Pumpkins, Ponies and Photos, lots of 'em

We hooked up with our Booth Fam to take the kids to the "Punkin'Patch". Our Original plan was to make our way out to Tom's Farms in Corona but we got a really late start so we decided to check out the Pumpkin Factory in the Westminster Mall parking lot. We had a great time, all the kiddos really enjoyed running around, sliding down slides, riding on rides and acting like little kids.

 G Booth and Oochie got the kids pony rides which they all loves. JT swore his was the fastest... lol.

 Even Heabug got in on the action, she did not want her daddy to hold her in the car so like a good daddy he hopped in back. A-bean and JuJuB are always great sports with my kids. JuJuB and JT are seriously peas in a pod and Heabug just thinks A-Bean is the cat's meow.

 We had lady bugs, cuts and bruises, arm flames and rainbows. The lady doing face painting was really great and we were glad the prices were pretty reasonable. Each of the kid's were $3 which seems totally fair to me! In fact, aside from the astronomically unreasonable prices of the pumpkins, everything was pretty cost efficient. Near the end of the evening I bought a diet coke (only one large size) for $2.50 and they even offered refills for $.75! We were heading to dinner after anyway so we didn't load up on popcorn or cotton candy or nachos with... ugh my favorite, don't judge... liquid cheese!

 

The lilloB's had SUCH a blast driving (terribly) John Deere power wheels

 

 Any time with our family is a good time. We really enjoyed celebrating the kick off of fall, even if it was in a parking lot in OC. haha. hopefully we'll still make it out to Tom's Farms but we really had a blast here. (PS deciding that it was in actuality far too early to be carving a pumpkin, we only bought a cute little white one for Jack's teacher Mrs. S. We'll snag a couple for carving at Home Depot next week.)

Apples of my eye

 We spent the day in a mountain town called Oak Glen that is lush in apple orchards. Actually being from the city but Aloha to all walks of life at heart, we crave and enjoy exposing our kids to different environments. I love that they're comfortable in these situations and that we're creating memories as a family. Willowbrook Farm is where we like to come and take part in U-pick apple picking and U-press cider. It's a smaller farm nestled on the backside of the mountain and before all the hustle, bustle and hullabaloo of Los Rios Rancho and Oak Tree Villiage which are lots of fun too.
After sampling (and liking) their unique Stayman Apple, Farmer Rick takes you through to the orchard, which is situated around their home, and educates you on how to pick and apple off of 100 year old trees! The kids payed attention (even HeaBug) to the twist not pull technique, we chose which size bag we wanted to pick (the biggest one of course) and were off to spend as much time as we liked wandering through Willowbrook Farm.

We met Comet the horse and said hello to Blossom the pig (who was MUCH bigger than the last time we saw her two seasons ago). Even though it was a warm day, the cool shade gave us the best refuge. HeaBug and JT picked huge apples off the trees along the fence line and climbed rocks and chased a cat (well that was all the little miss). HeaBug has an obsession with taking off after babies and animals, facinated by things that are smaller than her... She was saying Hi to a baby (and I was apologizing to her mom which I generally do after HeaBug takes off after your child, again, sorry) when her mom told me I looked so familiar. She asked if I was LDS (because she saw ETRNLFAM written on my highschoolesque grown up chucks) and I told her I was. Turns out, we went to the same ward as teenagers. What a small world!
*a little back story on the small world of Willowbrook farm real quick... two years ago when we went to the same farm and Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner and their daughter Violet were there, under the trees relaxing in the quiet. ever since (because i'm a little crazy) I've been convinced that we could have been "friends", since we love us some BenGar haha.

Pictures from our trip to Willowbrook, two years apart. My lillo JT has grown! and HeaBug has now been born! Lol.

 
We pressed a gallon of our own cider and ate caramel apple slices. The caramel is handmade from a dairy farmer friend of Willowbrook. We bought blackberry jam (from their crop!) and apple butter. The kiddos sucked on fruit flavored honey sticks all afternoon and patiently rode the 1 1/2 hour ride home watching Yo Gabba Gabba and Princess and the Frog on the iPad.
As always it was wonderful time spent together as a family.

LA county faire!

WE LOVE the LA FAIR! This year, like years before we packed up the car... this time a little more creatively since we have the Mini now, and the kiddos and our tons and tons of bottles of water and headed up to Pomona to the LA fairgrounds. We got there a little early since we were braving the last Saturday of the fair and had a few hours of wandering the shopping halls and food aisles before it got crazy busy. We've been dealing with insane weather here in southern California so throughout the humid day we got a bit of rain, some lightening, 90 degree heat and even our share of blue skies! We were glad to get out of the heat and walk through a 17 degree freezer featuring ice sculptures of Los Angeles. It was very cool (pun definitely intended)!
Kiddos enjoyed the petting zoo and we got replacement food since a crazy goat snatched ours out of my hands! JT and Mr B zip lined (JT after a little coaxing) and looked so cool doing it. It was a nice warm up for our dream vackay of zip lining over Hawaii!

We grubbed down on kabobs, roasted corn, a cinnamon roll, cinnamon roasted pecans and almonds, frozen chocolate bananas, soft serve ice cream, giant hot dog, and tons of Muscle Beach Lemonade (only $2 refills!)
We're reminiscent every year of the time Mr B broke his ankle while working the Toyota exhibit when JT was just 9 months old! Toyota still has a large display there as a major sponsor but the Xgames trampoline is since absent.
JT got a wallet (which he's been asking for 2 of his dollars to go shopping for one) for only a dollar and we scored on some sillybandz (maybe they're knock offs but he was jazzed about it). Bought a giant safe finally after years and years of looking, cinnamon roasted pecans and almonds, and other things that we probably don't need but can't resist. Lol. Always a fun time together as a little Boothohana, we loveLOVEloved the faire! Come with us next year!

Alpha and Omega

Kindergarten is agreeing with JT. He's having a good time and making lots of friends. Quite the social... I want to say butterfly but that doesn't sound very boyish... hm. 

He has a little friend LaDy that waits with her grandma Mrs D everyday for us and we walk to the cars together. Out of habit, I tend to park in the same area and that's where LaDy's grandma parks too.

I guess there's a new movie out about some wolves called Alpha and Omega, we haven't been to see a movie in a while but I guess they play this during recess. He told me... "Um, they get married in the end you know Mom". JT was sitting at the table the other night after dinner and said, "Mom, LaDy is the Alpha to my Omega". Who knows if he even knows what he's talking about but it was cute nonetheless.

A Score of MariBug

happy happy birthday Mari Bug Dear...
happy days will come to YOU all year...
if I had a wish then it would be...
A happy happy birthday to you from the B's!

Our lovely niece Maribug turned 20 (WTH!!) last month and we celebrated by ordering and eating "family style" (fancy way of saying base price, choose two salads, two appetizers, four entrees and two desserts and they'll keep bringing them!) from Maggiano's at the South Coast Plaza. In general, I avoid OC Shopping centers but this food was far too good to miss.

Even HeaBug got down with some spinach artichoke dip... we were happy to get together, have a good time, laugh, talk, celebrate and leave with full tummies (i'm a mom, I say tummy, get over it). Because I can't get enough of food... here's our yummadocious menu:

Spinach and Artichoke al Forno, Bruschetta

Spinach Salad and Maggiano's chopped salad (think blue cheese, prosciutto, nuts)

Tomato Vodka Gnocchi, Fettuccine Alfredo, Chicken and Spinach Manicotti and Chicken Marsala

Creme Brulee and Toasted pound cake with banana and caramel sauce a la mode.

This description does not do it justice and I'm tempted to describe in detail since that's how they do it on Top Chef but I'll refrain.

Happy Birthday to a wonderful and beautiful niece. We love you and watching you grow to the woman you are today. We will love and stand by you you're whole life (cuz our ohana is that kind of awesome). Hau'oli La Hanau Kehau!