Gobble Dee Gook

Tonight our pumpkin's fate would be sealed. They would become the most dramatic piece of artwork our hands could muster, our knives could carve. Even Karigan would not suffice with simply being a spectator. Brendan dove in, sleeves up, but did not spare us the comedy of his expressions. Jillian watched and managed and instructed, but refused to do much herself. Goodness knows, pumpkin carving is dirty work.

The finished products.

From left: Karigan, Brendan, Mark, Jillian, and Jennifer

The Pumpkin Patch

Growing up in Oklahoma, I never experienced a true "pick-your-own-pumpkin" pumpkin patch. What I did have as a child was a plethora of church parking lots, enclosed by square hay bails, full o' pumpkins. Little did I know, that authentic pumpkin patches require you picking your pumpkin from the vine in the field the seed was sown, the seed that rain watered and the sunlight nourished. AND, apparently I was not alone.

On our way to dinner the night before we went to "our" pumpkin patch, we drove by another pumpkin patch. Megan says boldly, "oh, look they hid the pumpkins for the kids to find in the field." The entire truck roared with laughter. Then I gently explained to Megan, "No, that is where they grow." Keep in mind, she is an Okie too! But that there little statement is one for the record books, aka one I won't allow her to forget. hehehe!

The quest for the perfect pumpkin. Anyone who knows Karigan knows that she is fas-cin-nated by balls or anything and everything resembling a ball. She kept repeating Bah! Bah! Bah! and pointing everywhere around her. Our L-O-O-T,Loot!

The sign says it all. The trick: the person carrying the pumpkins has to make it from the sign to the crates, about 50 feet, without dropping any of the pumpkins for the carry to count.

Mark carried 8 pumpkins to the finish line last year. His goal this year was 10. Did he make it?

GOAL!

(you can't see the two little ones Karigan is sitting on)

Strappin' em down for the ride home.

Poor, poor pumpkins. If only they knew what was coming.

Apple Picking

After Mark got home, we went to Lynd Fruit Farm to pick apples. Megan and Bailey have never been apple picking before and apple picking just so happens to be a Waishnora Family tradition. Mark pines (no exaggeration) for this time of year starting in January, throughout summer, and even more come fall. This was Karigan's first trip to the orchard because last year Ohio had frost after the apple trees had already started to blossom. Sadly, the apple crop was bleak and we were unable to pick.

I got one.

Oops, I dropped it!

Oh, well. It's a keeper, anyway.

Ike made apple picking very easy for Jillian this year. Several trees were down, but still green and full o' apples.

Brendan really gets into his work. Actually, he normally spends about 5 minutes searching for the perfect apple, then spends the rest of the time eating that 1 apple.

Bailey had a blast picking apples, but I think he was more amazed by finding this abandoned bird nest.

These two have very similar, very strong (aka stubborn) personalities and were constantly taunting, picking, etc. etc. etc. one another - YET - this is how they would behave when they thought no one was looking.

Megan and her loot.

Our Family Date Night

WaterFire Columbus is becoming one of the most exciting art exhibits in Central Ohio. I know that may sound like a stretch, but I have always been mesmerized by fire. The magnificent array of bonfires was first established on the three rivers of downtown Providence, Rhode Island in 1997. In downtown Columbus, the flames reflect on the waters of the Scioto (sigh-oh-tuh) River. This was the last fire for the season and was held simultaneously with the Riverfront Arts Festival (kind of like Mayfest for all you Okies.) We had a great time walking through the different tents of vendors, had a few laughs with the artists, and contemplated buying several things only for Mark to say, "why buy it, when you can do that?" A few of our favorites: Chuck Wimmer, his art candidly illustrates the literary playfulness of words. Click on his name to check out his work. You will not be the same afterwards. Susan Kline, she uses children's playing cards with her personal info stickered to the back as business cards. Mark randomly chose a card with a chef on it from the stack. Her pop art is modern whimsy, something I would love in our home. Jennifer Li, whose story was so inspirational, not to mention, her hand made glass beads left Jillian spellbound. And last but certainly not least, Kimberly Erb. Her impressionism is unremarkable--beautiful, poetic romanticism in paint. Tina if you are reading this...she does custom work. I told her about Cricket and she said that she would give you the 30% show price if you would like a portrait - just mention the Riverfront Arts Festival in Columbus.

Our Family

Create your own family sticker graphic at pYzam.com

80s Housewife

You Belong in 1980

Wild, over the top, and just a little bit cheesy. You're colorful at night - and successful during the day.

What Year Do You Belong In?

Rub-a-Dub-Dub-K-Dub-in-the-Tub

They say a picture is worth a thousand words - How about two letters.

Sunny Day

Pool Bound!!! We are in some need for a little sunshine, so we are off to...

Wonder-ful

So I offered the kids a treat in exchange for some house cleaning, good behavior, etc. Okay - you can call it bribery, but it worked. So Mr. Magoriums's Wonder Emporium was the first "kid movie" on Pay per View that caught my eye. I remember when the movie came out last year - wanting to see it, but then being disappointed when it didn't get the best reviews. But, I found myself "wonder-ing" again. I knew Jillian would be intrigued by all the toys and colors, and because one of the lead characters was Padme from Star Wars, Brendan would be in, too! Any connection to Star Wars is always a bonus! So about the movie - Boy, oh, boy - it was so wonderful! I love, love love it and want to buy it - or maybe add it to my Christmas list. I even called my mom to tell her she had to see it - she has the ultimate movie collection of all time, and this would make a great addition. I am surprised that I did not hear more good things about it when it was in theaters. I just (not that I am a "just" person - from the movie) loved all the hidden messages in the movie and it was so inspiring to me. The heroine of the movie is Molly Mahoney and she was a child protege on the piano. She is now 23 years old and STUCK. She has not moved past playing the magnificent piano pieces that she was able to play as a child. She is trying to write her own, and yet she just can't make it happen. She also still works at the same toy store that she has worked at since she was 15 years old. Without giving away all the fun, quirky details of the movie ... The 234 year old, eccentric Mr. Magorium has decided that it is time to leave the store and he wants to give it to Mahoney. She doesn't want him to leave and so he is trying to make it stay. She even tries to show him all the wonderful reasons why he should stay. Overall, what a great lesson in learning how to believe that anything is possible, that sometimes your life is not what you thought it would be, and that our Heavenly Father can use our gifts in ways that we did not see coming. It is about getting outside the box and letting life be an adventure. It is about not being JUST a person. So, this is a tidbit of what I took away from the movie - I can't wait to watch it again with Mark - because he will love it too and I will probably find something else to love about it even more! All I can say is I give it 5 great big stars, despite what the critics say!

One more day for you...

Today is Mark's half birthday - his Saints Day, I once heard it called.

Celebrating half birthdays is our little family tradition and it wouldn't be complete without the gaudiest, tackiest half cake ever. No presents please. Just laughs and good times for everyone.

All Dressed in White

Jillian has been talking about "getting married" a lot recently. And I was never the type of girl that day dreamed about my wedding day nor did I have every last preconceived detail in place by the time I was ten. (The only twinkling thought I ever had was that I would be married at 23, and I am not sure why 23, but as it turns out, I was only 1 month and 1 day behind schedule.) But since Jillian has recently taken to waltzing around the house, clothed in a puffy dress, a towel draped on her head, carrying my bridesmaid bouquet from Aunt Jennifer's wedding, I thought it would be fun to play into her imagination. So I asked

Jillie, do you want to try on Mommy's wedding dress?

Her face lit with an innocent, serene glow of anticipation (Isn't that how every bride looks!) So we went to the closet and grabbed the massive white envelope enclosing the immense amounts of organza and satin otherwise known as my wedding gown. Little did I realize the memories that would flood out of that bag as it was unzipped. Prior to Mark's and my engagement, I was a bridesmaid for a dear friend of mine. And like every other great bridesmaid, it was off to David's Bridal to provide moral support and encouraging affection during the "choose the perfect dress" marathon. We pushed and heaved through the racks of delicately pieced fabric - a process that challenged the strength of the most toned of all biceps. In the end, my friend found her perfect dress, and by default, I had found my own when-it-is-time-for-me-to-say-I-do dress. You see, I fell in love with this dress - THE dress - I had chosen for my friend. I so wanted her to like it because it was just perfect to me and I wanted it to be perfect on her, but it wasn't. She did not like the way the dress fit her, in fact, she hated it. Then, and I am not sure why this happens, but the single girl in the bunch is always encouraged to try on a wedding gown - as if the poor thing ever needs more of a reminder that her dreamed wedding day is still missing a groom - while all the spoken-for girls chime in and merrily sing together "oh, you look gorgeous, you will find someone soon, we just know it." And since I was the single one in the bunch this time around, not that marriage was even on my radar, I gave in to the fancy and tried on my dress. And oh I was in love. The dress, by itself, was enough for me. I hadn't been in a relationship for a while and had been doing a lot of self work. I had dreams and goals and deadlines and responsibilities and marriage just didn't fit in, but then the pining began. A few weeks later, a future bridesmaid of mine and I were talking about life and fate and destiny, and at that moment I just knew and proudly proclaimed to her that I was finally ready to meet the man that I was supposed to marry. That was on a Saturday and the following Tuesday Mark sent me an email. We had known each other for a couple of years, but had never entertained the idea of dating because at the time there were 900 miles in between us. But about 3 months later, I was back at Davids with my mom and dad, and for the sake of variety, I tried 4 gowns on that day, but left with THE dress. And seeing Jillian (she wouldn't let me take her picture) in my perfect, white dress and satin-trimmed veil today reminded me of how glorious that day was, and just how grateful I am that my parents always emphasized the importance of my marriage not just the first day.

Mini Cheeseburgers...

...or are they?

Our family project today was to make cupcakes to take to Matt and Jennifer's house for a good ole BBQ with all the family before the Florida family leaves tomorrow. So we decided to make mini cheeseburger cupcakes. I baked the cupcakes, sliced the "buns," and separated the "patties." Brendan put on a zigzag of red icing for the ketchup, a slice of chocolate cupcake for the hamburger patty, and then a swirl of yellow icing for mustard. Jillian added the lettuce - 1/2 tablespoon of sweetened coconut tinted with green food coloring. Then I frosted a white ring of icing for an onion, a red dollop of icing for a tomato, and then placed the bun on top. As we were working we decided next time we will add green melting chocolates for pickles and ivory sprinkles for sesame seeds. We could also use the metal-pushy-down-thingy-cutting-tool (I am sure it has a name, I just don't know what it is) that you use to cut a potato into strips and cut french vanilla ice cream to look like french fries. How clever!?

Define Us

Mark --

[noun]: A person who is constantly high

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Jennifer --

[adjective]: Extremely extreme!

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Brendan --

[adjective]: Similar to butter in texture and appearance

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Jillian --

[adjective]: Like in nature to a banana peel

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Karigan --

[adjective]: Smells like teen spirit

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Family Camp In

For Brendan's second birthday, Meme and Poppy gave him a two person dome tent. It was green and red and a two year old boys dream. Brendan was so super excited that we set it up in the yard that very night and camped out, well slept out. Keep in mind Brendan's birthday is in November and it was particularly cold that year. We piled as many sleeping bags and blankets we could fit inside, a few stuffed animals, some snacks, and we were set. As soon as we awoke the next morning, we ran inside to get warm. Brendan gleefully remembers that day and every time he talks about going camping, that story is the first to be told. Well, a few years ago, one of the poles to that particular tent broke. We searched and searched for a replacement, but were never successful in finding a pole short enough. Well, Meme and Poppy to the rescue...

Brendan received a new tent from Meme and Poppy when they were here this past April. We were waiting to use it later this summer at Old Man's Cave, but the kids just couldn't wait any longer. With a little help from Daddy, Brendan anxiously set it up in the backyard, and he did a mighty fine job, might I add! Quite the boy scout he has become. We roasted hot dogs on the chiminea and then an army of mosquitoes began their attack. A little known fact about the Waishnora clan: Mark and Brendan are highly, highly sensitive to mosquitoes. Upon being bitten, Brendan swells up and has been known to turn blue. Mark, on the other hand, attracts every mosquito within a five mile radius, and once bitten (who am I kidding, it is never just once) develops circular, knotted welts the size of a quarter and bigger. Brendan's reaction is simply treated with Benedryl. Mark, on the other hand, has to go in for a steroid shot :( So since the mosquito population is at an all time high this year, and the visible swarm was evidence enough for us, we opted to bring the tent indoors. The kids had a blast just the same. Karigan would crawl in and out, in and out, and then roll from one side to the other. Then Brendan and Jillian would do the same. Needless to say, the tent is going on Day 3 in the house and has moved from outside to the living room to the dining room.

Garage Sale Gem

Our 17 year old neighbor had a fantastic garage sale today. Every girls dream - pretty dresses, princess hats, shiny jewelry - everything imaginable. Including the most splendid make-up case complete with eye shadow and liner, lip gloss and liner, and blush. Now, Jillian is convinced she is the next Bobbi Brown, and who else better to practice on than Mommy. Unfortunately, as seen in the blurred images below, she may not be the next Annie Leibovitz.

When's the last time your house had a bath?

It started with me just spraying the bird poo off our bedroom window screen. Then Mark comes along and asks,

"Do you want to use the power washer?"

Well, yes I do! Lets just say, I love that thing. There is just something about a device that was created with the sole purpose cleaning at an elevated level of efficiency and power. And nothing is a bigger turn on than a man with a to do list. So, now the whole house is clean, and Jenn is a happy girl ;)

WALL*E

Mark, the kids, and I went to see the new Disney/Pixar movie WALL-E. Talk about a movie whose subtle but poignant theme about the dangers of consumerism makes you want to get off your butt and do something. When I first saw this movie trailer, I knew I would be one of the first in line to see this tale of a little robot left behind on a deserted and trash-covered planet Earth. WALL-E is a curious, trash compacting robot who is forgotten on earth when humans leave. The visuals in this film, as we might expect of the Pixar folk, are amazing, particularly the opening 40 minutes or so when we see Wall-E travelling about a city emptied of its people, scooping up junk into his trash compactor body and forming it into neat, stackable skyscrapers of garbage. We quickly discover that this mostly voiceless little robot represents the best qualities of humanity: innocence, curiosity, diligence, compassion, and love. Throughout the film, WALL-E develops a love interest in another robot, Eve. A bot from the space station full of lackadaisical humans, the dove of Noah's Ark, sent to find any evidence of vegetation...And I won't spoil the ending for anyone else, but if you saw it, let us know what you think.

Fireworks and Festivities

This year we decided to park in the aquatic center's parking lot instead of driving back downtown. The Bigs were a little bummed that we weren't going to the festival to watch the fireworks, but Karigan wasn't feeling well. So, as a consolation we put a mattress in the back of Mark's truck equipped with pillows and blankets, the cooler, and a pizza we picked up on the way. It turns out, the spot where we parked was perfect. Grandma and Grandpa parked next to us, the kids cuddled in the back of the truck, and Mark and I sat in our chairs. In the end, parking a little farther away by no means lessened the "ooh and awe" factor.

Rain, Rain Go Away!

A neighboring village has a large Fourth of July celebration every year that begins with a kiddie parade at 10 AM and then ends with fireworks at 10 PM with a little bit of everything for everyone in between. The main parade started at 1:30 PM, and the rain started at noon. We stayed anyway, and with umbrellas turned upside down, collected as much candy as we could.

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

Today the kids and I went over to Matt and Jennifer's new house to help clean and unpack, and while I was on my knees scrubbing the bathroom floor (trying not to think about just whose pee I was cleaning) I began to wonder...

...What would life be like if you lived with the dark-haired, bearded Oxi-Clean guy? You know the guy from the commercials that elevate the volume of your TV by 10 decibals so you can still hear him when you go to the bathroom during the break. I mean, can you imagine life on a daily basis living with a man who cheerfully speaks at full volume and in ALL CAPS all the time?

Every morning:

“GOOD MORNING, HONEY! RISE AND SHINE! WHY ARE YOU HOLDING THE PILLOW OVER YOUR HEAD? WAS I TALKING IN MY SLEEP AGAIN? OH NO!”

At Breakfast:

“THESE EGGS ARE AMAZING! I’VE NEVER HAD EGGS LIKE THIS! LOOK AT HOW QUICKLY I CAN EAT THESE EGGS! I’VE LICKED MY PLATE CLEAN IN LESS THAN TEN SECONDS AND BECAUSE I BRUSH MY TEETH WITH KABOOM AND OXI-CLEAN, I CAN PUT THE PLATE RIGHT BACK INTO THE CUPBOARD!”

To the kids:

“HAVE A GREAT DAY AT SCHOOL, SUZY, AND DON’T FORGET TO SHOWER THOROUGHLY AFTER GYM CLASS! YOUR SWEAT STAINS LAST WEEK TOOK TWO TEASPOONS OF OXI-CLEAN TO GET THEM OUT! AND YOU, JUNIOR, DID YOU NOTICE HOW SPARKLING CLEAN YOUR UNDERWEAR WAS THIS MORNING? NO MORE SKID MARKS, THANKS TO YOUR DEAR OLD DAD AND THE POWER OF OXI-CLEAN!”

To the dog:

“ROVER! WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS HIDING UNDER THE COUCH WITH YOUR PAWS OVER YOUR EARS? COME OUT HERE AND SHAKE HANDS! LET'S GO PLAY FETCH!”

To his wife:

“I DON’T UNDERSTAND, HONEY! YOU’RE LEAVING ME? I THOUGHT IT WAS MY EXUBERANCE, CLEAR COMMUNICATION, AND STAIN-FIGHTING ABILITIES THAT DREW YOU TO ME!