Riley and Popo shooting the corn cannon
Riley at Hunsader Farms
Riley in the corn maze leading me to a dead end
Jesse and Riley in front of the Church at Ave Maria
Last week we went to the Hunsader Pumpkin Festival in Sarasota. We go to this every year and this time we took my dad with us. Unfortunately there was a front coming in so we got rained on but it really cooled down after that. We always go the first day which is usually the only weekday it's open. There is close to no one there and we can get everything done in about an hour and a half. Riley doesn't last very long at those things so we have to be able to move through it fast. He played lots of games and we did a corn maze and got lost! We had lemonade shakeups, pumpkin doughnuts, pumpkin ice cream and saw some really cool owls. We had so much fun! Then I found my new addiction. Pumpkin Butter!!!! Pumpkin is my favorite flavor in the world and I have never tried it before. I was totally hooked on the first bite. So my dad got me a jar and now I have been trying to find a healthy recipe for it. I really want to make my own but most recipes call for 4 cups of sugar and I don't buy sugar, I only use agave. So I contacted a woman who has a mouth watering blog called Delicious Wisdom. Please stop by her blog and check out the healthy recipes. http://www.deliciouswisdom.com/ . She is going to figure out a healthy version of this for me. YUMMY!!! I'm gonna turn into a pumpkin I think after this fall.
Today we went to a new town out by us called Ave Maria for their Octoberfest. I'm sure you have heard about this community, it 's a totally catholic community and they have a college there and soon a Law School. The oratory (church)is so beautiful. It really looks like the old churches up north. I took my mom there today and we went into the church and it totally reminded me of my Grandma's old church in Illinois. You could feel God's presence there and I can't remember the last time I really felt that just from walking in a church. I grew up catholic but I can't remember the last time I was in a catholic church down here. I was able to light a candle and say a prayer for my little girl and that felt awesome. Just being in the oratory took my fears and anxiety away again completely and restored my faith in being patient. Outside they had bounce houses and pumpkin painting for kids and some German food and beer. It was really fun and I really enjoyed being able to walk through the town with my mom and talk about Grandma. I miss her a lot. My Grandma was AWESOME!! So many things remind me of her.
Anyways we have had so much fun these last 2 weeks and can't wait for Halloween!!
3 comments:
first, it is so weird to see you at a fall festival in shorts and t-shirts! we are usually so bundled up here!
sounds like fun - i can't believe how tall Riley is getting, and i've only ever seen him in pictures!
pumpkin butter sounds yummy. you'll have to tell me about agave and how you use it. . .
I love Hundsader Farm! I have gone the past few years, but didn't make it this year- it is as close to autumn in Illinois as possible down here! - Jen
It's weird to see a GREEN corn maze! Ours are all brown here. Looks like fun and the pumpkin goodies sound yummy.
And yes, our grandma was AWESOME and I miss her too.
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