Tis the season...

...for apples!!! Last year we found out about an orchard where we can pick apples for free after they have done their commercial picking. They are beautiful apples and very tasty, and we have picked approx. 1500 lbs total in the past 3 weeks or so. The majority of them were sent back to friends and relatives with different folks who came to visit but thanks to Mr. Wise Guy (and a. susie and gramma jo ) we have 126 quarts of applesauce canned/frozen. And I have just 2 1/2 boxes left to dry and make canned apple topping with, and to just eat fresh and make one more apple pie. Amazingly enough the kids and I are still not tired of apples and have been eating them every day! :)

a familiar sight in our garage for the past 3 wks.

Needless to say, the kids have gotten pretty good at fending for themselves lately. I had to laugh when I looked out the window and saw their choice of footwear for the day.

Sunday shoes with no socks for Miss Kate...

and Daddy's shoes for Tay-O. I couldn't believe how long he actually kept them on and clomped about in them.

I spent my first day on my own with the kids in the sewing room. I was able to finish up a few pairs of flannel PJ pants for Miss Kate and a matching pair for Miss Aubrey. I propped Miss Aubrey on some big cozy blankets on the floor and the kids wanted to be as close to her as possible. They cooed over her and told her stories and then settled in beside her for awhile to entertain themselves.

Here is the Wee Lady herself! The center of our little world these days. :)

She reminds me of Sjo or uncle AJ in this picture.

She loves to hold tightly to my finger and usually settles down with a finger to hold if she's getting agitated.

Tay-O is very caring and compassionate with his little sister. He doesn't like to hear her cry and will croon to her and stuff her binky in desperately.

Miss Kate mothers them both. :)

Tay-O is always quite pleased when the binky hushes Miss Aubrey up.

This morning i had to suction out her little nose as she is still getting over her cold. The kids both climbed up on the bed to inspect. I didn't notice Tay-O until half way through the painful process. He was sitting crosslegged with his hands clamped over both ears. After a short time he pulled one hand off to remove his binky as quickly as possible and immediately continued covering both ears and humming loudly as well trying his best to drown out the screaming of his precious little sister. Eventually he resorted to burying his face in the covers until it was all over. I think it was more traumatizing for him than it was for Miss Aubrey. :)

I sat down with the camera the other day thinking it had a been awhile since I took any pics of our Wee Lady and ended up getting a bit carried away. Sorry she's sleeping in all of her pics. I'll have to work on getting an awake one. Especially now that she is smiling in response occasionally. I'll let you look without comment ...other than "can you tell I love baby feet?"