi's traveling for work quite a bit this fall, and over several weekends which is unusual. I'm trying to take advantage of these rare weekends we're not at the cabin by making plans with friends we don't normally see on Saturdays and Sundays.

Tory, Aden and I met my friend Mirjam and her son Elia at the apple orchard last weekend. Mirjam is a relatively new friend of mine -- we struck up a conversation at the playground this summer and discovered we live about 2 minutes away from one another. Aden is three months older than Elia so it's nice to have a little friend for him and a fellow boy-mom for me.

Every year, Andi and I take the kids to a small apple orchard near the cabin, so last Sunday was my first time tackling a Twin Cities apple orchard on the weekend. I was really nervous to take both kids there by myself and battle the crowds of people. Sunday was the perfect fall day with sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70's so I knew the orchard would be especially busy. But, Tory's been begging to go apple picking so what's a mama to do? Take her, of course!

We arrived at the orchard as soon as the gates opened and already there was a line of cars and people. Parking and admission were fairly organized though, so logistics were surprisingly easy. There were lots of activities for the kids to do once we entered -- a wooden train to climb on, a corn crib slide, a petting zoo, a mountain made of hay bails and an apple express train pulled by a farmer on an ATV. Mirjam and I let the kids run between each station and play for a solid hour or so.

Tory and Aden were thrilled with the apple express train which was free as part of admission. I was certain Aden would freak out when he noticed the train pulling away from me, but he didn't -- he loved it!

The petting zoo was met with little enthusiasm by my kids. Perhaps I've overexposed them to animals through other activities -- at the cabin? the zoo? -- because Tory and Aden were all, like, "Eh, a pair a llamas. So what? Let's climb the giant hay mountain!"

The heart wants what the heart wants.

With time (and nearing afternoon naps) in mind, Mirjam and I decided to take the kids on a hay ride around the apple orchard. For the record, it's "hay rack rides" to me, and I have the hardest time conforming to Minnesota's "hay ride" terminology. Anyway, we waited in line for our turn on the hay ride for 15 minutes or so and at this point, I felt a little jaded by the quaint feeling and no lines at the small orchard we typically visit. Though I will say, this orchard had four tractors with hay rides running (that I saw) so they were doing their best to accommodate the large crowd of people.

My feelings of distaste quickly faded once we piled on the trailer and rode through the beautiful trails of mature trees. Soon, we pulled up to rows and rows of apple trees. Tory couldn't wait to start picking and marched right up to the farm stand saying, "We'll take two bags, please." Ahem, two pecks for $20 each, that is. That's a lot of apples for this solo-parenting mama to carry home! I politely revised Tory's order down to one bag of SweeTango apples, paid the worker and we set off for picking.

This part of the orchard was fabulous! There were hardly any people in the area, so we practically had the rows of apples to ourselves. The kids ran wild picking apples to fill up our bag. Even Aden was able to reach some of the low hanging fruit and steal a few for himself.

We caught the hay ride back to the main area and bellied up to a picnic table for lunch. Mirjam and I packed lunches for the kids which seemed much easier than waiting in line for hot dogs and hamburgers at the grill station. The kids played on a nearby display tractor before we called it a day.

It really was one of those picture-perfect fall days, far exceeding my expectations. Both kids were fast asleep in their car seats before we pulled out of the parking lot, so it's safe to say they had a blast.