October Currently

Digging: that Max is into using his new "safety scissors" to cut paper.  He loves to cut paper.  It looks like a ticker tape parade under my kitchen island because of all the paper droppings.  He also discovered my stash of washi tape and likes to use to stick the paper pieces down.

Eating: Cinnamon Toast Crunch for breakfast (with Max) - and salami/cheese sandwiches for lunch because it sounded good when grocery shopping.

Listening: to "Max's CD" in the morning on the way to school and Garth Brooks greatest hits when Max is not in the car

Drinking: Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Earl Grey Tea Lattes

Wearing: jeans and sweatshirts now that the weather is cooler /also super cute boots I got at TJ Max (they are flat boots and look great with a rolled jean cuff at the bottom)

Reading: Just finished the book Delancey: A man, a woman, a restaurant, a marriage. (It's by Molly Wizenberg - who wrote A Handmade Life, and also authors a very popular blog called Orangette)

Feeling: excited about our upcoming vacation!  We are leaving on Saturday for a week long trip to Florida!

Weather: there's definitely a fall chill in the air - and I love it :)

Wanting: hair that will blow dray and straighten itself every morning? new clothes?  More boots!  

Needing: a few more hours every night to get everything done!

Wishing: that Max would commit to one Halloween costume!  Currently when you ask him he says pirate. But, I'm hoping that he will go back to wanting to be a Tiger (since we already have that costume).

Watching:  Mindy Project (on Hulu), You're the Worst (on FXx), and I'm thinking about starting Bloodlines (recommended by people at work).  Also, Paw Patrol if I'm with Max.

Enjoying: my fall porch decorations :)  And all of Max's driveway chalk art.

Loving:  My New fit bit and the competitive nature it has brought out on me.  I'm in two "Work Week Hustle" challenges - it's totally a great motivator!

Lynd's Fruit Farm

So...here's the thing about the season of fall - we all know it won't last. 

A few glorious weeks and then, poof!  It's gone. 

And, while it feels like the shortest of seasons -it's easily 

the most brilliant.  The trees are turning the most gorgeous shades of red, orange, and yellow              (thanks to a good rain)... there are mini gourds galore (thanks to Max), 

apples abound (thanks to Lynd's fruit farm), and well - 

we intend to celebrate all that to the fullest...which is kind of how 

we found ourselves at Lynd's Fruit Farm this week (even though we've 

already been to like four other pumpkin farms). 

And this visit - well it was truly a celebration of all things fall!

We started at the farm market...

(would you look at the size of those mums!!)..

And the farm market had a minion made of hay.... so

that was pretty exciting :)

We also made time to sit in the apple chair

(could Max's grin BE any bigger - please read that 

in your best Chandler Bing voice.  And if you don't 

understand that reference, I'm not sure we can 

be friends). 

We kept trying to get Max to pick a pumpkin - 

but he just wanted to stand among pumpkins. 

In true Carrie fashion - I picked the one with the most

glorious stem. Some might find it ridiculous to 

pay $13 for a pumpkin - but all in the name of fall 

you know ;)  And if it's going to sit on your 

porch until Thanksgiving, it better be a good looking pumpkin. 

We measured ourselves - and Max finally stood

still long enough to get a picture.  Then, he wanted

Mama to get measured, and then Mims to get measured,

and then repeat times three.  I think we're all pretty clear

on how tall we are. 

He finally settled on this pumpkin (above).  And 

every time we went to take a picture of it - he put 

it directly in front of his face.  This was the only decent picture

I got before he decided he no longer wanted to be carrying it any more. 

Have you ever had an apple cider slushie?  

Oh man, they are so delish!  I didn't get much 

of this one though because Max commandeered it away 

from me like 3.2 seconds after they poured it. He kept 

sucking all the cider out of the bottom of it and 

wondering why the ice looked funny on the top. 

After all the fun at the Farm Market - we waited in 

a gigantic traffic jam in order to make our way to the play area. 

I forgot to ask Max if he needed to go to the bathroom before 

we left (#momfail) and then three minutes after sitting in 

aforementioned traffic - he pronounced that he did in fact

have to go potty.  I told him to squeeze his legs together

and hold it.  And then I squeezed my hands together

and prayed. Hard. 

As luck would have it - we made it there - accident free!

He peed right outside the car (why is peeing outside always

so exciting??) and then ran right over to the play area.

Please note - he wanted to go up this enormous hill, 

so we did. At the top, he picked the muddiest, steepest

path to go down - so I grabbed his hand.  He promptly

fell on his bottom, meanwhile I'm dragging him behind 

me because I can't stop because the hill's so steep. 

We make it to the bottom and he announces to everyone

within hearing distance that "mommy dragged me down the hill"

and then I check his pants and it basically looks like

he pooped himself from all the mud.  

However, he didn't seem to mind (probably because he couldn't

see it) so we carried on. 

We did the barrel train (he chose the caboose spot this time),

bounce house, spider web (cargo net), hay bales, mini corn 

maze, and even climbed to the top of the wooden tower. 

We finished with a tractor ride out to the apple orchards - 

where we were allowed to pick one apple. 

It was a Jonagold - and it was very tasty!

The tractor driver let Max "drive" and as you

can see from the picture above - he totally hated it :)

What a cheese!

By the time we made it back - Max had eaten half his apple

and half the bag of kettle corn.  No joke - this boy takes after his dad - loves 

himself some kettle corn.  

It was such an adventurous morning at Lynd's Fruit Farm!
All of the farms we visit have your token
fall activities - bounce house, barrel train, corn maze and so on -
but they all are just different enough that there is something
new and fun to try at each one!  Max had so much
fun he fell asleep on the drive home (after telling Mims and
mommy, who got slightly lost to "calm down" - who is this kid?!)
He was probably dreaming of more kettle corn
and our next pumpkin adventure ;) I know I am!

xoxo

Max, Mama, and Papa - September Edition 2015

Every month it seems I'm later and later on these reports (perhaps because we're

spending every weekend at the pumpkin patch?). Even still - I'm so happy to have

another month on the books.  You can certainly tell it's fall around here!

 

Here is what Mama, Max (28 months), and Papa were into during September 2015.

(From left to right - Papa, Max, and Mama)

 

DRINKING:  IPA's, Juice Boxes, and Iced Chai Tea's

EATING:  Kettle Corn, Mac and Cheese, and Halloween Oreos

*the kettle corn is obviously a by-product of all the pumpkin farm visits.

LOVING: the sleep app, balls/basketball, volcano candle from Anthro

                                   *probably the most expensive candle I've ever                                         

purchased but the smell is just divine!

**Rob loves the sleep app and we use it in Max's room too and it seems to

really relax him.

MAKING:  popsicles, musical requests, hand soap from my oils

*Rob bought these popsicle molds for all the leftover

smoothies and they freeze so well - it was totally genius

**Grandpa Jim sent Max this CD last year and he'

still SO into it - he will say "my CD" or "my songs mommy"

 

READING:  library books, his custom Oregon book, and the Athleta catalogue

*I made Max this Oregon book from Pinhole Press after our trip

and he loves is.  There is a picture on each page and then a word next to it.

He asks us to "read it" nearly every night and we just recall all of the memories

and make it up on the fly.  But, it's a great way to keep the conversation going

about our trip!

WATCHING: Supernatural, Octonauts, and Playing House

WEARING: sunglasses, new gym shoes, Fit Bit

*Max got new shoes just after we got back from Oregon

and he jumped from a size 7 to a 9! We could have

gotten away with an 8.5 but decided once socks were on

that bigger would be better.

**My mom and sister and I all participate in these

"work week challenges using the fit bit and it's completely

frustrating and motivating all at the same time!

WORKING ON: his fantasy football line up, tooth brushing, sending snail mail

 

I'm so happy it's fall around here!  We Haucks are trying to

soak up every last minute of our outdoor time - Max riding around

on his tractor, Rob making the final attempts at winterizing the yard,

and me puttering around with the porch décor.

I fear we may go stir crazy in the winter - that or we

may binge watch all of the seasons of Octonauts while

hiding in our blanket fort :)

xoxo

Week-ending

I was just telling a co-worker of mine that things are really great in the Hauck's nest

right now (aside from the occasional melt down/tantrum and paci obsession).  But

honestly, we have a pretty good routine. It's predictable (mostly) and I love it.

I know that when I come home from work - Max will run around the corner

with some tale about school (recently it's been, "Miss Jessi says when Addie

or baby Sam have a toy I want, then I can get a different toy") but ultimately,

he wants me to jump right in and play with him.

 

 

Rob will usually use this as a cue to take a quick bathroom break

and then start prepping whatever low key meal we have planned. 

By the end of the week, I have usually forgotten to thaw some

meat and we opt to go out (read: less kitchen clean up for the win!)

This past Friday we did just that.  We loaded up the car

for some dinner at Chick-fil-A and Max played in the play space.

 

When we got home, it was getting dark and our friendly "peek a boo"

spiders started to emerge. We called them this mostly because they would hide

around the siding of our door and you could only see half their bodies.  When

you got to close, they would dive back in.  Well, this Friday night, Max was in

bed, Rob was watching Supernatural, and I was talking with my friend Candice

(all the way in Oregon).  I was standing outside so as not to disturb Max or Rob

and I noticed this horrifying beast of spider had fully emerged.

It could have literally wrapped up a small bird in the enormous

web it was weaving in the corner of porch. After hanging up with Candice,

 I promptly went in and told Rob we needed to move.

Case closed. 

 

 Oh, it's fall you say?  And it's Saturday?

You can find us at the farm!

(In our overalls no less).

This particular farm was called Lehners Pumpkin Farm

and was located in Radnor, Ohio. It was a bit of drive (Max was once

again lulled to sleep on those country roads) but once we made it -

the fun really began!

 

 

They had all your pumpkin farm staples - bounce pillow,

giant bales of hay, animals (with the addition of a llama!!),

barrel train, slides, and push carts...but they also had a

kiddie corn maze. This maze was actually just tall

pieces of plywood glued together (or something) with

twists and turns but they had painted it really cute and

added all these stuffed animals, tree stumps, pretend pond,

and then slide down from the Eagle's Nest at the end.

It was pretty cool!

 

Side note:  this llama was soooo cute!

He was making all these cute little noises

and basically begging for me take him home.

If you know of any local llama farms - point me in the right direction!

Saturday afternoon we left directly from the pumpkin farm, stopped

at a McDonald's for lunch, and then drove to Dayton.

We ate dinner at the Greene and shopped around for a bit.

Did you know they have a TV in Gymboree just for kids to watch

while their parents shop?? It was crazy. Also their stuff is crazy

expensive.  But they did have Thanksgiving undies, so clearly

we were coming home with those.  After we tucked Max in -

Mims and I went back out to Target. She was in search of some

"work out clothes" and made me promise not to laugh as she tried

on a million pairs ten pairs of stretch pants.  She did find some she

deemed appropriate to wear outside of her own living room and we left.

But the fun continued on, because when we got home - we used our

essential oils to MAKE OUR OWN HANDSOAP!

It was wild and awesome, and I will probably send you all your

own bottle of "sweet sweet hand soap" (which is of course the clever

name I came up with for mine).

 



 

Another Sunday, another pumpkin farm - only this time in Dayton.

We went to Windmill Farms (which is sort of weird in that I have

memories of going there as a 1st grader with my elementary school

big brothers and sisters program - and that was like over 20 years ago).

The farm hasn't changed much - same apple cider slushies, carmel apples,

haunted hayride (which we did NOT do this year), and pumpkin king.

With the addition of lots of Amish built playground structures.

I'm talking like a school bus, pirate ship, train, tractor, and castle.

 

It's tradition - you have to get your picture with the pumpkin king.

You probably can't tell from this angle - but Max agreed to some

face paint (a green tractor of course) - but was a little freaked out

by the fact that it was being painted on by a witch in full costume,

standing next to one of those creepy butlers who looks half dead.

He kept telling us, not to stand next to the butler.

 

 

We made a tiny pit stop at a garden center called

"Grandma's Gardens" - mostly so Mims and Mama

could take 500 more adorable pictures of Max picking

out gourds and pumpkins.

 

Max and Grandpa were repping their beloved Browns.

Although, sadly this did not help them win.

It's tough to be a Cleveland fan I tell you.

 

 

One final stop was made at "Treadway's" Farm Market.

Max was perplexed by a scarecrow that appeared to be standing

on it's head.  He kept asking me, how they were going to get

it's head out. I said they were going to have to tug, and tug, and tug.

This seemed to suffice him. He picked out a giant pumpkin for Mims.

And a much littler pumpkin for great grandpa Poppy.

He also managed to pick out 20 miniature gourds (though the total

would have been more like 50 had I not put the majority of them

back when he wasn't looking).

 

 

Papa Rob and I left during his nap on Sunday (much to

Max's chagrin as he woke up quite pissed according to Mim's).

But we did get to enjoy a little evening to ourselves

and Papa got to eat his beloved chicken wings!

 

What wild weekend of fun indeed!

I promise more pumpkin farm adventures in the weekends ahead.

And if you want your own sweet sweet soap you should probably let me know.

 

xoxo

 

The Orchard Co

Fall is definitely in the air in Ohio!

And for the Hauck family that means hitting up all

the pumpkin patches in the Central Ohio Area (we also do garden centers

and really anywhere that has fall themed decorations). 

This past Sunday we visited a new (to us) pumpkin farm - 

and while it was a bit further away - it was totally awesome!

It was made even more awesome because the Dotson family joined us!

This new fall wonderland was called The Orchard Co - 

and while you can definitely pick apples - we decided to just

go for the fun kids stuff...can't go wrong there!  The ten 

dollar wristband covered nearly everything  - and

was totally worth it in that I brought home a very tired/worn out Max. 

We took the tractors on a pretend spin around the farm while

waiting in line to buy tickets.  Max still loves to "pretend drive"

which is kind of hysterical and almost fell off the seat

while reaching for the clutch. 

The first order of business once we got our wristbands was

bouncing.  Now, this is no ordinary bounce house at The Orchard. 

It's called a bouncing pillow - has no sides - and it safe for both adults

and children. You have to sort of run up the side to get on the top (the sweet spot for jumping)

and by the end - the boys were running around the edges, sliding down and running back up 

and generally just loving life. I have to say it was really fun (and a good work out)!

 

We loved the bouncing pillow so much we went back several times! 

Another super fun activity they had was called the "corn box" - which

is fitting since it's literally a wooden box full of corn kernels. 

Max was hesitant at first and definitely did not like it when the 

corn kernels went in his shoe - but the allure of the tractors/diggers/dumpers 

proved to be too much and he was soon knee deep in kernels himself. 

This corn box would have probably kept them busy for hours...

He loved filling up the bull dozer and then dumping them in the truck. 

At one point Max had to go to the bathroom and Rob took him. 

Upon their return, Rob said that when Max took his pants off

to use the toilet - lots of corn kernels came spilling out too... :)

Later, I found some at the bottom of the washing machine too....

So basically we have enough kernels now to make our own box!

There were also delicious pumpkin donuts too - those 

didn't last long. :)

I didn't feel bad about the donuts though because I'm pretty

sure I burned off all those calories by either the jumping

or racing up this enormous hill. (seen below)

The hill had HUGE tractor/truck tires wedged into the side of it and 

filled with sand.  Max wasted no time climbing up the tires, 

sliding back down the tube at the top and saying "let's do that again"!

He came zooming out the slide and raced right back up the hill

for another go round!

We also made a stop in the animal barn - which had goats, 

pigs, cows, and one bunny (although they had indicated

there was a "bunnyville" activity on the paperwork so maybe 

there were more bunnies at one time?). 

Max still loves to get right down and pet them.

The boys rode the "Moo Town Express" with the dads. 

At first we were going to let Max ride it alone -but thought 

better of it - and Rob ended up saying it was probably a good thing 

because the pasture and orchard were bumpy. And, the tractor

driver did some figure 8's...so it was one wild ride!

We capped off our afternoon with a wagon ride.

The boys enjoyed their snacks (and even shared)! 

We saw some more cows but overall it was pretty chill. 

This was the only time when they were actually sitting sill too!  

We stopped by the pond on our way out - the boys just content to 

gaze out at the water. I could tell Max was getting ready for a nap

(hello yawn city) and so we said our goodbyes and parted ways.

Max fell asleep two seconds into the car ride and 

we made the transfer to his crib seamlessly (which isn't always the case)!

This place was pretty great - and we had such a lovely time with

the Dotson's.  Can't wait for some more fall fun!

xxoo