Vacation - Part 2

So, to continue on our vacation photo journal, the next day we went apple picking. It was a ton of fun. The weather was perfect and we had a great day as a family.

We lucked out on the day we went to the apple orchard. There was a preschool field trip going on at the same time, so Madi got a few perks. For one, she got to milk a cow!


And they also had a petting zoo open, so she could see a calf, goats, sheep, and even a baby chick up close.

(SO PRECIOUS!)

The first orchard didn't have "you pick" open during the week so we had to drive down the road to the next one so we could pick our own. It was great. Madi loved to "twist and turn" the apples off the tree. And Daddy enjoyed helping her get the ones off of the top.




We came home with quite the haul of apples and this new gadget, which has become my new best apple friend. It makes preparing anything with apples a million times easier. And it also fun for Madi (and me!) to use.



And it was incredibly helpful when it came to making an apple pie and apple sauce. It is an apple peeler, corer, and slicer. And you can interchange them. So it can core and peel, core only, peel only, core and slice, or core, peel, and slice. Its pretty awesome. And I will show you the apple pie I made in the next post. And lets just say that this baby made peeling and slicing the 14 apples needed a WHOLE lot easier than the last time when I had to do all that with just a knife.

If you are interested, you can find one here. :)

Happy Halloween!

A Glimpse of Vacation

Now that its been forever since I've posted, I am going to be catching up... so watch out! I will try not to post too many at a time, but posts will be pouring out like rain... ok, maybe not that frequently, but they are coming.

I will start with a few glimpses from our vacation. We took a lovely trip to the North Georgia mountains and ended up at St Pete Beach. It was awesome - the best of both worlds. No, I will not break out in the Hannah Montana song... but I'll bet its stuck in your head now. :)

Anyway... let the photo journal begin...


This is the husband and little girl. I need to preface this photo by saying the husband its mildly (ok, compulsively) obsessed with deer. When we lived in GA a few years ago, we would feed the deer all the time and usually had about 5-6 that ate regularly in our backyard. So, while we were here, he wanted Madi to see the deer eating in their "spot" and he bought just about every thing you could possibly find to encourage them to feed. It was like the ultimate deer buffet. Corn, apples, syrups, salt licks, and many other things were bountiful. Let me end by saying not one single deer came and ate during the daylight for Madi could see. She did not see any deer by the cabin. Luckily, while driving down the many rural roads, we saw some in the grass beside the road. (ALIVE, people!) Needless to say, the husband was incredibly disappointed.




The next day, we went to the brand new Babyland (Cabbage Patch Hospital). And Madi had a blast. The new facility is beautiful and of course, we didn't walk away empty handed. Madi got to watch a doll be "born," got to give it a first name (of course she picked Madison), and then thanks to a very generous Peepaw, got to take her baby home. A good time was had by all.




There is more to this vacation, but I will save it for tomorrow.

A preview you ask?

Picking apples, Madi milking a cow, apple pie, and views of white sandy beaches...

Stay tuned!

Much love,
Brittany

She's at Preschool.

Wow. Those are such simple words, but encompassed in them is an incredible life change for our family. Madi is almost 3 now and we have decided to enroll her in preschool not only for her benefit and enjoyment, but also, so I can work part time as a substitute teacher and make a little more income for our family.

I have been through the gamut of emotions and am still struggling with not having my little girl at home. I won't start subbing until next week so I've been home alone. Its been almost 3 days now and I am still struggling to adjust. I have been a stay at home mom since she was born and I don't think you truly understand how much of your identity and life is wrapped up in that until its not. The house is too quiet, my hands are too still, and having no one to talk to but Luke (our dog) is just not fun. I have cried and then I have done a jig because I can clean the playroom without having every toy flung out again in two seconds and then I cry again because no one is there to mess it up. I know in the long run this will be a wonderful change for our family, but right now I still tear up when I make my lunch for one, and no one asks for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

As moms we get wrapped up in everything that we do: wife, mother, housekeeper, taxi, teacher, babysitter, doctor, gardener, cook... and often forget that there is more to our life than doing all of those things. These few days have been nice in helping me rediscover who I am outside of all my "jobs". Its interesting to say the least. Kind of scary and vulnerable feeling. But its a growing experience.

Anyway, its not like she's gone forever, its just a few hours every day, but there is a big hole in my life now, and I am working on sewing it up. It might seem silly, and in fact, I had no idea this would be so hard. But it is.

There are a few things I have learned in this short process though:

1) Madi and I have a relationship that is beyond mom and daughter. She is my little buddy. The person I have done everything with for the last 3 years. And it will take time for me to readjust to doing a lot of things by myself again.

2) No matter how much time you have to get things done, some things just won't get done.

3) Having kids changes everything. Going to lunch with your husband minus a kiddo just feels weird. Kind of like you're dating again, but with something missing.

4) Even though I sometimes long for the days I could drop everything and just do whatever I wanted with no thought to anyone else, I really wouldn't change a thing.

5) Nothing sounds better to this mommy's ears than hearing, "I missed you so much mommy. I love you!" at the end of the day. :)


the end.

Im BAAACK!

So, vacation was amazing. The mountains were gorgeous and the beach was just perfect. I have a lot to post, so look for some coming soon! :)

And, I still owe you a craft post. Its coming too. Don't worry.

Just expect a lot of posts tomorrow. Madi starts preschool and I will be home with nothing to do, ha. ha. ha.