The Shelburne Orchard Festival...

What delightful weather for a most lovely event.  Set in an orchard bordering a lake, the scene was almost surreal.  One must take a moment to breathe it in and count the blessings simply because it is far to precious to take for granted.

You know what the most exciting thing about this years festival was for me?  Seeing folks we knew, right there when we were walking in!  These families have been so welcoming since meeting them last winter...l.o.v.e.

and the next best thing, well the food of course... and we had a lot of it!

Beginning with the most delicious vegetable pizza, wood fired to perfection.  And the veggie salad from Shelburne Farms...oh so good!

Now let's get down to business.  I didn't lay awake half the night dreaming of a salad.  Oh no.  The inability to slumber was directly caused by these guys and their promised goodness...

Cider Donuts.

Too die for.  Delicious. My favorite.

And can you believe they were just letting their secret to these beauties sit right out there in the open.  for all to see. for anyone to just copy and replicate??  crazy if you ask me!

But if they were going to just let it hang there then I was surely going to take a picture.  Next, buy one and rule the world....

Surprisingly there was still so much more to feast upon.  I wanted to enjoy all the labor of love that Vermonters put into their delectable eats.  I am still regretting not buying the peanut butter balls of goodness as a second desert.  But, as the kids chose homemade ice cream I chose the obvious...

Yes, I chose corn.  Because I love it so.  Because I could eat it for desert everyday.   

goodness, I do love corn.

This is a shot of me explaining to the corn folk how much I really do love CORN.  They assured me I was in for a treat then...and they were right, some of the sweetest corn I have had all year.




I could not blame the kids in their choice of second desert however, doesn't it look divine?

Who is this kid ordering coffee flav.... when did he become a man??  sheesh!

To burn off some of that sugar we indulged in some good old fashioned tree swinging.... a highlight for sure.  **and matt was the cool dad who pushed Noah clear up to the tree across the way....

Gabi's ride was a touch tamer...

 So this Witt family had a blast at this years event at the local orchard. We have a deep appreciation for the landscape that we have chosen for our life.  We love the people, the food, the games, and the amazingly fresh air. 

 ...if you look closely you will notice that the blue in the back ground is the lake.  it is simply breath taking....

 and lastly, what would an Orchard Festival be without a bit of apple picking...

 I am already counting down til next year...

Soccer Is For Girls....

 Both kids are playing soccer this fall.  

Can I tell you how elated I am to watch them play under this sky...

...on a reasonable sixty-five degree Saturday morning.

Let's be honest.  I am usually looking at the sky anyway due to my allergy to competitive team sports.

I say soccer is for girls because I never had the cajones to play soccer or any other sport for that matter.  I am delighted to see Gabi out there, knees bent, eye on the ball, looking alive.

  Even on the sidelines her head was in the game.

During game time I was actually paying attention to the plays and would you believe it??  SHE SCORED.  A goal.  She kicked the ball into the net.  Whaat Whaaaaat!!!! 

You have come a long way from soccer in a tutu and refusing to play in the Saturday game due to conflict of uniform color interest...

 Well done Gabrielle.

And Noah,  game well played on your field as well!  I was too busy watching your fast moves down the field to snap any photos but you rocked it kiddo!  And It was great to play with good friends and share snacks after an exciting four quarters!

See ya on the field next week!!

BIG mistake........big.......big big mistake.....total mistake.....totally the biggest mistake.....oh what a very big mistake....huge mistake....terribly huge mistake...big... mistake....not to be made again kind of mistake.... 

But, it had to be done!

The Vermonster (mini style...)

4 scoops of ice cream.  1 brownie.  1 cookie.  4 toppings.  hot fudge.  caramel.  whipped cream.  sprinkles.

Gabrielle cried.

  She seriously wanted no part of it.  I think it screamed stomach ache in her ear on the way to the table.  Everyone was super excited until they weren't....we all had our 'this was a terrible idea' moment...

 There was laughter at first for those of us who were not crying!

but the mood changed oh so quickly...

When the boys realized how much they actually ate...

Head went down first....

Then back....

Check please!

Well, you were a smokin' deal costing all of twelve dollars.  You were an experience, there is no doubt about that.  You were fun for a moment and gave a hardy laugh.  But you are who you say you are.  What a brilliant disguise.  And I will not visit you again.  Once was enough for a lifetime.  

Thank you MV... you were my last dairy indulgence. I am happy to say farewell.

xoxo

The apples are coming...

So this weekend we are going to a small farms food festival HERE.

I am super excited for this event for a few reasons...

a. we went last year and drove over an hour to get there and now we can practically walk.

b. i love the smell of apples in the air.

c. cider donuts, cider donuts, cider donuts.

See you there?

Winning...

 con·vic·tion  a fixed or firm belief.

I am not to sure how much I believe in convictions and how strongly we should stand by them.

People change, thoughts change, beliefs change.

Convictions get us in a whole heap of trouble; trouble that we have a hard time pulling ourselves out of once announcing how strongly we feel about one thing or another.

However, I do believe in standing up for ones self, protecting ones self from this sometimes cruel world.

remember this one?

After receiving a bill for a cool eight grand we took a good look at each other; asked ourselves if we truly felt wronged, and decided  that yes, we had been taken for that proverbial ride.  That crazy fast ride with the man who looks you in the eye while he takes your wallet...   

Not this time Sir.  

***Insert awesome letter stating the retraction of ALL charges and an apology to Mr. Witt!!

I think it comical that upon calling Midway with this issue months ago they laughed at us.  Once confronted with the facts backed by legal representation their laughter turned to compliance.

I have also found the same antics with the sale of our desert home, the six hundred dollar cat scan bill that our eight hundred dollar a month health insurance pretended not to cover until they covered it, and all the other big business we have had to fight, just to be treated fairly...

Point is... they will take you for all you have IF you allow them to.  I have found that I cannot trust the corporate world.  It is not for the kind, honest, caring, or loving individuals.  It is cut throat.  

 

But, the joke is on them really.  What they do not know is the hole they are filling in their wallets does not connect to their soul and therefore will remain forever empty. 

Again, better luck next time boys....

My birthday surprise...

I am seldom surprised.

Mostly because I am a control freak.

I am unable to relax and let someone else (my Mr.) plan anything for me without being impossible. 

It is an illness really.

But he managed to totally surprise me.  it was great.

He handmade candle holders for my birthday candles out of egg cartons, which i LOVED.

and they lit up the whole room...

 and when we blew out the lights...

it was a full out Spongebob Squarepants Birthday Party.... 

Need I say more?

and the most lovely gift...

Life is... well, it is wonderful.

September 6

Today is my birthday and I am grateful for oh so many things...

I will gather all the exciting events that revolve around the celebration of my very own life and thoroughly enjoy writing about it very soon.

But we celebrated another life this weekend, one that ended and moved on to other non worldly places.

We spent the weekend at my grandmother's and helped her grieve the loss of her very best friend.  He was a dedicated and cherished companion who will be fiercely missed.  He was a patriotic ex-marine who traveled the world in honor of his country.  I thought this Flag we saw on the way home was just a perfect remembrance of Mr. Michael Tomsky...

Grandma Ruth's was typical and it looked like this...

Meet Larry.  He lives with us now.