It Hurts!

My foot is killing me! It hurts so bad that I want to cry and at times I still get nauseated. I know I am supposed to be on rest, but that is hard to do! I have to get the boys ready for school each morning and that is like an hour long process. They are still little and depend on me for much of the morning routine. My house is a flipping disaster and I cannot do much about it. Dishes have to be washed and laundry has to be finished so I have to keep up on it. It is just never ending. I wear my boot, but that is not enough. I need like a week straight of total bedrest, but that is not going to happen anytime soon sadly. I worry about returning to work next week. How can I teach in such pain?!

I started researching some homeopathic approaches to healing and I came across some info on the use of arnica. I am desperate to find anything that will help me heal and ease my pain. I know this is not a quick fix and it will take time, but if the arnica aides in healing, why not try it? I see a visit to the nutrition store or Whole Foods in my future. I need relief!! Let's hope this pretty little yellow flower packs a punch in helping me feel better sooner!

Augusta

I absolutely love the little town of Augusta! I would move there in a heartbeat if we could find the perfect house (and sell ours of course!). In August we took the boys blackberry picking at my favorite local farm, Centennial Farms. Bryan and I made the decision to spend our 10 year wedding anniversary at a bed & breakfast in Augusta complete with plans to hit up all the wineries and breweries as well as explore the stores and shops. Sadly we didn't get the opportunity to do this and we had to cancel the reservations at the B&B. I was so upset, but we had a family obligation that we just couldn't pass. We took the boys apple picking in mid-August at Eckert's. Due to the extreme weather we had this past winter, spring and summer, the apple crops were ready weeks ahead of schedule. When we went apple picking it was really hot so it didn't even feel like the traditional apple picking we usually do each season. The temps have finally cooled a bit and the later blooming apple varieties are still in season so I loaded everyone up and we headed back out to Centennial Farms for some more apple picking!

We pretty much had the farm to ourselves when we arrived. Our first stop was looking at the bee hive inside the old farmhouse. There must have been hundreds of bees hard at work to make honey. There is a little tube outside the house that allows the bees to travel in and out of their nest. We tried to find the queen but there were just too many bees!

Next we headed out to the tractor. We had to wait a few minutes for the tractor, but this neat little tree kept the boys occupied with questions. We found an old rotted apple in the grass next to the Johnny Appleseed tree so Bryan cut it open and Brennan collected the seeds in his pocket. We are going to plant the seed, keep it indoors over the winter and see about planting it in the backyard next to our apple tree.

 The tractor with the hay ride finally arrived so we boarded the wagon and headed off to the apple orchards. What a cute little bunch of apple pickers! Here's a rare shot of me with the boys! I hate having my picture taken, but this was just too fun of a day to stay hidden behind the camera.

The boys were crazy excited to get into the fields and start picking apples. Today we picked Empire, Golden Delicious and Jonathan varieties.

After we picked our apples we headed over to the play land. It was free this weekend, but in two weeks it will be transformed into a pumpkin land. Again, we had the whole play area pretty much to ourselves. The boys had fun going through the mazes, sliding down the slides and climbing the hay bales.

After the played we decided to take a stroll through the town of Augusta. I fell in love with this quaint little B&B! Look at how pretty this little place is! I want to see the inside of this home, I bet it is beautiful!

 The next few pictures are just some random houses around the town of Augusta. I think one of them is another B&B, but I am not positive. I just love how old and beautiful these homes look. This little town is so rich in history and beauty.

Look at this amazing church! It dates back to the 1800's! The structure still looked in great shape after all these years. Alex wanted his picture taken on the steps of the church.

After our little stroll through Augusta we headed back to the car and took a drive through the winding roads. I know many people who hear the word "Missouri" and they snottily turn up their noses at the idea of stepping foot in the state. Who could resist this serene country side view? I would love to live on this farm! These two pictures do not do the land justice! Thank you Augusta for yet another memorable time in your beautiful land! I cannot wait  to return in October when the air is crisper & cooler, the leaves are hues of red, yellow & orange and the pumpkins are ready for picking!

I know my family is awfully good looking, but please do not copy/reprint/reproduce our pictures! Thank you!

Around Town

Believe it or not, my summer is quickly coming to an end. Next week is my last full week of summer vacation, then it is back to school meetings on August 2nd. This summer went by too damn fast for me!! I want to rewind to June and replay my summer in slow motion!

As much as I hate to admit that my summer is slipping away, I cannot help but think about what lies ahead  (it is the teacher in me!). Before we know it, the boys and I will start back to school and our lives will fall into that mundane Monday-Friday schedule. I decided to create family fun weekends around town in an effort to not only break up the busy work/school week, but to also make awesome family memories with the boys.

We are very lucky to live in such a great state. Missouri has so much to see and to explore and many of the attractions are free or low cost. With the boys older, we can drive father distances and they can engage in a lot more than in years past. I cannot wait to start our little "go and see it" activities! So far I have planned:

1. Big Cedar Lodge: We've never been here before, but I seriously cannot wait to get here! There is everything from horseback riding to hiking to campfires to fishing to stargazing. Even if they didn't have a single event available, the pictures alone of this place would have sold me! Several friends have stayed here and said it was worth every penny spent.

2. Elephant Rock State Park: Elephant Rock is part of the Missouri State Parks. I remember going here with my parents when I was a little girl; my brother and I had great fun climbing over and in between these giant boulders. There are trails and hiking, something the boys really enjoy. I want to go here when the leaves are at their peak colors so we can capture some great pictures.

3. Lambert's Cafe: I really want to go here, but I need to call and check about food allergies first. Fingers crossed that we will be able to eat here! This is the famous "home of the throwed rolls" restaurant. Bryan has been here with his family many years ago and would love to return. The menu is a very southern style menu offering massive amounts of food such as fried chicken, BBQ ribs, country ham, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, fried okra and black eyed peas. And of course, throwed rolls!

4. Endangered Wolf Center: Alex is obsessed with wolves and coyotes. I happily discovered the Endangered Wolf Center offers an evening event called "Campfire Wolf Howl". During this time visitors walk 1/2 mile around the center and try to get the wolves to howl back plus you get to hear stories around a campfire. Alex is going to LOVE this, I cannot wait to take him!

5. Apple & Pumpkin Picking: We always visit several farms such as Centennial Farms, Eckert's Stuckmeyer's Farm and Thies Farm. I cannot get enough of the autumn activities so I try to visit as many of these local farms as possible!

6. Haunted Hayride: Eckert's offers a kid friendly haunted hayride on Friday and Saturday nights from mid-September through Halloween. The boys love Halloween so I think they will really like this event.

7. Camping: We try to go camping each year. I am not into camping, in fact I usually only last about 16-20 hours, but I am trying! I like camping at Klondike Park in Augusta because it is close to home so if we need to return it is a quick drive down 94. I love the little trails in Klondikes, we always have great fun exploring. I hope I make it to the 24 hour mark this year!

8. Haunted Alton: OK, this is one a kid-free event! There is a local author named Troy Taylor who has written several books on the history of cities and states. I've read a few of his books and I just love them. I am a history nerd so these books are right up my alley. In addition to history, Troy talks about the local legends of ghosts and hauntings. He offers ghost tours in Alton, IL and I want to go this year! I went on a haunted tour two years ago with some work friends and we had a blast! This time I want to try Troy's tour with a big group of our friends. There is nothing better than starting off the Halloween season with spooks and scares!

I am still working on finding some more fun things to do on our weekends. Luckily Brennan is not playing fall ball so we are not committed to any games or leagues this year. While I never want to wish my summers away, I cannot help but feel a bit excited for what lies ahead of us!!

Sweet Summer Fun

I am so excited for tomorrow!! We have such a fun day planned and I know the boys are going to have a blast! Although I think I may be more excited than they are! We're starting our day off at Centennial Farms in Augusta. Centennial Farms has been in operation for 191 years! According to their website, the farm was established in the town of Augusta back in the 1800's by a man named Leonard Harold. Harold sold the land in 1854 to Christian Knoernschild and it has been in their family since then. The farm is 75 acres and consists of a variety of crops such as apple and peach trees, berries, vineyards and an array of veggies. In 1976, the farm was designated a "Centennial Farm" meaning it has been in operation for over 100 years in the same family. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places. I simply love visiting Centennial Farms!! We have picked apples and blackberries from the farm and we also go to their Pumpkin Land each October. It is such a fun, kid-friendly place, they boys always have a great time. The owners are so very friendly and always welcome visitors with a warm smile. I love browsing through the old barn turned market, look at the genuine beauty of this old place!

Please note I do not own this photo, I copied it from their website. If you are ever in St. Charles County, I highly recommend you visit Centennial Farms. You will not be disappointed, I promise! Visit their website for more information: http://centennialfarms.biz/ I cannot wait make southern style blackberry cobbler! The little town of Augusta is a trip in itself. Known as "wine country", you can easily spend a whole day in Augusta walking from winery to winery to quaint little shops to a brewery. There is quite the array of bed & breakfasts in Augusta; Bryan and I have stayed at two different B&B and we've always had excellent service. Obviously we will not hit any wineries tomorrow with the boys, but I am super excited because Bryan and I are going back to celebrate our 10 year anniversary next month! I cannot wait to explore the whole town! Augusta was established in 1836 although the land was purchased in 1821. So much rich history to learn about in this beautiful land!

This is the Katy Trail in Augusta.

One of the many vineyards in Augusta.

After blackberry picking in Augusta we're going to head over to Indian Camp Creek. Indian Camp Creek is a 600+ acre park located on the edge of St. Charles County. This is such a neat place to explore! There are miles and miles of trails used for horses, hikers and bikers. When we hiked a few years ago we had many opportunities to pet the horses as they slowly passes us. There are several shallow creeks to explore as well as a fishing lake and a neat little "Eco-Playground". We are going to explore the creeks and maybe hike a short trail if time permits. The boys are most excited about this part of the day as they have great memories from past summers in the creeks here. 

This is the boardwalk across a creek.

This is on old picture from 2010 of the boys on one of the trails.

Days like these make me so happy. The simply beauties of picking summer berries at a century old farm, gazing at nature's perfect beauty of trees and vineyards, visiting with elders in a quaint little town, walking along a grassy trail, splashing and wadding in cool creek water, trying to catch frogs and minnows and best of all, making priceless memories with the children, is what summer is all about. The best things in life are so very simple and sweet!