RenFest Redux!

We were supposed to go to the RenFest with Jill and Aaron two weekends ago, but I ended up with the plague and Ryan had a last minute training all weekend down in Detroit so we had to cancel.  We were able to reschedule and move our tickets to this weekend (the very last day of the Fest).

My parents were kind enough to offer to watch Maddie for the day so Ryan and I were able to go out on our first baby free date together since December.  LOL.  We might not want to wait so long next time.

Anyway, we dropped M off with my parents in the morning and drove out to meet Jill and Aaron at their house and then headed out to Holly for the fest.  It took forever to get there with traffic, but we lucked out with a decent parking spot.  And, while we were 10 minutes late, there was still a line of people waiting to get into the castle for the feast so we were golden.

Let me first say that the food was FANTABULOUS!  Here's the menu:
Appetizer: Chili Sea Scallops on Belgian Endive with Chocolate Citrus Vinaigrette
Soup: Butternut Squash with Mole Sauce
Salad: Chocolate Vinaigrette Salad
Intermezzo: Zesty Lemon Sorbet in a Dark Chocolate Cup
Entree: Cocoa Rubbed Beef Short Ribs, White Chocolate Mashed Potatoes & Roasted Asparagus with Cocoa Nibs
Dessert: White Chocolate Cheesecake with Dark Chocolate Ganache & Chocolate Dipped Berries

It was by FAR the best food we've had in the 6 years we've been going to the Feast of Fantasy.  We actually had one of the servers recognize us and say, "Hey!  I know you!  You guys come every year!"

The delicious soup...omg, Jill and I wanted 3rds!  

Jill and I all smiles after our yummy soup:

 Our souvenir cups!

 The queen!

 Lemon Sorbet in a chocolate cup.  Mmmmm...

 We liked our chocolate cups:

 Jill and Aaron.  We love them like swhoa!

 Some of the entertainment.

 These guys are called Tartan I think, and they've performed every year we've gone.  They're awesome.

This guy was awesome!  He played with crystal balls like David Bowie in Labyrinth and he played with fire...including eating it!

 This guy is one of our favorites.  He's one of the "hosts" of the feast.  He's also been there since we started going and he is INCREDIBLY inappropriate and never in any way PC.  He's hilarious!

We had a great time.  I'm so glad that we all started this tradition and I really hope we can continue it for a long, long time! 

10 Months!

I'm only a week late this time :)  Monthly photo shoots become more and more difficult as she gets older.  Thank goodness there are only 2 left!  (Writing that actually just made me a little sad)
Well, without further ado, here are the few decent pictures we got, along with the constant barrel rolling!  Here's the best shot of the day:

And what it took to get there:

Stevie loves the baby.  I'm constantly surprised at the abuse she takes just to hang out near her.

Maddie's First Cider Mill Trip!

The apple crop this year in Michigan was hit really hard by the early "summer" we had in March and then the subsequent freezes.  There was a lot of talk that cider mills may not open because entire crops of apples were lost.  And those apples that made it, ripened early.  I was so sad when I heard all this because I have been looking forward to taking M to the cider mill since before she was born!  It is my absolute FAVORITE thing to do in the fall and I look forward to it all year long!  It's a family tradition from when I was a wee one that I want to carry on in my own family!  So, Ryan, Maddie, Grandma, Grandpa and I all headed out to Plymouth Orchards today for some cider and doughnuts!

Despite the cider being unpasteurized, we let M take a taste of it.  The kid loved it!  After I set the cup down she tried crawling up on the table to get it!  A girl after my own heart!

 Carmel Apples!!!  One of my favorites!  M seemed quite interested when I was biting into it...

 ...yeah, she liked it!

 Mmmmmm doughnuts!

 Feeding the goats!

 Driving her tractor!

 And shifting gears.

 After the cider mill, we headed over to Aunt Ashley's house to meet her new dog, Mackie. 

 M felt that Aunt Ashley's DVDs needed a bit more organization. 

TEETH!

We can see a couple more teeth getting ready to pop thru on the top.  Looks like my kid is going to keep up her pattern of getting 2 teeth at a time.  I'm okay with that...1/2 the teething ;)  So far she's been pretty okay with it.  She was a little whiny last night, but nothing bad.  We didn't even realize she was teething the last time...she just had 2 teeth one day, lol.  So, I guess we'll see what teething is really like with M when these buggers pop through.

M's BFF, John, has pretty good timing, considering he sent her a brand new teether the other day as her "get well soon" gift!  She nommed on it for a while last night:

We met John and his mom on the internet in my January 2012 mom's board on The Bump.  We got to know each other a bit throughout our pregnancies, and then it turned out we had almost the same exact story.  John was born at 34 weeks due to IUGR only 2 days after Maddie and he weighed only one ounce more than her.  His mom and I have become pretty close since our bitty babies were born and over the last 10 months, M & John have done pretty much everything at the same time.  Having someone with the same story has kept us sane.  Shoot, she even sent us a bitty baby mask for M's breathing treatments because our docs never gave us one (umm, lifesaver)!

Sleepy Baby

M was super tired when I picked her up from daycare, but in normal M fashion, was fighting it.  She finally fell asleep in the car on the way home (the one thing she cannot resist).  However, when I brought her in the house and laid her down she immediately woke up.  Crawled over to me.  Cried.  I picked her up and she promptly fell sleep on my chest.  Guess she just wanted her mommy.

This is what Ryan came home to and felt was picture worthy:

I know I'm going to really miss this one day.  I love that little girl.

Thanksgiving Visit

Well, it's settled!  Grandpa Jerry and Trina are coming to Michigan for Thanksgiving!

M will get to celebrate her first birthday with both grandpas and her sister!!!

This should make for some great photo opportunities.  <3>

9 Months...Better Late Than Never!

I realize these are really late.  We didn't have the most forgiving month for a picture shoot between travel, sick M and sick parents.  So, we finally got around to it.  And...here they are:

 Waving "Hi!"

 Best Buds!

Cruisin' around with her walker: