Cutting down our christmas tree...

...makes me happy. VERY happy!!

There is nothing like cutting down your own tree and having your house smell of fresh pine. We used to have an artificial tree, but a few years ago we started cutting down our tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It gets a little tricky with kids...especially in Colorado when you have to wander the National Forest a while to find your PERFECT tree, but we've found a great place here that works great for our family.

Jones Family Farm.

I have vivid memories of cutting down our tree in the mountains of Colorado growing up, and I remember one particular year Dad leading us into the forest with snow thigh deep and I believe our little Jeep got stuck more than once. Very Griswold-esque. Ever had one of those experiences??!!!

The nice thing about Jones is that you don't have to wander very far to find a tree, since it is a tree farm, and for a pregnant lady with two young kids?? Heaven!

Mom and Emma flew in yesterday from Phoenix for their NYC Gran/Grandaughter week, so we had two more helping hands. I'm sorry, but Christmas in Phoenix just doesn't sound appealing! Luckily my sister and her family will be in Colorado for Christmas.

The property had candy canes scattered all around, and Tyson just had to have his picture at every one. "Nother picture, Gran?" Just look at this cousin love Emma is giving him!


I just love Mom's face in this one. Pure delight. Tyson was a big boy this year and helped Daddy cut it down. Meanwhile, Ava stood back with me and took pictures with her camera. Like Mother like daughter!






The farm binds your tree for you, then we all enjoyed lunch in the van while Wade mounted our White Pine beauty to the roof.



Then off to the barn for some play time...








...and a letter to Santa. Ava's letter said, "Santa, Barbie please. Ava."


Yummy homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies at the Christmas canteen...


...and checking out the fresh garland and cones for sale.





We got the tree home no problem, and we picked out such a PERFECT tree that it needed NO trimming!! It was the perfect height, and I LOVE white pine. The needles are so soft it's like touching velvet! Mom and the kids made construction paper chains while we listened to Christmas music and decorated the whole house.

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!

The Elephant Trunk Flea Market: Take Two

You may or not remember when I attempted to take (or drag) my family to the Elephant Trunk Flea Market, New England's "largest" flea market. Well, if not, you can read about my disastrous attempt here.

I knew I could never convince Wade to try again with me, despite employing all the feminine wiles I could muster. So I took the kids by myself since he was out of town.

We started our day eating at McKinney & Doyle, in the small town of Pawling, NY. Some friends had told us it was a MUST DO for brunch on the weekends, with the most amazing blueberry pancakes. Since it was close to flea market, we went! And it was worth it. The kids enjoyed the blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes, and I had the most amazing omelet with fresh baked bread. Ahhhhh, I'm hungry just thinking about it. Wanna make me happy? Just cook me a really big hot breakfast with all the fixings. Especially when I'm pregnant...I'll consider naming my kid after you!!





Then it was off to flea market in New Milford, CT. And yes, it was open this time. Note to self: only open on Sundays. It does cost $2 per adult to get in (kids free), but to wander in an open field with 200-300 vendors? Totally worth it.

I have to warn you that there is a mixed bag of vendors. Some good, some not so good. There were a few vendors selling bulk socks out of cardboard boxes, so not everyone was selling stuff that I was drawn too, but I still had a good time. AND the sun was shining and the trees were gorgeous.



Of course we left with a few treasures. It's hard not to walk away from a flea market without a Little Golden Book. Ava picked this one out, as I only let them have 1. $3.00 per book! So much for the $0.25 cent cover price. :)


I also found some great enamelware to go with my collection at home. These two small boxes with lids are perfect on my desk for holding (and concealing) all sorts of knick knack desk stuff.

The larger enamelware is going outside to hold the kid's sidewalk chalk. I kind of ran over our last enamelware bin holding the chalk. Oops. SOMEBODY left it out in the middle of the driveway. I won't name names, but the thing was DESTROYED. I think I was in a hurry that day.



Happy flea-ing!

Beverly's Collectibles

So yesterday was one of those days that tests all your relational skills you THINK you have in your marriage. Driving directions, low on gas, whining kids, and not enough food. Sound familiar? Hmmmm.

Wade was gracious enough, and willing, to drive an hour into Connecticut to go to the Elephant's Trunk Flea Market in New Milford. I had read about it on a blog this last week, and it sounded fabulous! A big field with something like 300 vendors? Uh....Heaven!!!!

So the directions on the website sounded clear, but we punched in the actual address on the website into the GPS. So after about an hours drive, we drove in circles looking for this address. It ended up being a cemetery. What?????

So then we decided to back track (yet again) and try the directions that were on the website. Go 4 miles....more like 14. We were just about to give up and go completely mad when we pulled over at Beverly's Antiques and Collectibles. Surely she would know.

I walked into Beverly's, a small "house" on the side of Route 7, at about 350 square feet. Beverly was behind and the counter and greeted me with a warm smile. There was a framed picture of her and Martha Stewart on the counter and the place was packed floor to ceiling. I asked her if she knew where the Elephant Flea Market was, and of course she did! It was just a couple more miles up the road, but why was I there on a Saturday?

The flea market is on Sundays.

Hmmm. Can't wait to tell Wade that.

So I stalled in her shop for a few minutes and continued our nice conversation. I finally braved confession and broke the news to Wade. He honestly could have flipped out. It had just been THAT kind of morning. But instead, being his usual calm self, he just shrugged and suggested we eat lunch. Plus he said, "how did we...and my we I mean you...miss that little fact?" I deserved it.

So we picnicked in Beverly's parking lot and ate our PB&J's, grapes, chips and fruity snacks, then tried everything we could to keep the kids awake for the hour drive home.

It is going to be a LONG time before I ask Wade to go to a flea market with me again. :) God bless him!

Ripe for the pickin'!

Wow, the blueberries were ripe for picking today! We were supposed to go earlier this week, but the rains have returned to New York, except for this morning.

The kids and I headed back to Jones Family Farm in Connecticut, the same place where we cut down our Christmas tree that I blogged about here.

We missed the strawberries in June, so I couldn't miss the blueberries! I think we'll hit corn and pumpkins this fall, and then our Christmas tree again in November. LOVE this place.







This was a pretty typical site today. Ava being very particular about picking only the best blueberries, and Tyson's little fingers in the basket eating them!


He even tried hiding from me in the next row so I wouldn't see him sneaking them from the bush straight to his mouth. Little sneak!





So 8lbs of blueberries later, we rode the berry ferry back to the top of the hill and checked out. $2.69/lb...can't beat it!

Maritime Aquarium

We spent the morning at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT with my friend Meredith and her kids. We saw seals, penguins, stingrays (we all got to touch them!), turtles, snakes, sharks, otters, and soooooooooo many fish.

The four kids had a great time together and so did we!