Are you a tooter?

How could I forget to add this to our "cornmaze day"?!! While at the farm, they gave away free frisbies! The kids were delighted! One of the girls shouted, "MOMMY! Now, we don't need to use pretend steering wheels anymore! We can use these!"

And they did.



All the way home.


Little road rage education for Emma here.
I looked at Joel, "Imagine that! We got a hornblower back there. I wonder where she got that from?" -for those of you who do not know my husband, in the almost 14 years that we've been married...I'm thinking now....I don't want to exaggerate because you know that I don't do that here. (or here) I don't think I've ever seen him use the horn on our car once. Well, maybe he did use it once..... when I was in labor and we were stuck in Boston traffic. (Come to think of it, I believe I was the one who leaned over, and laid on the horn for the next 26 miles)

Survey for my readers:

Are you a tooter...by that question, I mean, "Do you beep your horn?"

Are you a friendly hello tooter?
An emergency tooter?
Or I'm just in a bad mood tooter?

I'll be the first to start off....yes, I do use my horn. I am guilty of using it under all three conditions. An "emergency" can be described as:
1. Someone taking my parking spot.
2. I'm late getting to the Creamy ice cream stand, and someone just pulled out in front of me.
3. I have also been known to beep at deer, rabbits, raccoons and small birds. I think that one falls under the bad mood category.

We grew up with good morals, concerning the horn. We never beeped on Sundays because you never know, that person could pull into church right in front of you. (embarrassingly enough, it happened. I won't tell you who it was, 'cuz that would be gossip, and that's not what this blog is for. )

Corny People

Whoever thought a corn field could be so much fun? We went to a cornmaze this past weekend.




Look at that thing! Cornmaze = Amazement! I sure was glad to be following Joel. We did get a little hung up in the udder area.



Upon entering the maze, we were faced with the law of the land:



Aww, sorry Kris. You're out.

Ann, so are you.

Trish is out.


I had turn around, and go back.


There was a total of 10 clues scattered throughout the maze.


The goal was to collect them all, and write them down. Then your name was put into a drawing for free maple syrup.

Here we are at the first one....

The clues were so cute! We were walking through there, giggling like crazy at some of them.

This was my favorite one....."cow poke"




We made it out with all 10 clues!! -If we win, you're all invited over for pancakes!



There was a barn of baby animals there, as well.





I have never seen such a tiny goat in all my life! I'm telling ya, I could have put this little guy in my pocket and walked out of there.


The girls were excited to ride the ponies. The excitement went down the tubes for Annie when she saw that she had to wear a helmet. So, she "graciously" took herself out of the running.

Matt took Annie's pony.


While Emma sported the helment with no problem.





Inside the barn, there was humungous box filled with corn kernals. The little girls dove right in there....

and got to work




Apparently, not everyone in the cornbox shared their same work ethic....


These kids had STUFFED themselves full of kernals! (check out the boy trying to stand up in back ground)







The final activity was the corn cannon shooter.



And let me tell ya, these guys take their job seriously...very seriously!


Mr. "Corn Cop" told us that there were two rewards to be won. The first reward was if you got it through the smiley face pumpkin, but the bigger and better prize was if you shot it through the tire. The tire was pretty far out there. He said, "That's a cool prize. You get a free hat and a free candy bar from the snack stand." Matt was up for the challenge.


In went the little corn


out went the little corn


And guess who got it through the tire!?


Mr. Corn Cop smiled very big, and said, "I don't believe it. You're the first person that's ever got it through there."
"Mamma Farmer" and her sister came out to meet the little champ. They were shocked. "Do it again!" they said. Matt got to take a few extra shots. (he didn't get it in again, though) Next came the "friend of the farmer photographer." She congratulated Matt, and asked if she could take his picture.


Yes-siree, best two bucks he ever spent! Not only did he walk away with his free hat and candy bar, but he walked away King of the corn cannon!

Birthdays and First Day of School

When the last bubble has been blown....






and the last of the flowers have been watered.....





and the last swing on the hammock has been taken.....




and the last ghost story has been told around the campfire...




and the last...ummmmm.......spray in your face has been sprayed????



And suddenly, I find myself looking for sweaters, and coats....


This can mean only one thing: Summer is over,


I can't believe it! Where did it go? It certainly ended with a bang of a birthday week.

First of all, it was my father-in-law's birthday.



Then, it was my dad's birthday.



Then, it was my darling husband's birthday.





Then, it was my nephew's birthday.





Then, it was my sister's birthday.



THEN, it was my other sister's birthday.


(Oh!! and I almost forgot....President Obama's birthday was August 4th, and I had quite the time putting that shin-dig together!)

IT WAS ALSO DEANNA'S BIRTHDAY! -QUICK!! send presents!!!! There's still time!!!!!!

Happy Birthday one and all. -I don't want to see another piece of birthday cake again for a long, long time.

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With the summer sun setting, the "back to school sun" rises.




We started school last week. We let go of all the birthday balloons that had been bounced from party to party.



The "lift off ceremony" signified the lifting off of a new school year, a new grade, new memories, new school work....and here's hoping we don't pop along the way.


As always, no celebration is complete without cake.


(I said, "I didn't want to see any more BIRTHDAY cake." -This is CELEBRATION cake.)


We celebrated our first day of school with a heavenly melt in your mouth chocolate cake made with love by the bakery lady from BJ's.

(Ok, fine! I wrote it.) -for those of you wondering what in the world I'm talking about: My mom and Krissy went to BJ's to get a cake for Tricia's birthday this past week. Apparently, when the cake was handed back to them....let's just say that Emma could have done a better job with the lettering.

"Dear Bakery lady at Bj's,

Handwriting class starts at 10:00 and there's still an open slot if you'd like to join us.

PS don't feel so bad. My dad's handwriting is atrocious, as well. You can sit next to him."

Hairball?

What's this? We don't even have a cat.....






I'll show you what it is!!!!!!!!!!











Brace yourselves!!!!














From 7 to 17!!!




It was bound to happen. My baby boy grew up!