fun, fun, fun

   This past weekend was a great fun filled way to kick off fall around here.  The weather has finally decided to cooperate and get out of the 90-100 degree range.  So nice to finally not be sweating the moment you walk out the door!  We had a couple of soccer games Saturday and then a we took off to the bay for my beautiful godmother's 60th birthday extravaganza!  I haven't seen my godmother in too many years to remember and it was so nice to catch up and see her family.  She was glowing with happiness and surrounded by a great group of friends and family.  We had a great time and my boys made a new friend to play with, which was great! 
   Sunday morning we got moving and headed to breakfast with my parents.  After completely filling up on waffles and eggs benedict, we headed up to Apple Hill.  The weather was gorgeous for apple picking.  My boys LOVED running through the orchard picking apples and dropping them in their buckets.  My oldest picked a total of 5 apples.  That's right, 5.  Not because he doesn't like apples but because that's all he wanted to pick.  5 different kinds that he remembered the names to each and told me about them.  He makes me smile with his precise and exacting manner at times.  So logical and thoughtful in so many things.  He wandered the entire orchard and met back up with us to tell us which apples he picked and why.  My middle boy remembered the spiral apples that they core and cut right in front of you and stick on your thumb.  It was his first order of business when we arrived.  Walked up, stuck his thumb out, and waited for his turn.  He took his apple and bucket and headed off to the orchard one happy dude.  He picked apples at random.  He loved the fact that you could eat the apples right off the tree while you were picking!  He was happy to trot around the orchard kicking up dirt and picking apples and probably would have continued all day if we let him.  The youngest alternated between following grandma and papa around the orchard trying to reach apples that were just a hair to high for him and running pell mell yelling at you to come check out this tree or that tree.  We are going to make some homemade apple butter, some turnovers or pies and perhaps some applesauce.  Of course this is provided we don't eat all the apples before we cook them!
   After picking, we headed to another farm to play in the hay maze, check out some beautiful crafts, walk a nature trail, have a little treat and enjoy it being fall.  On the way back down the hill we stopped for a little wine tasting and it was the perfect way to end our day.  All in all we came home with 12 pounds of apples, quite a bit of dirt, lots of laughter, and some really fantastic memories.  We can't wait to do it again!

Here are the farms we visited yesterday.  Check them out!
Denver Dan's Apple Patch
 Apple Ridge Farms

Here is the winery.  It was good wine and absolutely beautiful scenery!
Fenton Herriott Vineyards

beautiful

Along my volunteering roads I've learned that many times people only get involved for the wrong reasons.  Especially when it involves kids.  They sign up feeling guilty for working too much.  Or they sign up to become the "hero".  They want accolades, kudos, a pat on the back, or "Job well done!" spouted at them.  Now, I'm not saying I'm the perfect volunteer but for the dedicated few of us, we don't require lots of bells, whistles, parades, and bands.  A simple and sincere thank you does the trick every time.  Knowing that we were able to help out in a truly needed way is enough.  We do it because it touches lives and  makes a difference in a positive way that will hopefully be carried on as these kids get older.  We want them to take a sense of selflessness with them and then choose actions to create their own differences in lives. 

I know I may be rambling a bit but stay with me, I'm getting to what started this rant.  Over the last 2 school years I've had the pleasure to meet and work with one of the most giving and selfless people I have ever met.  A talented, dedicated, and beautiful spirit willing to jump in and get dirty.  She consistently strives higher than the bar was set and will not settle for mediocrity.   She is passionate, fun, silly, serious, smart, and one of the hardest working people I've ever met.  She has been a very integral part of some serious going-ons with me.  She works a job that most women wouldn't even consider, runs her own online radio station and hosts a show, is raising 3 fantastic children, is a huge advocate of the local music scene, and has one of the biggest hearts I've ever seen.  She jumps in willingly to any project I need help with at school and even when there is no clear vision she always finds a way to make it work perfectly and always exactly what I didn't know I was looking for.  In short (or long) she is AMAZING.

In the course of our current event planning her personal character was not only unknowingly attacked but it was dragged through the mud, stomped on, shot at, set on fire and then mangled some more.  I was taken off guard and completely floored.  Here we were doing something good not only for our students but for the entire community and BAM attacked.  It was ridiculous and absolutely unwarranted.  Lies and slander were spewed and believed and taken to obscene levels that only soap operas and Jerry Springer episodes could rival.  Like I said, ridiculous.  However, being the beautiful and wonderful person she is, she did show her character in her lack of response.  Was she mad, angry, livid?  You bet!  But what sets her apart from the rest of them is her sense of pride and grace, knowing that her actions would speak louder than any words written or spoken ever could. 

After a long and restless night and a meeting the next morning, the entire situation is shown to be how juvenile and self serving it really was.  Decisions were made and in the end my friends character DID speak for itself.  The staff and volunteers agree that a more dedicated volunteer couldn't be found.  I agree completely....thank you Kris for everything you have done and will do for us.   My mere words will never be enough to express my true and heartfelt gratitude.

Time for an update!

In case you haven't noticed I haven't been by in a while.  A long while.  A long, long, long while!  But hey, I've been busy.  Life with 3 full time school aged children is busy as it is.  Throw in my inability to say no to every new project and I'm running full tilt, everyday.  In fact, here we are in full fledge summer vacation and what am I doing?  Volunteering.  Putting together a 50th Anniversary Celebration for the school.  While at times I wonder why am I doing this, I know...because I enjoy it immensely.  Not being a full time working gal I crave the interaction with adults that volunteering allows me.  Plus at the end of the day, no matter how worn out and tired I may be, I feel like I was able to contribute in a positive way.  And that, in it's own right, may be more fullfilling and worthwhile than any job I could work.  Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with being a full time working mom, and someday I  may be just that once again.  But for now, I don't have to be a working mom, so I'm not.  I volunteer and help where there is not enough hours in a day to get things done.  And even if the impact I make is not huge, those little bits all add up together and help make a difference in someone's life.

getting ready to run

Wow, who would have thought that this would be such a monumental undertaking of energy? We are in week two of rehearsals and I am pleasantly surprised with our young cast. They are working hard and learning fast. We have so much to throw at them in such a small amount of time that I just hope they don't all crash and burn half way through. We had a pretty successful parents meeting last night and now just cross my fingers that the donations start coming in. We have 3 preview performances and 2 main performances and the kids are excited! We get to perform as a small group for a March for Babies fundraiser. It's a great way to get the kids some performance time to help their nervousness and a fantastic cause to help support. They will be performing for a district celebration as well as at the school car show. Then they get two performance nights for their families and friends. We, as volunteers, are also excited for them and can't wait to see what they will achieve.

whoooo are yooouuuuu?

After much frustration, discussion, and even a few tears we finally are a go for play! It's been an uphill journey to get to the starting point and we only have many mountains left to climb but I am confident we can do it. We are putting on Alice in Wonderland Jr. this year and yours truly is the director! How did that happen? I am excited, nervous, and anxious to say the least. I have a great team already assembled to lend their thoughts, ideas and areas of expertise so I know we will be able to put on the best show possible. It wont be easy and it will be chaotic at best but I am looking towards the challenge. I know we have fantastic kids willing to give their all to make this production the best one to date. So after this brief week off from school we will all be jumping in with both feet at a dead run. We will be exhausted, exuberant, and ecstatic when it is over. I fear a few more tears may be shed in the process, but in the end it's going to be a wonderful journey for the kids to take with them and remember always.