Fall 2011

So, every year, I get all, "Texas just doesn't have fall like this and I LOVE New Jersey in the fall..." blah blah blah... so this year, I am going to shut my pie hole and just SHOW you using pictures I have taken over the past few years of fall in New Jersey.

Enjoy!

The Neighborhood Bullies

They only come out at certain times. They travel in packs and sit outside your house and taunt you. Fed up, you run them off and as soon as you close the blinds, they come right back. They hold you prisoner in your home. When you step out, they threaten to encircle you and take you down. You fend them off with a big stick, but they can easily overwhelm you.

Most days, you carry on, ignoring them and not letting them get to you, but there are the days they break your spirit. You see them outside your door, taunting you with their very presence, and you feel defeated. You want to shut the door and the blinds and settle in on the couch with a hot cup of tea (or a toddy) and let them win.

But the reality is- no one will do the hard work but you. You must be the one to make them go away. It's time to put on your big girl pants, grab the big stick and go out and confront them head-on.

IT'S TIME TO RAKE THE LEAVES!!

(Noah-15 months)

(spring leaf cleanup-Spring 2011)

The Day I Faced Death While My Husband Sat Idly by and Ate Doughnuts

If you didn't already know that I am an extremely strong person after reading my fish story, you can read on here about how my children and I spat in the face of death. We rock!

The day started like any other. It was a Sunday and everyone was being lazy-moving slowly. My husband casually mentioned we should go to the local farm for apple cider doughnuts and possibly pick out a pumpkin.

We got dressed, drove to the farm, purchased the doughnuts and sat at a picnic table beneath a nice shade tree and ate one doughnut each. The kids were eyeing the corn maze and I walked over to see how much it cost to go through. The cost was ridiculous, so we decided that we would buy tickets for both kids and only one adult and the other could stay outside. My husband suggested I should take them through. I agreed.

We have been through corn mazes at other farms before and they are all set up a little differently. One farm offers a map of the corn maze and different things you must locate and check off your list while going through the maze. Another was a bit of a challenge, but there was a small platform in the middle where you can climb up, overlook the maze and either map your strategy out or call out instructions to people in the maze. Since this maze had neither a map nor viewing platform, I thought it must be pretty rudimentary. It is, after all, for CHILDREN.

The kids and I entered the maze and it seemed pretty simple at first. We quickly navigated winding paths throughout the corn stalks. All the paths were pretty straightforward. Occasionally we would come to an intersection, but the choices were always either a very clear path forward or a dead end you could see just twenty feet in front of you.

About five minutes in, we hit an unexpected dead end at the end of a rather lengthy, winding path. We laughed, backtracked and hit another dead end. We scratched our heads and went another way that circled around and brought us back to the exact same spot. So we started tracking our way back out the way we came and hit yet another dead end. It was at about the fifteen minute mark that my husband texted me, "What? Did you get lost?"

I responded that I thought perhaps we WERE lost and got no response. The kids and I began just randomly walking around trying to find new paths and kept hitting dead ends. Zoe decided she was thirsty and I regretted not bringing the bottle of water in with us. The sun was beating down on us and I started to get concerned.

I texted my husband again- "You would think they would give us a map if it is this hard." He responded with, "At least you are getting your money's worth." I was unhappy with this response. I expected him to find someone to come get us. Call 911- something. People are dying in the maze!

Noah decided he had to pee and refused to pee on a corn stalk. Zoe began to whine that she was hot, tired, and "This is the WORST FARM EVER!".

As we walked down another path that came to a dead end, we passed a pair of adult men's boxer briefs lying in the path. We giggled, nicknamed it the "underwear path" and used it as navigation. We passed the underwear at least three more times in our travels. It occurred to me that perhaps someone who had gone before us had been lost as well and maybe they went into survival mode and used their own underwear to mark the path. Were we going to come across their remains at any moment?

The sun was high over the maze and beating down on us. We were pouring sweat, tired and thirsty. Every two minutes or so, we could hear the happy sounds coming from families rolling by the outside of the maze on the hayride out to the pumpkin patch. How ironic that such gaiety was going on outside while people were perishing just a few feet from them, out of their eye sight. What a tragic human plight. I began thinking about my husband with his ice cold bottle of water and bag of doughnuts. WHY WASN'T HE RESCUING US? WHERE WAS HE?

I was appalled that no one was concerned about our time spent in that maze. At this point, we had been in there for THREE AND A HALF.. umm.. tens of minutes. I continued to hear the jolly sounds of the people on the outside and wondered if a search party would be coming for us soon. And if they would make it to us before it was too late.

We continued to traipse up and down pathway after pathway only to run into more dead ends. I could tell by the landmarks I was seeing above the corn stalks that we had been to every corner of the field. WHAT KIND OF AUTUMNAL HELL WERE WE IN?

Finally, as we hit yet another dead end, I looked up to see the top of the farmhouse. This alerted me that we were back at the front of the field of corn and that freedom, the shop, my husband, WATER AND DOUGHNUTS were right in front of us.

I made a desperate decision. I realized if I didn't get us out of there soon, my husband, in his doughnut-eating stupor, would never miss us and they would find our bones when they cleared the field in the spring. So, I took a deep breath and said, "Kids, grab hands, we're going off- path!" They grabbed hands and we shimmied, squeezed and traipsed between rows and stalks of corn far from any path until we finally emerged into the open air, dazed and dehydrated; covered in sweat, dust and dirt like a castaway family finally returning to civilization. I dropped to my knees and pulled all the sticker burrs off of Zoe's pants. I turned and glanced one last time at the maze that was my family's personal hell for dozens of minutes! Knowing we had stared death in the face and laughed, we walked forward- on to the picnic area.

My husband was sitting in the shade, smiled and said, " How was the corn maze? "

He will never know the terror we endured out there.

**Edited to add: this blog was written the day before the news story about the family that got lost in the maze in Massachusetts and called 9-1-1. It was a quirky accident that I posted this before that happened and also a nice (for me) reminder that I am not the only one to get stuck in a corn maze. The day after I posted this, I had about four people post that news story on my Facebook page. Who knew?

Hooooo Dat?

There is a FABULOUS contest going on over at SITS right now to win a Canon Rebel T2i. Saturday we were supposed to link a blog with pictures and the theme of Halloweens past. Today, we are supposed to show something crafty we made for Halloween and tomorrow, we will link up what our kids dressed as this year.

Friday, while my daughter was wearing her costume and enjoying a Halloween party at pre-school, my son was costume-less and enjoying a Fall Festival. His school opted out of Halloween celebrations a few years ago because they didn't like excluding the children that didn't celebrate Halloween. That meant, no more character days or costume parades and absolutely none of the cupcakes, cookies, candies or decorations could having anything to do with Halloween. We got a very specific letter regarding what was and was not allowed. Only fall and harvest-themed items. In addition, the letter explained that each grade was tasked with bringing a specific item. Second grade was awarded the cupcakes.

I had tons of ideas for cute Halloween cupcakes, but was really struggling with fall. I pondered it for a bit- What makes me think of fall? Leaves, scarecrows, owls, harvest moons and, ahem, HALLOWEEN! I let the last one go and then turned to my best friend for ideas- Google.

After looking at page after page of cupcakes, here is what I finally decided to make. I think they are adorable!

"Whooooooo's not a Halloween cupcake? We are, that's WHOOOOO!" [ba-dum-bump]

Because of peanut allergies in the school, everything had to be checked for peanut contamination labels. I used a cake mix and frosting that were peanut-free, the Oreos are peanut-free and the original idea called for M&M's for eyes and a cashew for the nose, so I substituted Skittles for both.

Now, whooooo's the cutest cupcake ever?

Alright, WISE GUY, I'm looking at you!

I don't give a hoot what you think, stop your screeching or I'm crying fowl.

Alright.. you can quit cringing, I'm done.

Fall

I grew up on the gulf coast where we didn't have seasons. It was hot, hotter and football weather (which is jacket weather in southeast Texas, but still short-sleeved weather further north). I once saw a "travel Texas" ad in Texas Monthly that said, "Sure we have winter in Texas! Last year, it was on a Tuesday." I think that about sums it up.

So, when we landed in New Jersey ten years ago, I was plunged right into winter without getting to experience fall first. I hate cold weather and I hate snow. I was miserable. But the following autumn, I was amazed. And right then and there, I fell in love with New Jersey. Don't get me wrong, when winter rolls around, I still have a love/hate relationship with the area, but I can honestly say that three out of the four seasons, I love it here!

Fall is hands down, my favorite! Such beautiful colors!

[Arney's Mount Friends Meeting House (Quakers) near Juliustown, NJ -date on bldg is 1775]

[Kirby's Mill- near Medford, NJ]

**this is being linked to Wordful Wednesday hosted by Dumb Mom at parenting BY dummies.

Ten Things I Love About Fall

1. School starts!! ( or, the kids go away for a few hours!)

2. Soccer

3. Jacket weather
4. Beautiful Foliage

5. Pumpkin patch

6. Apple orchard7. Putting out the fall/Halloween decorations


8. Carving a jack-o-lantern

9. Halloween costumes

10. Family time outdoors



This post is part of Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop- prompt#5 - Ten reasons why you are glad it's fall.