My Top Eight

A couple weeks ago I told you my Top 9 Reasons I love Fall, number two on the list was Fall festivals. Last weekend, the family headed to Apple Butter Makin' Days, which sometimes I say too fast and it comes as Apple Makin' Butter Days. This is one of my most favorite traditions. 

Each year we meet at Chris' Grandma Pearl's house, in Mt. Vernon, and make the short jaunt to the town square to check out what the vendors brought for us to oohhh and ahhh over this year. 

Hurry up guys!! I can already SMELL the fried onions and potatoes!

If you have never been to Apple Butter Makin' Days in Mt. Vernon, here are My Top Eight reasons to convince you it's the BEST Fall Festival ever, and that you must go to next year:

1. They have thought of everything! Mini-carnival? Check. When your kids start whining, you can dump them off with your significant other, then venture to the square alone and uninhibited.

2. Different strokes for different folks. I don't know if it's the crisp Fall air, or the scent of Apple Butter, but people seem to feel free to express their truest self:

 You know you want to know this fabulous lady. I NEED a ride in that car.

 and look at these little hippies....

 

You go, girls! Express yourself with those tie-dye skirts and funky glasses!

3. The proud courthouse that looks on proudly as the square fills up with excited shoppers throughout the day. Even if it's crowded, you're in the Midwest.....people still have manners and say excuse me.

4. Entertainment. This stage has performers singing, and dancing all day, serenading you while you haggle with the booth owners hawking their wares:

This was a particularly delightful blue grass group.

5. Spending time with the ones you love, hinting at possible Christmas presents:

I think Chris' outfit is very Fall appropriate and manly, don't you agree?

6. The WIDE variety of goods to admire or purchase:

This photo doesn't do these justice, but they are mobiles made from branches with with sweet hand sewn colorful birds birds perched on them.

I loved this stuffed owl that asked: "whoooooo tooooted?" 

We could have used this growing up in my house!

Blue is my favorite color, and I bought the PERFECT pair of earrings then found some awesomely creative necklaces:

The incredible car show comes in at 7:

 

I don't remember giving them permission to show my car? 

 Oh well, I can ride home in my other one:

Sure! I'll give you a ride. I'm just heading to the beach!

What's that you ask? What is the very very very best part of Apple Butter Makin' Days?

It's not the fried potatoes, or frozen cheesecake on a stick. It's not the cool stuff, or even spending time with your family.......

The very best part of Apple Butter Makin' Days is....

8. The Wiener dog races:

I've never been more happy in my whole life than I was in this moment....

When Mr. Speckles took home the gold.

See you all there next year!

The Top Eleven Ways to have a Surprise Party.....

You can read all about my love of surprise parties here. We are going to a surprise party tonight, but right now it's raining so hard we can hardly hear each other talk:

Yikes, Missouri!

This past summer's theme seemed to be "Surprise! It's Your Birthday Party!".  Since I went to quite a few of these parties, I'm kind of an expert- you'd really do well to listen to me. So without further ado, here are my Top Eleven ways to have a kick-ass birthday party: 

1. Make sure there is actually someone that wants to throw a surprise birthday party.

In Michele's case, it was her good looking kids that pulled everything together.

2. Beautiful birthday signs are always a hit, and the birthday girl (or boy) can take it home as a memento! Hannah and I made this sign for her mom, Joni. 

3. Don't forget the cake!

 4. Adult refreshments should be abundant:

The birthday hat is optional, but my father-in-law wanted to celebrate 50 in style.

5. It's always fun to tell stories to the birthday honoree. I'm actually telling the story here, not listening, despite my shocked face. It was about Hannah, which is why she's covering her face with horror, and her mom is trying desperately not to laugh at her.

"....and then I said: Hannah! What the hell are you doing?!"

6. Family members should definitely be involved: 

Can you tell they are sisters?

7. Don't forget the cake!!!

8. You should always sing happy birthday: 

9. A happy host or hostess, is the best kind of host:

Hi Carrie! You sure are a great hostess, and your house should be in a magazine!

10. A table full of delicious food makes the mood perfect for good conversations:  

Does this remind anyone else of Da Vinci's "The Last Supper"?

11. And finally, whatever else you do, just DO NOT forget the cake:

Ok. Ok. Ok.  You're right. I know, it's NOT always about the cake, I mean.....

....sometimes it's cupcakes!

3 reasons Chris teaches: June, July and August.

The following are some of my favorite photos from Summer 2012. 

More than a few pictures have been run through the 'Instagram' app, but I can't help it..

....I love they way they look:

A sunset cruise on The Lake.

Christian, after watching a baseball game, dunking his hot head in a cooler full of ice water. 

Chris and his mom after lunch. I love the mustache.

No, really! I do:

I think I should entitle this portrait: "American Badass"

A fun, festive, family photo of Betty, Layla and me. Clearly we're ready for a great weekend! 

On our way to the lake in Andrew's jeep.

Amber and I at Jordan's Birthday party. 

Johnny and Chris having an intense back porch conversation. 

You would actually be surprised to know what they were talking about at this moment.

Andrew looking like a big kid.....cut your hair already, dude!

Jana taking her role as an "Apples to Apples" judge VERY seriously.

Chris and I lounging in the Dominican Republic.

And finally, a picture that tells me I'm old and summer is officially over, all in one:

dropping Andrew off in his dorms for his first year of college. 

Bring on Fall!

Siblings.....

We were watching home videos last night, and I realized something: I should have been an only child. The first video was from Christmas of 1987. I was a happy, sweet, center of attention child. My dad held me on his shoulders while I put the angel on top of the tree, my mom held me in her lap and snuggled me, and my dad used the video camera to ask me important questions about my life like my favorite Christmas song (Jingle Bells).



 Cut to the next home tape: Thanksgiving of 1991 at my grandparent's house. Aside from the fact that I'm older, and constantly beg my dad to "let me hold the camera", there is a new addition. A boy. Now three years old. Brown hair and green eyes. Answers to the name of Christian. I begged for a sister, but he arrived in the Fall of '88.  Here is a video of a video, him playing with a nut-cracker while saying: "Honey, I'm home" over and over.

I can remember being extremely offended anytime Christian 'copied me' when we were kids.  My dad  would say: "He copies you because he loves you and thinks you're so cool!" I didn't care, nor was I flattered.

Then he got older, got cooler than me and stopped copying me. However, I still notice some similarities that could be considered copying ......

like how we posed with an Elvis statue: 

or our love of Chris: 

and the lakers: 

and sombreros:

'ole!'

or even how we sit when taking a birthday shot while my dad cheers us on in the background:  

But I'm starting to wonder if it's not really copying. Maybe, just maybe, when you've known someone their whole life, and practically almost your own entire life, and lived in the same house for the majority of that time.....

......you're bound to share some similar characteristics......

.

Right?!

......nah, impossible.