Apple Picking

We went apple picking today!

It was a lot of fun. We went to the same place we picked blueberries this summer, because they have so many varieties of apples and lots of nice things to do. Let me just say that they were WAY busier in apple season than they were in blueberry season. We were glad we went in the morning, because as the day went on, more and more people showed up.

We got Cortlands (my favorites because I'm fascinated with the fact that they don't turn brown), Macs, Golden Delicious, Empires, and Bosc pears. We tried some other varieties as we walked, and we picked a few of the ones we thought were tasty. I'd never tried Macouns, for example, or Spartans.

Nathan had never been apple picking before, but I had been once last year. It's fun because you get to climb ladders, eat as you go, try a bunch of varieties, toss the cores on the ground, smell all the fermenting apples, have some cider or cider donuts, and see a few animals. Plus, all the fall stuff is out, like pumpkins and squash. And today was the first non-summery day we've had in more than a week (high of around 72), which was great. It really was the perfect day to go.

We got a TON of apples (probably around 15 lbs.). Some are for eating and some are for baking, but man, those suckers are going to last us a while.

Our group: Caleb (with Hannah on his back), Kendra, Nathan, Carey, and Bethany.

Nathan, on a ladder.

Me, on a ladder. Actually, I think my exact words were, "You can take a picture that will freak my mom out, with my pregnant self on a ladder, going for this far-off apple."

Can you spot Nathan's head? He climbed to the top of an apple tree.

Here's a shot from below.

Who needs ladders, anyway?

Mmm, look at this perfect apple.

Hmm, maybe not so perfect.

We thought this was cute--it's three little pigs, with a house of straw, of wood, and of brick! And can you see the big bad wolf in the background?

I like this picture of us. :)

Week 27 Belly Picture

It looks like my belly is glowing. Ha!

Soliciting Advice, Round 2

Okay, guys, here is my next question:

Do you have any books that you suggest? I am always a super-prepared person when it comes to just about anything, since I like to read up on stuff before I experience it. I did the same thing when I got married, when we moved to Boston, and I even tend to do it when we go somewhere new on vacation so I know the history of the place and all the good places to visit. Right now I'm feeling like no matter how much I read, I will feel totally unprepared for Baby B's arrival, which is a little scary. But I'm still soaking up as much information as I can while I still have time to read. :)

I think I'm covered when it comes to pregnancy books, but if you had a favorite one on breastfeeding, babies, or some other topic, I'd love to hear about it. Here's what I've already got:
- Your Pregnancy Week by Week
- Baby's First Year Week by Week (thanks, April!)
- What to Expect When You're Expecting
- The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy
- Baby Wise
- Bringing Up Boys
- The Girlfriend's Guide to Your Baby's First Year

Courtney also suggested "Baby Food" for learning about what kiddos can eat once they're big enough to start on solids, and it teaches you how to make it yourself, store it, etc.

What other books have you guys read that you like?

Halo 3 Widow

Alright. For those of you who don't already know, Halo 3 came out today. For those of you who don't know what Halo 3 is, it's the third installation of this alien war video game on Xbox.

Here is the reason you should care about this: the release of Halo 3 today was the highest grossing thing in entertainment sales history. That means that it made more money than any movie opening ever. I think the same thing was true of Halo 2 a couple of years ago. So that should give you an idea of how huge this is. There is also a Halo movie coming out pretty soon, and Mountain Dew (or some drink) has its own red Halo 3 version out right now.

It would be an understatement to say that Nathan enjoys playing Halo. Not only does he play it pretty regularly, but he also checks all these Halo-related websites and blogs every day when he gets home and is up on all the Halo news. And y'all, I am not lying when I say he actually left school early today after he saw online that the game had been delivered to the house. Yes, he left his office to come home and play Halo 3. He did pull himself away from the TV for about an hour this evening, then came back and said it was "torture" not to be playing "on opening day," so I handed the control back over to him and picked up the computer to let you all know about this and maybe get a little sympathy. I think that for the next few weeks I may be a Halo 3 widow.

Now, this Halo deal is an ongoing thing. He started on the whole Halo kick when we were in college. I remember walking into his dorm room one day, and he excitedly asked if he could show me a video on the computer. I said yes, and he lived to regret showing it to me, because it's been fodder for making fun of him for a long time. Basically, it was a little replay of someone playing Halo. He just kept saying things like, "Look how high those tanks went when they exploded!" To which my response was, a little baffled at why he was so impressed, "You mean the fake, animated tanks?" And my personal favorite, which he said with true awe in his voice, "Look at how pretty the landscape is!" To which I rolled my eyes and repeated my earlier sentiment: "You mean the animated landscape? As opposed to a real one?" So now I still make fun of him every so often and I say, in a voice full of awe, "Will you look at that beautiful landscape??" (Now, the graphics in Halo really are good, and I will say that I also--slightly against my will--think the music is actually excellent.)

**Okay, no lie, Nathan is sitting here next to me playing the game, and he literally JUST said to me, "Look how pretty that is!" He was referring to a mountainous background. OH my gosh.**

The only thing I have to compare this to is Amanda's description of Fantasy Football (scroll down to "Fantasy Land"). And I do have to say that after reading that, I was actually thankful that Nathan is into Halo instead of Fantasy Football, considering that he doesn't spend nearly the time playing video games that some guys spend compiling stats and stuff. He has also pointed out to me that it is not as if he is obsessed with every Xbox game that comes out, like apparently some guys are. He just sticks to Halo, which he can play online with his brothers, since they all have it. So I definitely have some things to be thankful for, even though when it comes right down to it, I just don't get the attraction.

Anyway, y'all can pray for me. I might need it after a few days. ;)



And this is pretty funny.
Here is a picture of the John Harvard statue in Harvard Yard:

Here is a picture of Master Chief, the main character in Halo:

And here is what some MIT students did to John Harvard the other night:

Soliciting Advice

So I am going to start soliciting advice from all of you, especially those of you who already have kids. I feel like there is so much to learn, and I want to cash in on your wisdom. :) So every once in a while, I'm going to ask you for advice on a particular subject, and you can let me know what you think.

Here's the first one: Baby equipment. My gosh, is Babies R Us an overwhelming place the first time you go in, or what? There is just so much, well, STUFF. My friend, April, did an awesome job of helping me narrow down the list and get handle on what we need, but I'd still like to hear from you guys on some things:
- Which baby equipment do I need, and which is unnecessary?
- Which brands are good?
- Which brands should I avoid?
- Which things did you get that you cannot live without?
- Which things did you get that never got played with/weren't useful?
- Any other tips?

God in the Midst of Everyday Life

I just read the most awesome post on Beth Moore's blog. It's about God in our everyday-ness of our lives. If you've got a couple of minutes, it is definitely worth the read!

DCC Reflections

Nathan and I got a new TV last week, and our fancy new TV picks up a few digital channels that we didn't get before. (Yay History Channel!) One of the ones that we get now is CMT. Now, I haven't watched CMT since I watched country music videos in 10th grade. But I have now discovered and am fascinated by--I know there is a moan coming from some of you--that Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders show. I compare this to Courtney's enjoyment of NASCAR. Kind of unexpected, but we can't help it.

So this is how it happened: we were flipping through the channels and landed on this channel where the women were so obviously Texan I even made a comment about it. Something about the silver jewelry, the packed on makeup, excessive eyeliner, perfect teeth, flamboyant clothes, great figures, etc. It just looked like Texas. Ah, the glories of Texas women. It soon became apparent that this was a show about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader tryouts. (Disclaimer: this is not to say that all Texan women aim to land quite so high on the glamour scale, because I know many who don't, but you Texans know there are plenty who do.)

I think what fascinates me about shows like this is that, for one thing, who doesn't want to watch some talented girls do their thing? I think that is definitely a big part of the fascination for me. Keep in mind that this is coming from someone who probably would have been like the worst cheerleader ever, but ever since I was little I've admired people who can do those high kicks and dance moves without looking retarded.

But, of course, let's be honest. Part of the draw of the show is also the drama. The drama of who came from how far, how many times they've tried out, who gets cut, all the tears when the cuts happen, etc. And the blonde moments. Oh, the rare but perfect blonde moments. I just about died when one girl, when asked what she'd think about Condoleeza Rice running for president, said, "Well, I think he's great. I wish him the best of luck as he runs for president." I just about fell on the floor.

Anyway, all that to say that although I have an intellectual side, I guess I a.) also have this I-like-to-be-entertained-just-for-the-sheer-joy-of-being-entertained side, and b.) am still a girl, after all, who loves girly things. And the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders definitely fit the bill.