Thursday, October 11, 2007

Reuniting with an Old and Dear Friend

Fall has finally arrived here in Illinois. Oh yes. It is here.


And I'm thinking I may have been a bit hasty when I was complaining back on Monday that it was almost 90 degrees in October. I vaguely recall wishing it felt a bit more fall-ish around here because we looked down right ridiculous at the apple orchard in our summer clothes.

I also believe I said something about us not being able to go to the pumpkin patch for pumpkins until it cooled off and felt a little bit more like pumpkin season around here and not the 4th of July.

Well, Mother Nature, she heard me.

Cause we've lost 40 degrees here since Monday.


And so today, when my kids got home from school, they all came rushing in from the bus all rosy cheeked and excited and my son says to me, "Can we go and get our pumpkins now?"

And I said to him, "No, we are not going to get pumpkins this afternoon. It is way too cold out to go traipsing around in a pumpkin patch."

And that poor child of mine looked at me like I had just told him that it was actually too cold to go to the pumpkin patch.


Needless to say, I had some fences to mend with my children. After we had a snack and watched our required 30 minutes of The Suite Life of Zach and Cody, we got the homework done and the kids wanted to go outside and play.

Because apparently, they were not feeling quite as chilled as I was.

So they went out and played themselves a quick game of soccer and I watched them from the window. And when they came in their noses were running and their cheeks were cold. Which I was glad to see, because it further backed up my belief that it was cold out there.

And then, I heard my most favorite eight words of the cold weather season, "Mom, can you make us some hot cocoa?"

"Why yes, I surely can. I would love to."



Not words you here around this house every day.

So without further ado, I walked into the kitchen, dug deep into the back of a cabinet and pulled out my old, and best, cold weather accessory.




Yes ma'am. It was time to bring out the big gun. The Cocomotion. Otherwise known in my house as The Best Christmas Present I Have Ever Received.

Once you have your Swiss Miss made in a Cocomotion, you can never go back to microwaving a cup of water and trying to stir all that gritty mix in yourself. You can just never go back again.

So yes, the pumpkin patch was pretty much forgotten for today. Let's hope they don't ask again tomorrow, because I'm not sure what other appliances I can pull out to keep them happy.

11 comments:

Family Adventure said...

Hilarious post! Thanks for the chuckle.
I love the fall. But I know what you mean about temperatures changing quickly, though. It takes a bit of adjustment.
But all the good things about fall - rosy cheeks, crisp air, leaves turning, hot chocolate and marshmallows...I love it!
Of course, I now have appliance envy, and may have to go shopping before our next hot chocolate event! :)
Looking forward to your pumpkin patch post.
- Heidi

Family Adventure said...

Hilarious post! Thanks for the chuckle.
I love the fall. But I know what you mean about temperatures changing quickly, though. It takes a bit of adjustment.
But all the good things about fall - rosy cheeks, crisp air, leaves turning, hot chocolate and marshmallows...I love it!
Of course, I now have appliance envy, and may have to go shopping before our next hot chocolate event! :)
Looking forward to your pumpkin patch post.
- Heidi

Family Adventure said...

Sorry, no idea why that posted twice. :(

Jennifer (Jen on the Edge) said...

That is a GREAT kitchen tool! It's fall here in Virginia too and I'm just so darn happy about it!

tammi said...

A COCOMOTION??!! For the love of all that is shiny and metallic, how come I've never heard of this before??!!!! Now that I've seen the future, I don't think my girls and I will be able to survive anymore without one! My girls drink 'hot coco' year round!!! I will definitely be adding this to my wish list this Christmas. Great post!

Anonymous said...

Too Funny. You should cotact those cocomotion people and have them give one away from your blog....which I would win.

Unknown said...

I never knew such a thing as a 'Cocomotion' even existed. I am so going out to get one of these. My oldest son will love it.

Karen H TX said...

Lisa, this is my first visit to your blog. I clicked on the link when I saw your name "take 90 west". I thought 90, I wonder if she is near Chicago? Then that wonderful skyline popped up. I grew up outside chicago aways, in Carpentersville, after I got married we moved to GA for awhile then back to IL in Belvidere. 10 years ago now, my husband was transferred to the Houston area with his job. He has excelled so much more than he could have had we stayed up north. I'm lovin' life in Texas. Especially the part where I don't shovel or blow snow off the driveway, but girrrrl the apple orchards and real pumpkin patches make my heart homesick!!!! Thanks so much for your post. You've given my a little piece of my childhood home.

Stephanie said...

Holy Cow! I love this thing! I drink hot cocoa even in the summer! I don't drink coffee so cocoa is my thing!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for enlightening me on the Cocoamotion. I hadn't heard of one. Maybe I can win one?

Cute fall memory. I'm sure your kids will look back fondly on days like these. :-)

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great cocoa is awaiting me! Count me in. Thanks, classybutearthy@yahoo.com