New York trip-Iron Kettle Farm

We had so much fun on our trip to New York this past weekend. One of our favorite things to do is go to Iron Kettle Farm with the family and pick out pumpkins, feed the goats, let the kids play, eat, talk, and take lots of fall pictures. They dress up lots of pumpkins to look like people, we liked this one! Connor had been eating an apple but was getting tired of it, so Hayden took it from him and said,"Say goodbye to your apple Connor!" and put it in the bucket and sent it up to the goats! The goats loved it! We try to get a nice family picture there every year since Steven has a nice camera and enjoys being our photographer. But this is the best we got-kids were not cooporating. But we actually got a great spontaneous one the next day which you will see in our Christmas card! This is most of the Brandt family. Joel, Becca, Hayden, Ang, Connor, Mike, Mom (Susan), Michelle, Allen behind her, Steven, Jen Dolan (long time family friend), and Steven's wife Amy. It's tradition every year that we get a picture here. This year we had so many people we had to be creative. Joel is getting run over by the bus, while Amy and Jen are running behind to catch it! That night at Steven and Amy's house we carved pumpkins and had smores and hot chocolate outside with the chiminia. The next day we walked down to a park to play because the weather was so warm. The boys (large and small)had fun climbing the trees. Steven got some great pictures there.

Catching up and Mike's birthday

I recognize that I haven't posted in a while. Last Friday Connor and I woke up with nasty colds in our throats that were sore and made it hard to breath, along with all the acheness. Friday night and Saturday night were both sleepless on account of Connor having croup, finally on Monday we started to feel better but then he and I had a restless night again on Monday night. I think we are finally over it, hopefully noone else will get it. It's aweful.

Today was Mike's birthday but he kind of had mini celebrations for the past week. His big birthday gift he got last week in preparation for the Baltimore Marathon-a running watch.

Then on Sunday my parents brought a yummy dinner over to our house since Connor and I were sick, along with a delicious peanut butter ice cream cake for Mike. He shared it with us!

This morning we had a family breakfast before Mike's long and busy day at school. I made an egg casserole, cinnamon rolls, and...

baked pears with rasberries on top. They were delicious! Mom Brandt called them "regal." I got the idea way back from our honeymoon when we stayed at Cape May. They served these pears for breakfast one morning. You should try them! All you do is cut, peel, and half the pears, then put a little butter in the hole, sprinkle with lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon, and then put frozen rasberries on top.. Bake at 350 for about 15 min. Enjoy!

While Mike was slaving away at work today(on his birthday), and Nanny watched the boys, my mom and I went out shopping. We went looking for a "coming home from the hospital" outfit for a boy and a girl. We had so much fun looking! I actually had an easier time picking out the boy outfit. I guess that's just what I'm used to. But I did finally pick a very cute girly outfit. I'm really starting to get excited! I just wish our house was ready. We still haven't finished the boy's new room on the third floor to make way for the nursery.

Saturday activities for kids

It seems that Saturdays in October are just packed full of activites and you have to choose which ones might be the best. We decided to head to Home Depot first this morning so the boys could make fire trucks (October is fire safety month). I love to watch them build things (and to take their picture!), I think it so cool that they do these workshops for free. And I love their little aprons! I guess if I ever have a girl the equivalent will be to see her with an apron on in the kitchen baking with Mommy! We then decided to go to Stauffer's for their fall festival. It was fun, but it was so incredibly hot in the sun, that it took away part of the magic of a "Fall" festival. I believe it was about 85 degrees today with high humidity as it has been most of this week. Enough already, I wanted to be pregnant in the cool weather this time! And I want to wear my fall clothes, and take out the air conditioners, and cook in the oven. I know, I'll be complaining in a few months about all the snow, I just want to have a nice fall season! I should have taken some more "fallish" pictures with the boys, but again, it was the weather. We then came home to watch General Conference on T.V. There are two sessions on Sat.-12-2, and 4-6. After the first session was over, Hayden and I shopped at BJ's, then stopped by West York high as we noticed there was a football game going on. That was a fun little detour! Then just before the second session of conference started, Mike's mom noticed there was a small hole on one of our copper pipes in the basement. Call the plumber-Pap! We recorded Conference while Pap graciously replaced about 10 ft. of old pipe. Unfortunately, the pipe is corroding from the inside out because of all the acid in the water. If the water does that to a metal pipe, what does it do to us?! I'm glad we have a filter on our fridge. This is on top of the tiles that popped off the wall in our shower earlier this week. We need to get out of this house before it completely falls apart! This picture is separate from the rest, but I had to put it in-I love our little tamale!

Rochester family comes to visit

On Tuesday, Mike's brother Patrick and his family stopped by our house for a few hours as they make their way down to North Carolina. They are moving there from Rochester, New York. What a difference in winter weather! We haven't seen them for a long time so Mike took half a day off and we let Hayden stay home from kindergarten that day so that we could all spend time together. The kids had a lot of fun, I wish we lived closer together. The adults enjoyed catching up. The kids kept playing tug-of-war with an old piece of rope that kept breaking. Smaller and smaller it got, but they kept on pulling! Connor was again in love with his cousin Jed (who is about 5 months old). I am getting so excited to see him with our new baby! I can't believe how much he acts like a big brother! I think this is a great picture of Mike's brother Patrick and his wife Julie. Never mind the Fairgrounds in the background!

My Sweet husband

The other night I was driving home and listening to what advice John Tesh had to serve up. He was talking about dating and how you should speak up about things that interest you, but that you should also be willing to do something your date wants to do. All of a sudden, my mind flashed back to Mike's and my second date. He had planned to surprise me and take me to an art museum(which he knew is something I love to do). However, the night before, I had pulled an all-nighter after I had typed up a 15 page paper on the computer, and then when I tried to print it, it deleted it. So I spent the whole night retyping it. Mike was so sympathetic he was willing to postpone our plans for the museum and just sit on the couch with me and watch a movie. I knew from then on that I picked a good one! I'm so grateful to him for all the sacrifices he makes for me and his willingness to change plans. I'm also grateful that we each have some different interests that we bring to the relationship that we can support each other on, but don't necessarily have a passion for ourselves. I love to support his running career and I try to go to every single race no matter how small or large. He also supports me in my love of scrapbooking and always looks at the pages I've done and gives me advice when I need it. He also allows me to attend book club once a month while he stays home with the kids, and other activites such as nutrition seminars that I want to attend. I love you Mike!

Pig Roast

Almost too cute to roast, huh?! This was the picture I took at the Fair, it was a different pig that was roasted. Actually the pig that they got was 137 lbs.! This next picture is of my great aunt Ginny and Uncle Glenn. They have lots of land and two barns so they decided to invite 100 of their closest friends and relatives for an old fashioned pig roast. When I was little they used to have them once a year, but I think that got to be too much. We celebrated Uncle Glenn's 65th birthday also. We got to see some family we haven't seen in a long time. It was great to catch up and enjoy good food. Some aunts, uncles and cousins here. Connor was enamored by his new 2nd cousin Zach who was born on Hayden's birthday! Hayden and Connor were exploring with cousins Wyatt and Whelin. They had a lot of fun. And guess what-no T.V., no video games, not even any structured toys! Just finding things around the fields and barns that look interesting to little boys.

Apple Pickin' Season!

Friday was the first day to pick-your-own apples at Forge Hills (we go there every year), so we siezed the day! Not only is it a fun family activity, but it works out to be $.32/pound for the apples! Plus, they taste SO much better than the ones in the store. Hayden loves to climb the trees. Connor had fun eating them! I think this picture could use a quote something like "Of all nature's gifts to the human race, what is sweeter to a man than his children?" Cicero Hayden had suggested that I wear pigtails today. I thought it fit the occasion. This was a split second shot! Silly boys!