Its CSA Season!!!

Each year, we participate in a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
For more information on CSA's, or to find a local one, go here: www.localharvest.org

We support our local certified organic farmer, Paul Sarver. He's a WONDERFUL man.
Here's the link to his specific farm, if you are local, I highly suggest looking at this next link:
http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M3280

This is week 2 of our season.
Already we have gotten several different lettuces, asparagus, garlic greens, green onions, rosemary and spinach. And, honey from his bees.

Here's my first "CSA Salad" of the season:

I believe the lettuce used was oak leaf, red leaf, and green leaf. Spinach, pickled egg, beets and roasted red pepper. Mmmmmm. One of these days I'll post some recipes, including my healthy homemade salad dressings!

Rylan's last soccer

We have finished Soccer Tots. We will not be doing soccer again next year. The program was poor and unorganized. Rylan did not enjoy the sport of soccer. Next spring, he'll be in the age group allowing him to be on Brayden's baseball team! That will be nice!

The plan was to have the last soccer class at Lynch Field, then have the after party in Kirk Nevin Arena, BUT, it poured rain. We even had tornado warnings. I got up at about 5:30 am (thanks to Bryan's work calling!) and I was afraid to go downstairs and see the yard. We have some HUGE trees, and one extremely large maple tree that's leaning too close to the house for comfort. With all the loud lightening strikes I had heard, I was certain I'd find tree parts sprawled all over the yard, deck and house! Luckily, there wasn't a mess at all!

Here is what Lynch Field looked like this morning, and it has been MUCH worse. Its notorious for flooding. Nana tells us stories about how it used to be an old racehorse track and stables, and the horses drown one year :(

If you look closely at the first picture, you will see ducks.


Here are Rylan's soccer pictures:

Golf Club Accident....

They are normally very careful when swinging a golf club or bat. Of course, as soon as I turned the corner to go into the house for drinks, there was an accident.





Brayden did great, and walked Rylan into the house and got an ice pack right away as I was consoling Rylan. Bray feels terrible and I think he cried more than Rylan did. At first, the bump was the size of an egg! After I put arnica gel on it, it took about 5 minutes to shrink. These pics were taken about 10 minutes after the topical arnica gel, and 2 doses of oral arnica and 2 doses of Thuja occidentalis. These are homeopathic remedies we keep on hand. I attended a WONDERFUL 6 hour homeopathy first aid class last month, taught by Phylis Georgic.. .... THANK YOU Phyllis!!!

Here is Phyllis's site: http://www.redpeacecross.com/homeopathy.html

For more information on homeopathy, go here: http://www.zeusinfoservice.com/TruthAboutHomeopathy.html

Rylan is Ok, we stayed couch bound for about 2 hours, watched Finding Nemo and read a shark book. Bryan is home from his all week work trip, and brought milkshakes. All is OK now ;)

We have baseball game tonight, one tomorrow along with a soccer game and soccer party. Sunday is ice hockey season registration.

Editing Saturday AM: Bryan applied more arnica gel to his bump last night before bed, and he took 2 more of the oral remedy. This morning, it is completely GONE!

A couple recent Rylan musings

While at Idlewild last week, there were crowds of people wearing swim suits and shorts. Rylan seemed to really notice this.

Rylan: Mommy, why do girls not have breasts but adult girls do?

Me: Well, when girls get older, and start to become adults, they'll soon be able to have babies. When their bodies grow so they can grow babies, their breasts grow so they can feed them.

Rylan: Ooooh, ok.

About an hour later while waiting in line for a ride, a very large busted woman exits.

Rylan (pointing) : WOW! That lady must have LOTS of babies!

Let preface the next musing with a little background:
We're open with the kids about homosexuality. They know some men marry women, and some marry men, and vice versa. We've told them its their decision who they want to love.

Today while grocery shopping, they began talking about my wedding pictures we were looking at earlier in the day.

Brayden: Mommy wore a really pretty white dress when she got married.

Rylan: Yeah, it was beautiful

Brayden: Rylan- do you remember when Ryan married Robbie? She wore a pretty dress too.

Rylan: Yeah, she wore a pretty dress, too.

Brayden: Well Rylan, you can wear something pretty when you get married, too.... well, I don't mean a pretty dress, you can wear a suit, and your girlfriend can wear a pretty dress. Unless you want to marry a boy. Rylan, what if you want to marry a boy?

Rylan: I will punch him in the mouth and find a girl.

I feel bad for laughing, but it was SO funny the way he bluntly stated it.

Memorial Day 5K

www.gatons5K.com
This morning was the 4th (?) annual Kevin Gaton Memorial 5K.
Uncle Jack decided to run the 5K this year, his first race! There were kids races too, so Brayden and Rylan joined in the 6 and under race which was a .25 mile loop.

Uncle Jack did great! His time was 30 minutes, 22 seconds.

The kids did well, too. I didn't pay attention to their places or times, we just concentrated on them having fun and finishing.

The finish line

1st Place 15 minutes, 22 seconds

Jack just as he crossed, getting his timing chip off

Starting line for boys, 6 and under

Headed for the water!

Greensburg Community Days

We went to Greensburg Community Days last night!

We got there in the evening and landed a spot near the stage to watch some live music. We took a walk to get kettle corn, and saw a few "attractions" on the way. The kids were intrigued by a dunking booth. Not only were people throwing baseballs, but the had a target. Better yet, when you HIT the target, it causes a freezing awkward teenage boy to fall into a big container of muddy water and everyone laughs. It was great until Rylan got splashed with mud water- in his mouth!

The airbrush tattoos were fun to watch as well, but there was no way we would agree to shell out $12 on a washable ninja.

Every year we have gone to watch the fireworks. I remember our first summer watching them after moving to Pa from Arizona. Cousin Holly was with us, and I was very pregnant with Brayden. We had a blast. This was the first summer we have gone without a stroller or baby carrier. Brayden was a trooper and walked the whole way there and back. Rylan was too tired and was carried on Bryan's shoulders....yeah- I gave him a massage this morning. We park up at the 5 Star trail and walk to Lynch field.

The City of Greensburg did a wonderful job this year. They had firetrucks along the trail with spotlights to help us see, (and tell us the score of the Pen's game) and several police officers directing traffic all through Greensburg. Not only did we feel very safe, but we also got home quickly ans easily!

Idlewild Amusement Park!

I had a routine doctor appointment in Latrobe this morning, so I figured since we were about 1/2 the way to Idlewild, might as well GO!

http://www.idlewild.com/

We had a blast, the weather was PERFECT. Not too hot, not too cold. Sunny. Everyone there seemed to be in good spirits as well. It was the Intermediate Unit (Special Ed) and Autism Foundation Day, so many of the adults were just as giddy and thrilled as all of the kids! :)

First we went to Jumpin' Jungle and climbed, slid, swung like Tarzan, boated and played in the gigantic ball bit.

Then we caught the train to Raccoon Lagoon and visited Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Nearby, the kids rode several kiddie rides, but quickly realized they are loosing interest in those and wanted to seek out the "adult rides".

Brayden was SUPER BRAVE and not only agreed to ride the "Rollo Coaster" but even rode alone, in the very front! We had a blast and rode it three time. Rylan and I sat up front one too. I wish I had a picture of his face ; ) He had fun, too.

Unfortunately, we quickly found out we have a predicament this summer. Most rides restrict single riders. Kids under 48 inches have to ride with an adult. They are not permitted to ride with other children over 48 inches. So, rides that Brayden is tall enough to ride, he'd have to have someone to ride with, and Rylan and I have to stay behind. Rides that Rylan can ride require me to go with him, but Brayden is too tall to ride WITH us. 4 of our favorite rides will have to wait until we have someone else with us. I'm confident Rylan will meet these height requirements by next season.

Best buds. Actually, Brayden asked to see the map of the park. He wanted to go back to the slide. He read the map, and took Rylan by the hand and walked directly with confidence to his destination. Oh, and it was Bray (alone) who found our parked van too ;)

The water was really high from all of our recent rains. Rylan spotted several TINY baby ducks right behind Brayden.

Watch out, Tarzan!

Let me tell ya somethin'

Our view from the ferris wheel

Won't you be my neighbor?

Whoa! Slow down

I would love to have this in our yard

This years new attraction

Windblown!

A VERY long day