A few weeks ago, Amara started noticing convertibles and calling them "funny cars." We have a few folks with them, but I mentioned it to Charlotte and mom made it happen. They didn't leave the driveway (no car seat) but she loved it (can you tell?)
She had a super fun day with Grandma and Grandma's friend (as Amara calls Charlotte) and I'm glad she got to enjoy the last sun and warmth of the Summer!
After a bumper crop of peaches this summer, we decided to try our hand at saving some. Amara eats probably a container of peaches daily, and loved them as a baby...so we figured it would be a good first food for Cora also.
They were SO ripe and pretty and easy to process, we put DOZENS of bags up!
I used a VERY light sugar for preserving, but I can't wait for Amara to try them without even knowing where they came from :)
And thank goodness for Darlene--she offered to come help us with all our corn. Dad and Eric picked over 12 dozen and she has a lot of experience in this, so she cut while Eric shucked and cleaned.
Yummy corn. Definitely one of my all time favorites--dad planted Silver King this year, verses the usual Silver Queen he makes and boy it rocked.
Blanching in the canner...
Getting all the air out of the bags, ready for freezing! Thank you to Darlene again for stocking up our freezer!!
So, it's official. High chair in place, stash of bibs and towels at the ready--Cora is eating :)
Like Amara, I had mixed feelings of how this would all go--sure, she'd sucked on an apple core, and reached for whatever I was eating, but the cereal we tried a few weeks ago was a miserable FAIL.
She was eager with anticipation as I brought the dish over to her...our first of choice was pears, courtesy Lynd's farm.
SUCCESS! After the "not having any of it" cereal moment, she took the pears with no looking back! I was so excited. She ate about a pinch bowl of it--she wasn't ravenous, but didn't turn her head either.
Not sure if she was going after the pears, or the spoon...but she was enjoying it, and so were we. Yeah Cora!!
With the heat of the summer, the garden came on all at once at mom and dad's. After we picked corn once, we were hooked and had to go back. Our friends Brandy, Nevon and Hayliee joined us and the girls picked corn and morning glories for quite a while!
Cora was thrilled to get some alone time with Grandma and the mower. The two of them drove around sang for almost an hour--you could hear both of them from a football field away :)
Beanie was exhausted after we all got enough corn to freeze for the Winter, I think Brandy and Nevon did close to 30 dozen! 
Yes, her tongue is out all the time. We like to call it "tasting the air," when she does it.
Eric raiding the garden for a few peppers and seeing if there were any green beans left!
Ok, PRETTY sure I need my head examined for attempting this, but we're going to try...want to expose the girls to new things and Amara isn't ready to give up her old favorites yet. Next Spring we pick, but for now, we try. Wish us luck!
As the corn was growing this summer, so was Amara's interest in it. Each field we'd see, she'd announce "that's Grandpa's corn!" with enthusiasm. 
Finally the much awaited day came when we could pick the corn and Amara was THRILLED! We headed over after work/school to pick a few ears for dinner. At first she watched...
Then she got interested and decided to dive right in there (with Grandpa's supervision of course). She wanted to take the ears off herself!
Grandpa showed her how to clean the ears (she actually got a corn silk paper cut, which we were all stunned about--but her little hands aren't near as tough as ours! :))
She followed the dogs' lead and ate it right out of the husk! It was super sweet and yummy. Dad planted silver king corn this year and I have to say it was the best I can remember in a long time.
After her first taste and experience, she REALLY got in there to get a few more ears! It was a fun time and we all enjoyed watching and snacking on the fresh corn.
The kids/family day at the GC farmer's market happened to be a VERY hot and humid day, but we braved it anyway. It was one of those days you feel like you can actually grab hold of the air or that heat waves are coming off of your head.
Regardless, bounce houses and slides are always a favorite for Amara, so she headed up and thoroughly enjoyed herself!
Our day there was complete with a snow cone and a balloon twister, who created this very intricate pink elephant (and mom and dad got a science lesson in why balloons dislike humidity), which actually made it home in one piece!
Cora was all too happy to pick up where Amara left off--anytime she'd put her elephant down :) We all had a great time, even though we didn't stay too long b/c of the heat--it's nice to get up and get over there early before it gets too crowded and too hot!
Seems a lot of things are way more "whimsical" when it comes to Cora--(I'm sure a lot of parents of more than one child are nodding at me now...). One day as we were unpacking peaches from the farmers market, Cora kept eyeing and reaching for the peaches, so I just decided to let her have it. I think she was a week shy of 6 months--or maybe even a day, so I figured we were ok.
She liked it, I think more because I actually gave it to her, but the face she made about the tartness of it was priceless.
I'm not sure she even got any juice or pulp, but just being able to be included and chomp down on it was good enough for now--we told her we have a LOT of Summer fruits and veggies all ready for her to try, so we can't wait!
As a very special treat, grandma and grandpa Jahn decided to take Amara to the Ohio State fair for her very first trip this year!
Of course they headed to all the farm and livestock buildings, and were able to go during the day. It wasn't very crowded at all and she got to get up close and personal with all the animals.
I don't think I've ever been to ANY section of the fair that had that much open space! 
I think the butter cow is a tradition for almost anyone who has ever attended the Ohio State Fair :)
Cows are fun and friendly, but she quickly realized how BIG they are when you get up close to them!
The carousel is always a favorite, even on a cool, balmy day.
And then the traditional fair foods: corn dog,
and lemon shake ups!
I never did get the story on how this monkey was won or purchased...but this is a clear sign of "I'm ready to go now."
Taking the tractor ride back to the car is always a high point--really any tractor ride, ever. They had a great day and I'm sure it's something they will all remember for a long time.
.JPG)
