Last Weekend, part 1 - Glen Helen

Last weekend we were able to get away to one of my favorite places, Glen Helen Nature Preserve. The nature preserve is the legacy of Hugh Taylor Birch, who, in 1929, donated the wooded glen to the local college in memory of his daughter, Helen. Glen Helen has a raptor rehabilitation center we like to visit before setting off on our hike. We were so pleased that on this day the birds were out of their cages for an open house event.


What a beauty! So elegant!


Such a sweetheart face! Can you see the reflection of it's handler in it's eye?


Yikes! So glad I'm not a mouse! Giving me it's Halloween look!


On the trail to my favorite two places. K actually stayed awake this whole hike!


First favorite spot - this tree. I've been visiting this tree for over 10 years. Yes, I think I have a bit of the druid in me. This ole guy (yes, its a HE don't ask me how I know) has been in a whole host of photos marking events in my life. When I was carrying M we shot me and my nine month pregnant belly portrait here. Okay, maybe too much info.....


My second favorite spot is simply called "The Pines" named that even by the locals that hike the area. The path opens up into an area of only very tall pine trees. The forest floor is soft and deep with fallen pine needles. You bring a blanket because you must lay on the ground and gaze up at the pine tops that dance in the breeze. Also this is a good spot to unload the little one (K) from your back and allow her to stretch her legs.


I'm free!


I love this place!


It's magical......

Last Weekend, to be con't.......

Catching up!

October needs twice as many days for us to do everything we'd like this time of year. I can not even begin to express how much I love the Fall season! I just hold a grudge against Summer and Winter for seeming so long, the months drag on. Fall, on the other hand is gone in a blink of an eye.

Here are some pics of what we've been up to so far....

Lots of nature walks! Love the colors this time of year!


Bundled up and enjoying the view!


Apple picking time! I see applesauce, apple butter and pie in my future!


Soup season, yea! Last year I started cooking my way, page by page, from the A Beautiful Bowl of Soup, pictured below. I don't normally eat soup when the weather warms up and stopped cooking right before the recipe Chestnut Soup. This is where I will pick it up so I was pleased to find the chestnuts (pic above) at the farm stand where we went apple picking.


I also plan to start the doing the recipes from the other book, Vegetarian Sandwiches. After all, man can not live by soup alone.....


We did a little clean up of our garden and harvested the brussel sprouts. I don't think K knew what this was. Toy? Food?

And finally..... We have a tradition of putting M in one of my old dresses every year on her birthday. We use the same dress so we have pictures of her growing into it. We planned on doing this with K also so we purchased a dress in China for the occasion. Having the same birth day makes it even more special. Their pictures will now be together in their "birthday dresses". Their birthdays are in June and you'd think once we got home with K in August we'd do this right away. I'm embarrassed to say that we just got to it.


K could not figure out what was going on and it was cold outside.


Trying to walk in an adult size dress was a little challenging.


Posing nicely and getting a good picture was a bigger challenge.

For more of what's going on check out: http://www.molly-corner.blogspot.com/

Mid Autumn Moon Festival / Willie Phoenix Band

What does the Chinese Mid Autumn Moon Festival and The Willie Phoenix band have in common? Well, nothing that I know of but we did both this weekend on Saturday.

About a week ago we ran into M's international drumming teacher, Ray Winburn who plays in the Willie Phoenix band. He told us that they'd be playing at the North Market on Saturday and to come on down. We did! Check the video below with M playing the conga.


What a blast! A BIG thanks to Willie and Ray for giving M, as she puts it "The best day of my life". When you get a chance check out the web page for the band at www.williephoenix.com
find out where they're playing and and go see them in person.

Two hours later we were at the Central Ohio Families with Children from China (COFCC) Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. I don't know if K really got alot out of it, except some Cheez-its from a very kind lady sitting next to us. Daddy and M made paper fish lanterns, everyone lined up and marched around the field. Still too light out to see the lanterns glowing but had fun with everyone. Later we ate Moon pies. Traditionally you'd eat Moon Cakes but the Moon pie's were too hard to resist..



A weekend to remember!

This one is for Elizabeth

My mommy is so proud of me! I actually kept this clip in my hair most of the day. I know she was very jealous of you, Elizabeth.




Today I go to get my first haircut! Mommy plans on feeding me while they are cutting my hair. Something to do with no fussing, screaming or whatever.....

Another day, another park but....

today my friend A and her son T joined us. The day served as a good reminder that I must get K into a playgroup. She loves being around other kids and was smiling and happy the rest of day! Thanks A for suggesting the get together.

This is T getting the stacking cups ready for K to push over.



Do you even remember when this simple act of pushing over cups could be so fun?






After pushing cups around, playing with other toys and snacking, we decided to actually get up and walk around.

And saw sleeping ducks and what appears to be a river sharks fin coming out of the water ..... or a rock, whatever..


We saw a Kingfisher. Sorry not such a good picture.



And we saw the hawk that was trying to catch the Kingfisher.



And K looked for something good to eat.




Thanks T for playing with K and making her day a fun one!

Notes from K

Hello, this is K. Mom hasn't been blogging much. Nothing new to report but this is what's going on in my world.

My sister got new gym shoes!



When she gets home from school we read together.



Mom says "oh gross, no-no" but this is where the food comes from and how I let her know I'm hungry......I'm always hungry.



Sometimes I just fall asleep.



But I always have the feeling that someone is watching. Do you feel a draft?




Hopefully when mom gets over her sniffles we will do something more exciting to post about!

Hiking and Bento's

We love to go hiking! The following pictures are from two different hikes. Both at our local metro parks, one park was flat and paved for putting K in the stroller. The other park had unpaved trails, nice hills and streams.


M waiting for us to catch up. She is a runner.



Snacks were provided along the way.


K loved riding in the backpack carrier.


We'd all take turns showing K the woods. Look
acorns and flowers.


Neat trees!

Interesting plant life!

It just didn't hold little K's attention.


She'll catch it all next time we go....maybe.


And when I'm not trekking all over with the girls I'm trying to come up with new and fun foods to pack in M's Bento Box. What's a Bento?

The Bento is an ancient Japanese tradition of packing a lunch. Usually in a decorative container with small compartments that help with portion control and hitting the food groups. Its a nice way of going "green" for school lunches. No plastic bags to throw away.

M picked out this Bento for her school lunches.


I'm still learning what to pack and trying to be healthy about it.



Not too bad here. The PB&J is with Organic whole wheat bread, natural peanut butter and homemade strawberry jam. I have cut up nectarines, pretzel chips, Babybel Light Laughing Cow Cheese, and Trader Joe's vanilla meringue.... for dessert..

This Bento's came with it's own fork and spoon and BPA free water bottle. Sorry not pictured.

We purchased ours here: http://www.generationgreenstore.com/

If you have nifty Bento packing ideas... send them my way!

Thanks!