So many adventures. So few times.

My photo
My life is pretty dull. I play with a toddler, watch a lot of Yo Gabba Gabba and experiment with the crock pot. I have no bed time and I find humor in Laffy Taffy jokes. Conan O'Brien is my anti-drug.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Brisk Autumn Days and all that yummy stuff

I used to not like fall. Heck, I used to not even like Christmas! But as I've gotten older (Shush. I'm only 29) I've grown to love that subtle shift in the temperature. When the dew point drops and the leaves start to turn. Tank tops are layered with cardigans, houses are filled with scents of cinnamon and pumpkin and apples and the delicious wafts of whatever is in the slow cooker for the day. Chunky cardigans are clearly a must.


Today is one of those textbook fall Sundays. I have caramel apple cider in a small crock pot on the counter, just waiting to be busted into during the Packer game at noon today. (No recipe... just throw in some apple cider, mulling spices and a couple heaping tablespoons of caramel syrup - we prefer Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel - and let it go for a few hours). Dinner tonight shall be the Pioneer Woman's famous Beef Stew with Beer & Paprika. (When I announced this to my husband he may or may not have peed his pants in excitement. 

What are your fall staple recipes? Share, please! Bonus points for anything that can be thrown in the slow cooker. Now, if you'll excuse me I'm going to go light a cinnamon and clove candle from Bath and Body Works, snuggle up under an afghan and watch reruns of Arrested Development until the Packer game starts.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Bring on the Caramel Apple Cider and Pumpkin Patches!

It's fall festival season!  I have received a great list of Corn Maze Coupons and Fall Festival savings for around the country.  Download valuable coupons for Corn Mazes, Pumpkin Patches and Fall Family Activities - just look below for ones available in your area! Personally, E & I are going to hit up the one in Woodstock, IL (and maybe we can convince some friends to meet us at the Maple Park, IL farm! Hint hint, Tiff)...


Arizona
Schnepf Farms - Queen City

California
Forneris Farms - Mission Hills

Colorado
Anderson Farms - Erie

Flat Acres Farm - Parker
Fritzler Maze - La Salle
Sunflower Farm - Longmont
Mile High Farms - Bennett
Wishing Star Farm - Calhan
Harvest Farm - Wellington

Texas
Devine Acres Farm - Devine
Fiesta Farm - San Antonio
Yesterland Farm - Canton
South Texas Maize - Hondo
Dewberry Farm - Brookshire
Brazos Valley Maize- Brenham

Louisiana
CM Farms - Dry Creek

Georgia
Lane Southern Orchards - Fort Valley
Poppell Farms - Odum

Michigan
Farmer Charley's Corn Maze Adventure - Monroe

Indiana
Amazing Fall Fun - Waterloo
Harvest Tyme Pumpkin Patch - Lowell
Hobson's Fun Farm - Rockville

Illinois
All Seasons Orchard - Woodstock
Kuipers Family Farm - Maple Park
Odyssey Fun Farm - Tinley Park
Siegel's Cottonwood Farm - Lockport

Maryland/DC
Summers Farm - Fredrick County

Massachusetts
Sauchuk Farm - Plympton

Missouri/Kansas

KC Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze - Gardner
Shuck's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch - Pleasant Hill

Mississippi
Seward Farms Maze - Lucedale

Minnesota
Afton Apple Orchard - Hastings

Montana
The Maize at Grandpa's Farm - Billings

Nebraska
Camp Fontanelle - Nickerson

NewJersey
VonThun Farms - Monmouth Junction
Sahl's Father Son Farm - Egg Harbor City

New York
Wright Family Farm - Warwick
Harbes Family Farm - Mattituck

North Carolina
Patterson Farm Market and Tours - Mount Ulla

Ohio
The Corn Maze at the Sharp Run Market - Millersburg
Meadow View Growers - New Carlisle
Pennsylvania
Hurricane Hill Farm - CoatsvilleTriple B Farms - Pittsburgh
Reillys Summer Seat Farm
 - Pittsburgh
Rhode Island
Confreda Greenhouses & Farms - Hope (Western Cranston)

Virginia
Cows-N-Corn - Midland
Wayside Farm Fun - Berryville
Belvedere Plantation - Fredericksburg

Utah
Cornbelly's Corn Maze & Pumpkin Fest - Spanish Fork

For Daily Updates on these coupons and coupons for other family attractions please visit and bookmark: http://www.usfamilycoupons.com 

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Stupid loss and stupid hormones and all things stupid.

Haven't posted in while, and my reasons are stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. So many great things are happening, but I keep getting thrown under a dark cloud. Doom and gloom. Bats and goblins and gray stuff. Nothing cute. So now I suppose I'll share why I've been a total failure at updating (even though  my reasons are stupid and don't explain a thing).

In early May, I found out I was pregnant. We were ecstatic even though we weren't officially trying just yet. It happened so fast, and I was basking in the glow of the secret bundle baking in my uterus. A week and a half later, my midwife called while I was out for a walk with my girlfriends to say that my betas were low and was most likely a miscarriage. I needed to come back in, immediately. I call Brett to have him interrupt me that my sister-in-law was in labor a few days early with her first baby. The same day I found out the baby I desperately and severely wanted wasn't meant to be, my beautiful niece was brought into world. The bleeding started nice and early on Mother's Day 2013 and led to what would be maybe one of my top 5 worst days on earth. My insanely amazing husband and adorable, smart, gentle daughter did everything they could to make the day special for me. But as we sat at brunch with other members of the family, I wanted to hide in my bed and feel sorry for myself and the little life that would never get to be.

So we were trying to avoid for the months following the miscarriage so I could get both my hormones and mental health back in line, and apparently I slipped up when temping. Yeah, I'm pregnant again. It was immediate. We bought our big, yellow dream house, I've had a healthy pregnancy and am past 16 weeks with this munchkin, and yet I find myself very detached from everything but my family. I dwell on what I've lost instead of basking in what I have. I'm too clingy with my husband. Too needy for cuddles from the kid. I'm trying to do better, be better, appreciate what I have. I've turned to prayer, I've gotten back into exercising, I'm eating better, and I'm looking for little blessings in every day. I needed to get this stupid, stupid stuff off my stupid chest so I can move on and glow in pregnancy and not panic every time my toddler kicks me in gut on the changing table.

On that note, who wants to help me potty-train my very stubborn two year old?!