The {GREAT} Outdoors

This past weekend Jason and I loaded up the boys and headed about three hours north to attend our {my mom's side} family reunion. We spend the third weekend of every September at a State Park....playing games, eating, and socializing with close and distant family. The boys get to enjoy the great outdoors and play with all of their cousins, while the adults catch up on what is new with family they haven't seen since last year's reunion.

The boys love to fish {and feed bread to the fish} off the dock that is by our cabin and they also love to play on the playground. This year Henry and Grant were old enough to go on their first nature walk around the park. Jason took them down a few of the nature trails...and they even saw a wild turkey! We had a great time at the Wilkinson Family Reunion, and we can't wait until we get to go back again next year!

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

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I do NOT not remember half of what happened this week. I do NOT think that my mommy brain has completely taken over...and left no room for my normal brain to think!

I did NOT allow Eli to "clean up" under his highchair. He did NOT feast on old Cheerios, some {yummy-looking} dried up corn, and cracker crumbs. I did NOT think what a big help he was being by eating off the floor because I didn't have to get out the vacuum to clean up his mess. I would NEVER let my child eat off the floor!

I was NOT just a little excited when soccer practice got cancelled this week. I am a SUPER devoted soccer mom who would NEVER be happy that she didn't have to go sit at the soccer fields in the rain.....with a squirmy toddler who loves to play in the mud!

This week, I did NOT threaten to make my children get out of my car if they didn't stop playing the "he's touching/looking at/breathing on me" game. They did NOT {almost} drive me crazy in the ten minutes that it takes to drive from the elementary school to our house! I am NOT SUPER thankful for the DVD player in my new car...it is NOT the only way we will be able to survive long trips!

Playing in the Rain!

I'm singing playing in the rain
Just singing playing in the rain
What a glorious feelin'
I'm happy again!

Wordless Wednesday: Just a Little Tired

An Apple a Day

I find myself with uneaten and {almost} too old to eat apples again. I do this every few weeks. I go to the store and insist on buying a few apples so that I will have a healthy snack to grab instead of going for cookies or ice cream. Well, suprise suprise....the apples sit in our fruit bowl and slowly get softer and older...and I only like nice crisp apples!

After a few weeks of walking past the fruit bowl, I decide I really should make something with the apples and not waste them completely. I search allrecipes.com {my favorite website for recipes} and find the best apple recipe to make with whatever ingredients I happen to have on hand.

This weeks apple adventure is Warm Apple Pockets.

3 sweet apples -- peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons flour
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (15 ounce) package prepared, unbaked pie crust, thawed
milk
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a bowl, toss apple slices together with sugar, flour, salt, apple pie spice, and vanilla extract until evenly coated.
3. Lay pie dough flat on a lightly greased baking sheet. Pile apples on one side of dough, leaving a 1 inch border. Brush border and opposite half side of dough with milk. Fold dough over apples, being careful not to over-stuff or the dough will tear. Fold over edges and pinch together to seal. Cut several small slits in the top of the pocket with a sharp knife, then brush top with beaten egg.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until flakey and golden brown. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

I just happened to have a pie crust in the fridge....and I always have the other ingredients on hand...except maybe the eggs {which can be left out without changing the taste too much}. I followed the recipe with the exception of adding a little bit of brown sugar and using cinammon instead of apple pie spice.

Topped with a {generous} dollop of whipped topping, and you have a SUPER yummy dessert {and no wasted uneaten apples}!