A Bushel and a Peck…

What!?  Three days in a row!  If this was like my Nike running app it would be congratulating me for blogging three days in a row or better yet, for blogging more times this week than last week.  Maybe that’s what I need…a little motivation from the blogging voices.

Anyway, this past Saturday was a perfect fall morning.  Cool temperatures, plenty of sunshine and a trip to the local apple orchard.  Like I mentioned in my last post, Patty, another coach’s wife is showing me some of the ins and outs of southern Illinois.  This time we headed up the highway to a little apple orchard outside of Marine.  It was the full apple picking experience!

After the orchard it was back to Greenville for a busy day.  Until I had my blonde moment, or maybe just a Megan moment.  I completely locked myself out of the house.  With Trent and our only key in Minnesota.  Trying to be extra cautious (we do live right next to a prison) I locked every single door and lock possible when I went to bed Friday night, including the one from the garage into the house.  When I left Saturday morning I went out the front door and locked it behind me planning on just using the garage code when I got back.  When I got back I was running late for Kirsten’s volleyball game, but wanted to drop my apples off and grab a quick snack.  Then it quickly dawned on me…when the door in the garage would not turn…that I had completely locked myself out of the house.  Still with Trent and our only key in Minnesota.  Panic quickly took over as I tried to remind myself that this was not the end of the world and I would in fact be okay.  Eventually I was able to get ahold of my landlord and meet up with him to get an extra key. 

A couple of things I took away from this experience…I do not know how to pick a lock.  My neighbors are the best. A spare set of keys are necessary. 

Even with Trent out of town it was a good weekend.  Sunday I used my apples to make some homemade applesauce in the crock pot and I am already planning my next apple recipe.  10 pounds of apple leaves room for a lot of opportunity!  Added bonus…Greenville won their game in Minnesota 44-9 and the defense held Minnesota Morris to negative rushing yards!  Things are looking up…

 

{The Launes}    

Up, Up and Away…

Last month while the guys were busy with fall camp, one of the other coaches’ wives and I made a trip to Centralia, Illinois for their annual balloon fest.  This was my first trip to anything like this so I was excited to check things out and see the balloon glow.

Patty knows the ins and outs of Southern Illinois because she grew up not too far from here so she has been able to show me the ropes a little. 

We set up camp right in the middle of all the action…

Up, up and away!  There were all kinds of different balloons on display…

Such a fun and colorful balloon!

Unfortunately mother nature had other plans as light rain moved into the area before the balloon glow started.  However, it was fun seeing all of the different kinds of balloons and getting to see some of them take off.  Definitely something worth checking out again!

{The Launes}

Labor Day…

Two weekends ago we had our first official visitors!  Trent’s parents were here a couple weeks ago when they moved Kirsten back to school, but this was the first official visit for us (and Kirsten too).  And let’s just say we jumped right in to entertaining.  Trent’s grandparents, parents and his sister Naomi and her three kids made the trip out because it was a long weekend, Kirsten had three volleyball games and Trent had a scrimmage.  Our humble abode has only 2 bedrooms, but with a little creativity, we were able to sleep up to seven of our guests.   

The best part of the weekend was our pre Labor Day picnic at the park on Sunday afternoon.  We grilled burgers, played at the playground and fished.  It was the perfect evening with the perfect company!

Landry proved that he was quite a fisherman making the top catches of the day with two fish…

And he’s a pretty cute fisherman too, if I do say so myself!

Lainey and Ellie tag teamed their fishing efforts showing a little sisterly love…

Lainey caught her own fish too and was she ever excited!

It was actually a pretty close three way tie for the cutest fisherman at Patriot Park! 

Fish number 2 for Landry…

…and of course we ended our evening with ice cream!

I was super excited for company as my days get a little long sometimes.  It was fun to have a little taste of home for a few days and to keep busy.  It was definitely quiet when everyone left Monday morning! 

So a big thank you goes out to the Laune clan for making the trek out for the weekend!

{The Launes}

#17: Take Me Out to the Ball Game…

I’m in a slump.  Like a do I really have to change out of the clothes I’ve been wearing for the past two days?  kind of slump.  On the bright side, I do still wash my face and brush my teeth twice a day and I have knocked out 5 seasons of Friends DVDs and read 7 books since I’ve been here.  I have also had one subbing job.  I know I just need to get into a routine and get over the initial fear of the unknown world of subbing, but I have found myself getting into bed each night this week and quietly praying that no one would call me to sub in the morning.  I should be embracing it all, but instead, I am giving into the fear.  The unknown.

With that being said, there is no real excuse as to why I have not wrote about number 17 on my list: go to a Cardinal baseball game.  It was a month ago!  Well, no excuse except Friends DVDs, reading and Pinterest. 

Going to a Cardinal baseball game was kind of a when in Rome moment.  The Cards are huge here.  If there is a game (which in MLB is basically every night) then people are decked out from head to toe in their Cardinal attire.  It seems like everyone loves and follows the Cards.  I wanted a little taste of what all the excitement was about.

Therefore, on a Wednesday night in early August, we loaded up and headed to St. Louis for a game verses the Red Sox. 

I may or may not have been more excited about seeing the arch from our seats than I was for the actual game.

We even got our own Cardinal shirts for the game…like I said, when  in Rome.

It was a fun game…after an hour long rain and lighting delay.   Cards lost in the 9th, but I got to check another thing off my list!

Until next time…

{The Launes}