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Autumn has Arrived!

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When I think about everything we did this past week, I get tired....really, really tired. And then I realize that there was an official change of seasons, and I'm actually happy that it's going to start getting darker earlier - maybe that means we'll all get more sleep!

So, what did we do?  Well, let me tell you!
  • Tuesday: My fabulous Aunt Stephanie from NYC was in town for business, so the three of us picked her up and went out to a dinner at Lucky 13.  Ava wholeheartedly approves of Steph, and is anxiously awaiting for her trip to Manhattan when she's just a wee bit older!
  • Wednesday: Scott, Ava and I headed over to my bff's house, and had a very nice dinner/evening with Angie, Chad (boyfriend), and Brady (Chad's son.)  Ava and Brady hit it off quite well - they had a great time making their pizza together!
  • Thursday: Ava had quite the morning, where she puked all over the bathroom at 5:30a.m.  Surprise!  Guess who didn't go to pre-school!  Seriously, one of these days she'll be there all 5 days of the week.  I stayed home with her in the morning, and then Ava spent the afternoon with Great-Grandma Adeline...and didn't get sick again.  So, it was a super quick bug (thank God!), and the rest of the night was calm.
  • Friday: No big deal, just had my eyeballs meet up with a laser. :)  I was totally terrified and wanted to run away like 500 times before it started, but guess I got the courage from somewhere and managed to stay put long enough for them to cut open my eye, fry and reshape the cornea, and seal me back up. Honestly, the 4 hours following the procedure were the worst part, and unfortunately, the sedative didn't knock me out enough, so I only slept through about 2 of those hours.  But by early evening, things were much better.  And most importantly, I can see!  Second great moment of the day?  Ava invited herself to spend the night at Grandma Deb and Grandpa Whitey's...so Scott and I went out for dinner, hit up a bonfire at a cousin's house, and then went to the bar and played four rounds of 501.  We each won 2 rounds.  It was really fun...and weird to be out on a Friday night!
  • Saturday: I had my follow-up appointment for my eyes...the left eye isn't as clear as the right eye, but together, I'm seeing 20/15, which is pretty fantastic.  Since the eyes are still healing, final results won't be apparent for a month or so.  It's been weird not having to take out contacts at the end of the day...and my eyes haven't been this white in a long time!  Even with glasses, they would get irritated and red.  A busy day followed...and then we had my good friend Emilie over for dinner.  Scott makes a mean chicken on the smoker!!  After dinner, Em and I went out to a bar, right on the Mississippi river.  Two nights out in a row - amazing!!!
  • Sunday (today!): Scott made us an excellent breakfast of French toast (I am a lucky girl), and then we headed out to the Afton Apple Orchard.  We picked apples, pumpkins, raspberries...road the hayride, fed the animals, and had a very yummy lunch.  Someone (Ava) got to sleep when we got home, but the rest of us had to go grocery shopping, laundry, plant mums, vacuum the car, etc...needless to say, another busy, but GORGEOUS, fall afternoon. We're going to have squash from our garden, and a smoked turkey breast tonight for dinner...everything smells so good right now... 
Poor kid just wanted to nap on Thursday...looks like Darla had the same idea!

 
Making Great-Grandma Lorraine's banana bread recipe on Saturday afternoon - yum!

 
On the hayride at the apple orchard


 
Contrary to the facial expression, she DID enjoy this apple!

 
As did Scott!


 
Picking raspberries


 
Not so impressed with the "cowch"

 
Our little ear of corn was a little too short

 
So we tried again...I follow directions well! That would be the back of Ava's head you see there...


 
Dino sighting at the orchard!

 
Those llamas are CRAZY!  They wouldn't leave us alone, and reminded me why I don't like animals that can look me directly in the eye when I'm standing.

 
Goats are always a favorite with us!

 
Enjoying the playground at the orchard



 
School bus shot!


 
And on the drive home, she told me to leave her alone.  Looks like social time was over.

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