The Apple Orchard

  One of our friends passed along some field trips she was planning to take her daughter on throughout the school year.  Twenty five of us (mainly homeschoolers) joined her on this journey to the apple orchard.  It was about an hour drive west and it proved to be an unexpectedly cold, drizzly day.  But we shared clothes and blankets and survived with smiles on our faces.

most of the crew

we began with this gal who shared some info about apples and the orchard's processes

lining up to taste test a fresh apple

we toured the fridge where the apples are stored after picking

he peeled, cored and sliced this apple

the peel was taller than he was in one piece

the slicing was like a slinky

making apple dumplings (which we purchased....YUM!)

applesauce bars for a snack

We took a wagon ride up into the orchard and saw the trees...the strawberry patch, pumpkin and gourd patch, blackberry patch, and more.  Then, we journeyed to the play area, petting zoo area, and the nature trails.  By the time we left, it was definitely warmer.   And it had been a fun adventure!

Moving in

Here is the latest on the house...

  We have brought most of our stuff to our house now. But there is no where to put things away b/c the closets aren't done and the kitchen isn't done.  So...we have just stashed the boxes around the house until we're ready to put them away.

the re-finished hardwood

trim is up...ready for carpet

carpet is installed

the stairs aren't done yet...so we put blankets and such on the stairway so we can walk barefoot

Catching up

So, over the last few weeks, we have had an anything but "normal" life!  The last week of August found us camping a couple of nights...as we were close to being able to live in the house.  The carpet in the family room got installed the last Wednesday of August.  We got TV hooked up the next day (Thursday) and decided to camp on the family room floor that night. (We brought over our hide-a-bed couch and the boys slept on/in their sleeping bags.)
  Interesting things about our first few days...it was 100% humidity and pretty warm temps the first several days. But we still managed to feel comfy at night...in sleeping bags.  We had a toilet that mostly worked (a couple days later we were able to find plaster debris in the pipes which was causing the random back up of water in the toilet and the tub).  We showered at the high school or at Jack and Debbie's for the next 5 days until we had the water softener and a hot water heater working. 

  So, we slowly found ways to feel "settled" among the massive amount of mess around us.  Joe managed to take naps...wherever we could find a place to lay him down.  He found this spot on his own one day as Josh and I spent the afternoon digging in the mud for a pipe.

   In other news...
We didn't have clean water the first several days we were in the house.  So, we brushed our teeth on the front porch (spitting out into the yard...lots of fun for sure).

The boys enjoyed playing with toys...and built this microphone stand and guitar (to mimic Josh playing at church)...except they thought to add a box for people to throw money into.  

Jake and his critters...

One afternoon we headed out to search for worms to put in a jar.  We were also trying to attract ants with some honey on some crackers.  So, Jake is watching patiently for ants. 

 Joe is pointing out the "gunk" we found on the tree bark.   You can imagine he had fun taking a stick and playing with that.

 First cantaloupe from the garden.

We have praying mantis's all over the place.  

Here is the toad/frog we found in the garage...

 The boys pretty much tortured him as they tried to "help" him be near water that had collected in the tarp.

We finally found worms (after digging several holes around the yard)

The boys and Daisy!

Oh, where do I begin...

  Honestly, I can't remember much about the last week.  I know we have laid more flooring in the house, been to the doctor for wellness check-ups, painted, cleaned, moved some boxes, played with friends, hung out with homeschooling friends, enjoyed church and small group...   I guess I remember more than I thought! : )
  It's been busy for sure! The boys have helped vacuum and put outlet covers on and clean up whatever they can.  Today some of the carpet is being laid...and the boys are excited!  (Don't get me wrong...Josh and I are excited, too!) :)    As we left the house last night, Jake said, "I like that we keep bringing more and more boxes here!"  And Joe kept saying, "Don't hammer on the carpet.  Can I help them put the carpet in?  Don't hammer on the carpet! Can I help put the carpet in?"  (Not sure about the hammering part...)

  Josh headed to school yesterday, only to find out that it'd been shut down b/c the pool pump failed again causing the high school's electricity to go out.  So, that freed his schedule from swim practice the next few days!

  Joe had been bashing left over tile with his hammer (with great delight, I might add).  Jake decided to join him and with the second whack ended up slicing his thumb pretty good.  He handled it well...better than I thought he might when I first saw all the blood on the sidewalk!

  We went to the HS pool Sunday night.  Joe decided to try some real swimming...putting his face in and kicking/using his arms!  He was so excited...and is so eager to go back and practice more!

  Great quotes in the last week...

Joe...in the car heading home late one night..."Can I have a open eye sucking thumb nap?"  (He was tired, knew he isn't allowed to suck his thumb unless in bed, but wanted to suck it in the car b/c he was sleepy, but not sleepy enough to sleep apparently!)

Joe...before heading to the doctor..."Is anything going to hurt, Mom?"  (he was worried about shots apparently)  At the doctor, asking the nurse..."Is anything going to hurt?"  (She gave him an "I don't know" answer.)  Ready for the doctor to come in..."Is Dr Suess going to give me shots, Mom?"  (He was so worked up, the only doctor he could think of by name was Dr Suess!)

Joe...on the way back to Mama and Papa's from our house at dusk..."The moon (pause) and that planet up there...is RACING us......and we're in the lead!"

selecting a fresh tomato to eat with dinner

Found it!

Eating inside for the first time...in the dining room on the floor

upstairs bathroom

boys' room

 

Catch of the day...

    I was watching the burn pile when I heard Jake and Joe shriek in delight.  I turned around to see something hopping and the boys cautiously heading toward it.  Once I realized it was a baby bunny, I told them to try to catch it.  Well, the poor thing must have been scared to death because it's ability to hop or run fast or far was non-existent.  Jake continued to be cautious, but Joe bound right in and grabbed at the hopping creature...finally grasping it in his "not so gentle" way.   With delight he yelled, "I got it, Mom!" and proceeded to laugh in delight. 

   The boys quickly sought to make a "home" for it.  They wanted the nature books out of my trunk so they could figure out which kind it was and what to do to care for it and feed it.  A box with grass in it became its home.  And, of course, they wanted to keep it....but then, after I pointed to Basil (the dog), they were afraid to leave it outside in the box.  So, it spent the night in the box (literally nose in the corner) in the detached garage. 

Power of the Past

   The boys have been saving their money (mainly earned by helping with work at the house) and have looked forward to seeing "the tractor man" at the Greensburg annual Power of the Past Tractor show.  "The tractor man" has parts and pieces of sets that he sells for reasonable prices.  So, they found some deals...and the man remembered them from when we stopped at the Shelbyville tractor show. 

   But...I don't think the boys (or I) realized all that we would really be able to see among the tractors.  I've never seen such a large display of so many kinds and so many generations of tractors.

 I think the oldest smaller tractor we saw was from 1918.

We saw several steam engine tractors (check out this video from the tractor parade)

small re-built tractors
















the saw mill (where Uncle Eric was helping with the demo)...I was trying to make sure the boys understood that this was how the lumber in our house was created.

the threshing machine (from the late 1800's) still usable to separate the wheat after it's been cut and bundled...

baling the wheat after it was separated out

 Ready for the pedal tractor pull...

Watch Joe's tractor pull...

 Joe wins his weight group!

Jake waits his turn...

 Added weight really slowed the kids in Jake's weight group down!

Joe shows Aunt Rachel his trophy!

Waiting for "go" at the needle in a haystack game (finding the 3 objects in the straw)

 Joe found 2 of the 3 objects in his group of seekers.  So, he won $4.00. 
Jake's group had to search for quite a while and they were a tough group of lookers...but Jake ended up empty handed (and pretty straw covered!) :).

 What a fun day!