Applesauce

Last week I promised the kids we would go to the Farmers Market and orchard on Friday. I woke up tired on Friday, but they remembered, so after school we were off to the Market and Orchard. The kids rode the ancient kiddie rides at the Farmer's Market and we got 8 baskets of apples at the orchard. I had no intent to do applesauce that day,but Sophia was convinced and excited to do applesauce.

The last time we did applesauce she single-handedly milled almost all of it. I was so amazed at the time because she was only four that I must have praised her up and down and now she loves doing applesauce and has been begging for months to do it together. Its amazing what praise can do. I'm wondering where else I need to use more of it in my mothering!?

I didn't want to let all that excitement go to waste so Friday afternoon we started our applesauce and we got it all done on Friday and canned and frozen on Saturday. I was so glad we did it right away.

Here's the beginnings of the applesauce...

Rub-a-dub, getting a bath in the sink...

My enthusiastic worker with an enthusiastic eater in the backround...

Lots of containers were needed to hold all the applesauce we made this year...

Eli getting in on the action...

Daddy the innovator finding a better way to get the job done, and getting to use his toy in the process.

Elijah definitely wanted to be a part of the tool action...

The finished product.

We did 7 1/2 half bushel baskets of apples and ended up with 64 quarts of sauce. It was a fun family evening. Who knew making applesauce could be so much fun?

Thomas we LOVE you!

We have enjoyed Thomas the Tank engine videos for quite some time now. However, neither Sophia nor Elijah were true Thomas fans. They watched the dvds, but the hysteria for Thomas was not there. So much so, that I sold most of our train track and stuff at our yard sale this spring. I sold too soon. My little boy has become a Thomas fanatic. His first word for train was, "Tomish". He lurves Tomish with a passion. I am soooo thankful that my mile a minute never stops moving boy likes to sit still and watch Thomas for 20 minutes or more at a time.

A few weeks ago, Noah was tired and cranky, so I put a "Tomish" on for him because I could tell he was tired. I think he woke up early that day. I went out of the room and came back to find the fan of the number one engine out cold on the family room floor. It was too cute.

Why is my sleeping boy so irresistable? Now that he's down to the one nap, he is really tired at nap time and every day, if I hold him long enough he will fall asleep on me. It is so sweet. Its one of my most relaxing moments of the day, rocking my almost two year old and watching him such his thumb and hold onto his "geen gankey" (green blanket) for dear life. I liken it to nursing a newborn. Its so peaceful and sweet.

I'm so thankful to have these special moments to cherish with my "baby". He grew up so much faster than the others and I love having one last "baby moment" with him.

What I did today

As I mentioned afore, food is paramount for me these days. So, its no wonder that I have been doing a lot of cooking and baking for the sole reason that I am always hungry. I am dreading the scale at the Dr.'s office this month. Guess when my appointment is? Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving! And to top it off, I think I have the precise, detail oriented Doctor in our practice who ALWAYS mentions how much weight I am gaining. He's very nice and I really like him, he's just precise, that's all. I just don't want to know! :)

Today I...

Baked Lemon Blueberry Scones from a mix my SIL gave me.

Mixed up a batch of Raisin Bran muffins for the fridge. The recipe is nice because you mix up the batter and can keep it in the fridge for a week or two without it spoiling and just bake as needed.

Baked Zucchinni bread for my hubs. Another big reason I did the bake-a-thon today was because myhubsville was discreetly and not discreetly reminding me that I didn't have any baked goods in the freezer for him. *Note to the single and newly married* Don't get your husband hooked on your baked goods or you'll never be able to get out of baking. Actually, I really don't mind baking for him, especially when he washes the dishes.

Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies for me! I need chocolate these days.

Cooked up a double recipe (one for dinner, two small pans for the freezer) of the Pioneer Womans Chicken Spaghetti. I had cooked chicken in the freezer so that made this and easy meal. I'm not a huge fan of the canned soup casserole, but this is a good recipe so long as you don't skip or skimp on the cayenne pepper...or cheese.

I had extra chicken so I made some of my Grammy's Chicken Pot Pie. Yumm-o. That will be dinner tomorrow with extra for the freezer.

I love a good cook/bake-a-thon!

My Sweetie turned four...

Elijah turned four last month and I never posted more than one picture...ooops. We had a extended family party for he and Grace at my sisters, but on his actual birthday, we celebrated at home. Here are a few pictures from October 16th, the birthday of my big, dark, brawny little man.


While he was napping, Sophia and I got ready for "the party". Here are the bright eyed boys after their nap. They were very happy that Jell-o was on the menu.

Eli with something in his mouth.

What was my little man's birthday request? "I want those things where you blow them and they go out". He was very happy to find "blowers" on the table....it doesn't take much to please.

Elijah and his Birthday Bread. I got this castle bundt cake pan for my birthday...the kids love it.

Opening a present or two. Look at that shiny hair. I love my boys hair. It is just like Graemes! Straight, soft, and silky.

Opening my favorite birthday present...

A booster seat! Yay, no more car seat buckles. Elijah can now lawfully ride in a booster seat. I am soooo happy to only buckle one buckle instead of three!!!!!!!!!! I live for the day they turn four!

Elijah is our sweet little pleaser. He is most likely to tell you he loves you for no reason or to want to cuddle up on the sofa. He is least likely to be spontaneous. He is one track minded, greatly dislikes abrupt change. He is the routine keeper, the truck lover, the wild animal impersonator, hunter, "fighting man" (soldier) of the house. He can eat faster than anyone except me in this house. He is the first to tell me he loves my cooking and to eat it all and beg for more (I love that). He is the least likely to get into mischief but the most likely to cry in exasperation. He was our quiet baby turned noisy four year old. He is a boy's boy, there's nothing pansy about him. He's boy and boy and boy. He brings laughter, crumbs, dirt, rocks, lots of sticks, tears, eczema and unbelievable joy into our home each and every day.

I love you my big four year old boy!!!!

What about Bob?

We have a new addition to the family. Meet "Bob". That was what the kids wanted to name him.

Geranimo...in he goes...


Admiring the new pet

In all his fishy glory...

Bob NEVER goes hungry. I hear that if you overfeed fish they die...that wouldn't be such a bad thing. :) I'm so bad. I don't mind having a fish, but its just one more mouth to feed. :) However, Sophia takes every opportunity to feed Bob three square meals a day.

It's been a week and Bob is still alive...that is an accomplishment considering Noah got after him a couple of times. Now he safely resides on the back of the kitchen countertop. :)

Not in Kansas Anymore

Today I voted for the first time in our new precinct (is that the correct term?), and all I have to say is that "we are not in Kansas anymore". I was first surprised by the long line when we pulled in and the plethura of cars. What I was also surprised with was the lack of campaign signs and the lack of campaign people on sight, urging you to vote for their candidate. There were eight, count them, eight! voting machines which were completely digital. I did love them, however.

Back in "Kansas", our former small town (which is only about 15 min from our new house), the voting was done at the borough hall aka public swimming pool and park with small office attached. There were a whole crew of "old dutchies" (PA Dutch = German) senior citizens running the joint, complete which crockpots of chicken pot pie and baskets of candy. The same ones worked the hall year after year and would tease the kids and make silly jokes when we came in the door...because the line was NEVER out the door. There were usually, oh, say 4.7 people in front of you. The 2 polling booths were exactly that, booths with curtains and buttons and levers...very reminscent of the 1970's with brown accents on the curtain. They often only used one of the machines, and saved the other for the "busy" times. I thought that was normal until today.

This whole weekend has been a new voting experience for me. From 4 non-recorded phone calls from the Obama campaign informing me of where and when to vote, to the doorhanger on my door and cards left on my car while I was shopping, I have just felt, well, sort of, irritated and over taxed by all this campaigning nonsense. Will calling voters over and over again really make them want to vote for you? It was just downright annoying, not to mention the fact that I had no intention of voting for their candidate and I knew perfectly well where and when to vote.

There was a total lack of signage and people at the voting venue. In our old town, there were usually several people at the doors, giving you fliers, and more often, candy with their campaign logo and cheap pens that didn't write. You could shake the hand of the local yocal who was running for the school board and have a little how-do with them. Not in the "big city". There are rules against such things. "There are no signs allowed on the property. There are no campaign personnel allowed within 10 feet of the building." A lady in line next to me told me that there was talk to ban people from wearing anything pertaining to a particular candidate.

Is this the end of civilized elections? The ridiculous campaigning and millions of dollars spent, do they really make a difference? This election, I felt more like a number than an actual person. Will an election ever be a little crockpot-type deal where we cast our ballots, eat a tootsie roll, and smile at each other?

It was a very disheartening experience, which made me long for my small town of aging Democrat Dutchies. There were just as liberal in our small town, but there was more respect between people. Today it seemed like the principal had to make all these rules because the school children couldn't play nice. I was surprised by it all. It was sad.

Can you Find Me Now?

Can you find the earrings?

Warmer....

There they are....

I *mistakenly* left my earrings on Noah's changing table one night last week. I say mistakenly because I *forgot* that the child is on the loose b/c he can "climb out" now.
When I realized my mistake a few days later (that's how often I wear earrings), I frantically called the little chap over and asked him, "where did you put Mommy's earrings?" He replied, "earrings", "I don't know". The trash had just been taken out and picked up by the garbage company so I had visions of my favorite earrings in a bag full of diapers, on their way to the landfill (not a pretty thought on any account).

However, my jewelry-loving daughter heard the commotion and came in and casually mentioned that she knew where the earrings were and that she put them up high so Noah couldn't reach them. Yes indeedy, they were up high. I could hardly reach them without standing on a stool. I think she stood on the top of the changing table to put them up there. Genius, I'd say.