Christmas trees and elves

We put up the Christmas tree last weekend and decorated it this weekend (everyone was sick last weekend and didn't feel up to it...)
 

Our Christmas elves showed up Saturday morning and had been catapulting ornaments onto the tree trhough the night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last night, the elves spent the evening catching up with all the old dolls and meeting the new ones.

 

Playing in the leaves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween 2013

This year Josh asked to be a ghost and Anna wanted to be a Lion.  The ghost costume proved difficult to trick or treat (see) in, so I think Josh learned a valuable lesson in costume picking :)  We had a rainy night, but the kids both still had lots of fun!

 

 

 

 

 

kitty witch and lego man

Mike's pumpkin

 

Apples

We picked 7 bushels of apples, so we had some work to do.  The kids took turns using the peeler/ slicer to help cut apples for pie filling and for apple chips.
 

 

 

 Putting apple chips on the dehydrator tray

 

Mike's home made apple scratter (grinder) for mashing the apples prior to making cider

Some of the finished product-
22 qts apple pie filling
46 pts and 2 qts apple sauce
7 pts pear slices
9 qts pear sauce
(and not shown)
6 pts grape jelly
grape juice
apple chips
about 9 gallons apple cider

 

Trip to NY

We took a trip to NY to visit our new niece, Piper.  Anna adored her!
 

playing in the sandbox
   

Locking Christian in the dog crate

 

Playing with papa Cook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picking apples

 

 

 

 

 

 

No more training wheels!!

Josh learned how to ride his bike today with no training wheels!!  He only needed help for a few minutes but once he figured out how to pedal while getting on, he did fine and he rode it all day long with a big smile on his face!