Smile!

It was a long time coming, but she finally lost that tooth!

Apple Season

Last weekend we went to an apple orchard near Ellijay, GA with the Gents.  We picked two smaller bags of apples, and purchased a very big bag of apples (for only $15).  We first guessed how many were in the bag, and Aida wrote the names and guesses on our chalkboard (she likes for everything to be official).

Next we placed the apples in a straight line to count them,

then organized them by 5's to check ourselves,

and finally confirmed that there were 48 apples in all.  Benjamin was the winner (only 2 off), though I decided to give all participants a few candy corn to welcome Fall. :)

We spent the next 2 hours peeling and chopping apples while listening to Classical music (well, the kids lost steam somewhere around apple number 30, but they were a big help. )

It took my three biggest pots to cook them all down, but another hour later

and we had a lot of applesauce!  I left some in the pot b/c it was going to be used immediately in the making of fruit leather (something I've been wanting to try in my dehydrator for a while now).  48 apples (some rather large) ended up making about 11 quarts of applesauce.  11 quarts of applesauce for $15.  Not bad!

I don't have an official picture of this, but there was a big mess to clean up when all was said and done :)

Woodring Campground

Our neighbors (The Gents!)

Pensive by the fire

The audience (as we awaited "the show")

The show

With a varied cast

The first canoe trip (Daddies with the littles)

Beautiful late September day at Carter's Lake

These two played and played

and giggled and giggled

Me and Songbird with the jokesters...
Songbird did paddle a little at the beginning and end :)

Such a crazy creature Hubry found

Welcome to October