River's First Jack-O-Lantern

River designed her first Jack-O-Lantern.  She drew it and I carved it for her.  Thankfully, she kept it simple.  I love the traditional look. 

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall..

.. River is the cutest of them all.

Dressing up for her Halloween Party at School. 

My Little Pumpkin

Waiting for The Great Pumpkin! 

River the Explorer

"Daddy.  Can we go camping like Dora?"

"What?"

"I want us to go camping like Dora.  We can eat popcorn and candy and marshmallows and we can sleep wrapped up in big blankets with our toes sticking out!  That sounds like fun doesn't it?"

"Well.. it does sound like fun but I don't think your mommy would like sleeping outside very much.  She doesn't like being that close to spiders."

"We need a tent.  Dora has a tent.  A blue tent.  We need to get a blue tent and then we can leave the spiders outside.  I won't let them in and then mommy will have fun!"       


So, a few days later, I took River's request to the Mommy Lady and was shocked that she was all for it.  Later that same day we purchased..

A BLUE TENT!!!!

We waited for River to take her mid-day nap and then snuck outside to put it up.  We also picked up some popcorn, candy and marshmallows. 

When she woke up.. wow..  



TOTALLY SURPRISED!!


River helped line the tent with big fluffy blankets.  We put batteries in the new flashlight, charged up the portable dvd player and, after dark, popped the popcorn and lit the citronella lantern.  

We started out strong.  Plenty of snacks.. Toy Story spinning in the dvd player.  River was all smiles sitting between us and chomping away on popcorn.  She didn't seem to notice that it was 9:30pm and still in the mid 80's with no breeze at all. 

But Jo and I noticed.  What were we thinking?  The tent had the same effect on Jo and I as one of those giant plastic cooking bags that you use to cook a chicken or a pot roast. We were ill prepared to say the least.

We managed to make it to 3am.  River was snoozing happily and I had finally dozed off in what can only be described as a heat-induced mini-coma.  I dreamt of tumble weeds and laughing cacti.  I think I seem to recall a flaming clown chasing me with a blow torch.  My tortured sleep was interrupted by a crazy-haired, sweaty Jo saying, "ENOUGH! Let's go inside. I can't take this anymore" and so we made the long journey of 4 feet to the front door and spent the rest of the night indoors.  Ahhhh, wonderful chilly cold air conditioning.  Up yours, Dora! I discovered the next day, while taking the tent down, that besides the same conditions I was attempting to endure, Jo was also sleeping atop a sizable pile of hardened deer droppings.  What a trooper.  That couldn't have been comfortable. 

River didn't seem to mind waking up in the house.  She still had a blast and looks forward to doing it again.  The next time we will wait for cooler weather and we will have an air mattress. 

POP

I don't like fireworks.  I think I used to once but I've never been as into it as most folks are this time of year.  The grownup in me just sees money going up in flames.  Don't get me wrong; I'm NOT Mr. Frugal (just ask Jo) but, come on!!  Why buy something that is going to last just a few seconds, possibly blow your fingers off and potentially set your roof on fire?  Then, of course, there is all the debris scattered across your yard the next day.  Funny how your neighbor can't wait to show off the truckload of illegal Chinese mortars they picked up from "that guy in Indiana/Tennessee" but he won't make eye contact with you 24 hours later when your yard/roof looks like Times Square at 12:30am on January 1st. 

Yep.  Good times.

Little ones pose a special problem.  I didn't want to ruin River's holiday by airing my disdain for fireworks so I keep that to myself but I knew at some point she would want more of a hands on experience.  Flash forward a few weeks; that time is now.  I shot down her request for sparklers but tried to ease the blow with a few packs of that ol' safe standby..

Snap-n-pops!!!

I think we found a happy medium.  For now.

A Day in the Park

A few photos of River at Riverfront Park in Warsaw, KY...



Strawberries and Flowers

A few times a year we will make our way to Bray Orchards to enjoy whatever is in season at the time.  Mid May through mid June is Strawberry time!  My favorite! 

The first time we brought River here for Strawberry season was two years ago.  She was 18 months old and nearly wiped out all the strawberries we purchased on the way home.  When we pulled into the driveway, she was sound asleep with a mouth and hands stained pink with juice and a content smile on he face.

She still loves the strawberries.

Bray Orchards & Roadside Market
2580 Hwy 42 West
Bedford, KY 40006

502.255.3607



Anticipation.



Exploring the lily pad pond.

Like a honeybee, River did her best to visit every flower in the greenhouse.

She sniffed and sniffed..

.. and sniffed some more.

Taking a break to de-pebble a shoe.

This photo reminds me of Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird.



River tried her best to fix "the broken flowers".



Enjoying some strawberry ice cream made at the Orchard.

Bray Orchards have been in business since 1910..

.. and much is just as it was 101 years ago.

Sweet and tangy.  (This looks like tangy.)

This part will go on for hours.  All weekend actually.

Strawberries can get heavy.

Time to head home for some strawberry shortcake!

We'll be back in six weeks for Peach Season!!!

 

You Know it's Spring..

.. when the bumblebees come out. 

Adventures in The Hundred Acre Wood

"Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day."
 - Winnie the Pooh,  Pooh's Little Instruction Book





"Always watch where you are going. Otherwise, you may step on a piece of the Forest that was left out by mistake." - Winnie the Pooh, Pooh's Little Instruction Book

"Pooh, promise me you won't forget about me, ever. Not even when I am a hundred."
Pooh thought for a little.
"How old shall I be then?"
"Ninety-nine."
Pooh nodded. "I promise," he said.

Winnie the Pooh
The House at Pooh Corner

Tails, Tails, Tails

Yesterday River took a class at The Cincinnati Zoo called Tails, Tails, Tails.  It was all about the many different uses of tails in the animal kingdom.  Afterward, we took a stroll around the Zoo.  It was a beautiful Spring-like day of blue skies and temperatures in the late 60's. After all the snow and rain, all of us (River included) were happy to be cured of our cabin fever and winter blues.

While waiting for class to start, River entertained us by reading about Spiders.  It was difficult to keep her mother off the ceiling.

Mr. John introduced the class to Hurricane the American Alligator. 

Mr. John lets River meet Brittany the Red Eyed Alligator Skink.

Hurricane was very well behaved and let River pet her tail.

River posing by the Cheetah track. 

A Cheetah relaxing in the sunshine.

A majestic White Tiger holding court in the afternoon.

My favorite, the Mexican Wolf.  Shortly after this was taken, he and his mate demonstrated their howling abilities.

River and the rest of the class singing the Tails, Tails, Tails song.  At this point, River had had enough and was ready to get outside and explore.

Star Wars: The Saga Continues..

A jedi youngling discovers her father's lightsaber.

"For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times. Before the Empire." ―Obi-Wan Kenobi



Beware the Dark Side..  just like the cat.




"I find your lack of peanut butter and jelly.. disturbing."



"There is.. another." - Jedi Master Yoda