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!

Sick

I subscribe to a newsletter from Dr. Mercola. I am not even sure how I landed on his web site, but I've been getting his almost daily newsletters for at least four years now. I do not always read them, but sometimes an article really sands out to me. The other morning I opened my newsletter and found an article about about European health versus American health. I am always a health nut, but I'm especially aware of illness this time of the year as it is the start of the cold & flu season. I opened the article expecting to read about colds and immunity and remedies, but instead I read about how the food we eat is potentially making us ill. It was quite interesting!

Obviously I cannot nor do I want to retype the entire article, but here are some key points from Dr. Mercola:

1. Americans get more sick more often than other industrialized nations in the world. Some researchers believe this increase in illness is linked to the consumption of Genetically Engineered (GE)/Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO).

2. The US government says GE/GMO foods are perfectly safe, however researchers are finding links with increased allergies, birth defects, increased cancer rates, infertility and mutations to name a few.

3. US livestock is now becoming infected with a mysterious ailment called "Sudden Death Syndrome".

4. GE/GMO foods are viewed as invaders in our bodies. This is leading to increased immune responses while is virtually attacking our bodies/immune systems.

Here are some very alarming stats from the article:

- According to the CDC, Autism is affects one in 88 children as opposed to one in 25,000 children (in the mid-1970's).

- Between 1980 and 2010, Type II Diabetes rose more than 176%.

- Celiac Disease is now four times more common as compared to 60 years ago.

- The rate of Amercians with Alzheimer's Disease have doubled since 1980. One in eight older Americans have AD.

What an alarming article!! Some people may argue that we see so many more cases of Autism because we know how to diagnose it better than we did in 1975. Some will say that more seniors are affected by Alzheimer's Disease because we live longer, fuller lives as compared to decades ago. I agree with that to a certain extent however I 100% believe our food plays a major part in our health and wellness outcome. GE/GMO are clearly labeled in Europe and most Europeans opt for the the "natural" food items. Sadly, our foods are being pumped full of hormones & antibiotics and their genetic makeup is being manipulated and modified yet not a single box or bag or label alerts the consumer of the modifications. We deserve to know what is being put into our foods.

Today we went apple picking and took a nice drive through the country. As the boys happily crunched away on their fresh apples I couldn't help but wonder what were they really putting into their tummies. Sure it looked and smelled and it certainly tasted like an apple, but how much pesticide residue was left on the skin? How different was that particular apple's composition as compared to say an apple that Johnny Appleseed planted in 1812? As we drove through the country my eyes fell upon corn and soybean crops as well as pigs and cows and chickens in the farmland. It made me so sad and extremely angry to know the animals were even mutated as compared to decades ago. When will this stop? What has to be done before someone somewhere puts a halt on this insanity? I told Bryan I wish we had enough money to build a farm and fill it full of organic, all natural foods, the way nature intended us to eat. A girl can dream....

If you do not already subscribe to Dr. Mercola, I strongly encourage you to do so! I visit the site every so often and I skim the daily newsletters for interesting articles. Some things I pass by, but a lot of the articles and videos are quite educational and interesting. Enjoy! http://www.mercola.com/

Recipe: High Protein Pancake Muffins

The boys and I are back to school and our regular school time schedule is back in full swing. I'm up every day at 5:45am to get ready. Brennan is up at 6:15am because it takes him so long to wake up each morning. While he tries to wake up, I start breakfast which is served about 6:30am. Alex gets up, we eat, the boys get dressed, brush their teeth and we are out the door at 7:15am. Alex goes to our cousin's house two days a week and attends preschool three days a week. I pack a load of food for Alex to take to our cousin's house so I don't really care if he eats breakfast at home because I know he will graze the whole time he is there! When Alex is at preschool he eats a healthy snack at 9:30am and he eats lunch at 11:00am so again, I know he will have access to good food to fill his tummy. Brennan and I are a different story. Brennan eats lunch at 11:10am; that is a 4.5 hour gap between breakfast and lunch. I walk into my own classroom and I don't stop until noon. I may be able to sneak a quick snack in while the children are at recess, but even then that is rare because I am cleaning, pulling in book bags, answering emails, etc. I know that eating breakfast is vital, but nothing is sticking with us to keep us satisfied until lunch! I started making protein drinks for Brennan and I to sip on the drive to school. He has his drink finished around 7:40am so I feel better knowing that not only does he have a full belly from breakfast, but he also has a tummy full of 20g of protein drink made with low-fat milk. Now he only has a 3.5 hour gap between meals. He tells me he feels full and isn't hungry in the mornings so it must be working! Alex refuses to drink the protein drinks so that just leaves more for us!

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a recipe for a high protein pancake muffin. I was skeptical at first thinking it must be filled with sugar or some type of additive, but I was pleasantly surprised with the ingredients. The nice thing about this recipe is you can change up the type of breakfast meat. For the batch I made I used maple sausage links and veggie bacon, but you could easily used crumbled sausage, pork bacon, diced ham, etc. The boys tore these "muffins" up!! They freeze very well so I've been able to cook these up in the morning for a quick, hot, healthy breakfast that is full of protein to fill the tummy. Best of all, they are so easy and fast to make! According to my friend who created this recipe, it is high protein based on the fact the liquid is limited and the protein from the greek yogurt, extra eggs and meat bulk it up.

Ingredients:
3 cups oat pancake mix (I used Quaker brand, but regular mix would still work, not as much protein)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
4 eggs
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
breakfast meat of your choice

Directions:
1. Mix the first five ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
2. Line a mini-muffin pan (or regular sized muffin pan, your choice) with liners or spritz with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Fill the muffins 2/3 of a way full with pancake batter.
4. Place meat into each muffin tin.
5. Bake on 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until fully done.

Note on the meat: When I used the links, I sliced one link into fourths. I placed one piece in each mini-muffin and two pieces in each regular sized muffin. I pressed the links into the batter so the muffin would form around the meat, but you can just place the crumbed meat on top (some might sink into the batter, but some will stay on top).

A great big thank you to my friend Tonya for posting this recipe!! It is a new family favorite!

Hungry in America

A few weeks ago I met a friend for coffee at a cute little coffee house in our neighborhood. We love going to this coffee house because not only are the drinks and delish, but the ambiance is so quaint and friendly. We can sit inside by the fire on a cold winter's night or enjoy the summer heat on the decked out patio. We also have a great time laughing, talking, drinking and eating here. My friend cozied up to her tea as I walked over with a slice of red velvet cake and two forks. She tried a bit and made the comment that the cake was really good. I said something about getting a slice to take home to which she replied, "I can't, I'm on a really tight budget." We started talking and I soon learned that money was beyond tight for my dear friend. It has come down to paying bills or eating.

Now, some of you may say, "Well, she was at a coffee house for goodness sake! She must not be to needy!". She had just been paid that day and was enjoying an all you care to refill $1.99 cup of tea. This would likely be her treat for the week.  Last year her husband lost his job from a company he had worked at for many years. Money was decent, they had benefits, life was going as planned. Their children were grown with one a college graduate and the other close behind. They didn't spend a lot of money, but they were comfortable. Once her husband lost his job they faced some set backs, especially in the area of insurance. My friend ended up getting a second job so she could help make the ends meet. Luckily her husband found a job, but the pay was not great. A few months into the job, he was jobless once again. He searched and searched and finally landed a job in a very small company. In this society small companies do not thrive too well and before they knew it he was jobless again. Three jobs in less than 12 months. This time he hasn't been successful in obtaining a job. Grocery store, home improvement stores and restaurants will not hire him because he is too qualified. Too many people are competing for jobs in the field he is in and quite honestly they are hiring younger, cheaper, less experienced workers because they do not have to pay them as much. At this point they make just enough money to pay for the house and utilities, but buying food s getting harder and harder. The do not qualify for assistance because they do make some money.

Tonight I logged on the computer to check my email and an article about going hungry in the USA appeared. It was so sad to read about all of these families who are having to pick medicine over food, people who do not eat lunch most days; one mother said she waters down the milk to make it last longer. In this great land of opportunity we have hungry bellies that shouldn't be hungry. What is happening when one must choose the water bill over eating breakfast?How have we gotten to this point?It not only saddens me, it angers me that we have so many needy families yet it doesn't seem like much is going on to help. Earlier this week a Senator from my state made some really stupid and hurtful comments about rape victims. The whole nation appears to be in an uproar over his words (rightfully so) and the media has been covering it left and right. I read an article that said backers and supporters are pulling their funds from this man....one article said a supporter pulled TWO MILLION DOLLARS from his campaign! TWO MILLION DOLLARS??!! I was so disgusted when I read that. I cannot believe anyone in their right mind would donate 2 MILLION DOLLARS to help fund political commercials, sell ads and help pay travel expenses of a Senator. How about taking that money and buying fresh fruits and veggies and leans meats and low fat dairy for the hungry children in our state? I wish the media would cover the real news of the nation, hungry families, as much as they are covering this political circus. Maybe if we had news stories and commentaries on school aged children who are starving or the elderly man who buys his antibiotics instead of bananas, just maybe people wouldn't be as needy. Someone somewhere will say something about "why should I pay for people who can't get off their lazy butts....". This isn't about people cheating the system (yes, I am aware some people do this), this is about the working poor, the people who are struggling to make ends meet and are still coming up a few inches short. There has to be a way to help these people! I want to help. I need to help, but I am just not sure what to do. I've been searching Operation Food Bank, Food Outreach and even some local Catholic churches to see if there is some type of volunteer work I can start, especially with autumn & winter just around the corner. After reading the article I walked into the kitchen and looked at the pantry filled with beans, pasta, rice, cereal and other kitchen staples. We have milk, cheeses, yogurt, veggies and fruits. If we were bound to our home we could easily survive days on end with what we have. This made me think about how often I run to the store for extra milk or more kiwi....what if we decided to not go to the store, but instead work our way through the entire stash of dried goods we have in stock? I would have to get creative at some meals, but it is totally do able. I think that will be the next two weeks challenge, eating only from what we have on hand, no extra trips to the store. This could really turn interesting and would be a great learning experience for our family. It certainly would show us once again how very lucky and blessed we are.

Here's a link to the story in case you are interested:  http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/going-hungry-america-distressing-humbling-scary-011618014.html

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!!

Cobbler

Last week we went blackberry picking at Centennial Farms. My family loves eating fruit the way nature intended, but I enjoy cooking and baking so I decided I would make a cobbler with some of our berries. I had an old family recipe for cobbler, but I decided to surf the old internet to see what I could come up with. Most of the recipes were the same, only small tweaks were made here and there. I must have read 25 recipes! Alex loves to help me in the kitchen so he asked if he could please help make the cobbler, of course I said yes! So here is the cobbler Alex and I created last Friday afternoon!

Ingredients
3-4 cups of fresh blackberries
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter

1 tablespoon sugar

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the stick of unsalted butter in an oven safe dish (I used a 9x9 dish) and place it in the oven to melt as it heats up.

2. Place clean berries in a microwave safe dish. Add 3/4 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of butter to the top. Microwave for about 2-3 minutes or until the butter and sugar has started to melt. You'll need to stir this a bit to distribute the butter and sugar. It will probably look bubbly and thin, that is what you want!

3. In a bowl mix together 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder & 1/2 teaspoon salt until well blended. Pour in 1 cup of milk and mix well with spoon.

4. By now the butter should have melted in the dish. Carefully remove the dish from the oven. Pour the batter evenly over the butter, but do not mix. 

 5. Next, pour the blackberry mixture over the butter & batter, but do not mix! As it bakes the batter will rise to the top.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar all over the top of the dessert.

6. Bake in the oven for about 50-55 minutes or until the batter appears golden. I think the cobbler is best served warm. Enjoy!!

Blackberry Pickin'

Last week we packed the kids in the car and headed out Highway 94 to beautiful Augusta. It was a hot, sunny summer afternoon, the kind of day where sweat rolls down your back and you've only walked from the house to the car. Despite the heat and humidity we were all excited to get out in the farm fields and get busy picking berries. As we pulled into the gravel lot we were greeted by Suzy the farm dog. Alex didn't care much for her, but Brennan remembered her from past visits and had a great time petting her. Suzy is a big, floppy, lazy farm dog! She gave out lots of sloppy doggy kisses in exchange for lots of ear scratching and belly rubs. I think Brennan would have taken her home if we let him!

The farm owner gave us some plastic baskets and soon we were on our way into the berry patch. These blackberries were huge! The boys were eating straight from the vines. There is something about farm fresh foods! I cannot begin to think of anything better than a fruit or vegetable eaten right off the plant. I finally had to tell the boys no more berries because I was afraid they may get sick. The blackberries were the sweetest I've ever eaten; I couldn't wait to get home and make a cobbler. In time we were all sweaty, sticky messes and our baskets were overflowing with berries so we headed back to the market area.

Inside the market area was sweet corn, ripe peaches, squash, zucchini and potatoes as well as items like relishes, jams and flavored honey. If were were going back home I would have loaded up on farm fresh produce, but I didn't want any of it to get bruised and ruined between our next stop. Luckily Bryan and I are returning in August for our anniversary so I will load up then. Here are some pictures of our afternoon at Centennial Farms. My only regret is I was taking all the pictures and I didn't get a single shot of me and boys together :( Please do not use any of my pictures of my children without permission. Thank you!

This is farm/market place. Look at how old is it!

Brennan & Suzy the farm dog, so sweet!

Brennan picking blackberries.

Alex filling up his basket.

You cannot tell from the pictures, but these berries are HUGE!

Look at the beautiful colors. This is nature at its finest!

This is part of the red barn. The landscaping is really pretty.

Welcome to the town of Augusta! I wish I lived here!