Fall Weekend

Highlights...
~ Getting the basement all cleaned out
~ Both Grandmas helping to watch the kids so I could make this happen
~ The dinner my mom made
~ Baking the last pumpkins
~ Sewing
~ Playing in the barn before bedtime
~ Fall colors
~ Time to write

Michaelmas Festival

Friday morning when we pulled up to school there was an excited feeling in the air.  You could tell that all of the children knew it was a special day.  As Jackson, Nora and I were leaving the school we walked past a giant (and I do mean giant... this picture doesn't do it justice) pot of soup being brewed by some volunteer parents.  All of the classes had been busily chopping vegetables throughout the week for the big feast that was to take place after the Michaelmas play.





The first graders were asked to wear red for their part in the play (which inspired me to make a new skirt for Grace the night before).  When we arrived back at school about an hour before the play all of them were outside bustling about in their red bandannas working hard to get everything ready.  It was so neat to see their sense of pride and connection as they worked together for this big event.





All of the grades have a part in the play (except the kindergartners).  It was very beautiful.  Jackson especially loved the dragon.  And I especially loved being surrounded by such a wonderful community of people.  As all of the teachers, children and parents sang a blessing together before the feast (in a round I might add) I couldn't help but feel incredibly grateful to be a part of this school.

Picnic By the River

Weekend Highlights

~ Harvesting some potatoes
~ Knitting with Grace
~ Pesto and applesauce
~ Fall air
~ Reading my book
~ Eating baked goods from our garden
~ New dishwasher in
~ Nora starting to crawl

Apples

Jackson and I declared this week to be apple week as we had so many apples to tend to.  I wish I could say we are finished but not so.  I will have more work to do this weekend.  

But we managed to make 10 jars of apple sauce so far.  This year at the apple orchard we (unknowingly) came during the time the "Sweet Sixteen" apples were ready for picking.  I will now make an effort to go this time every year.  They are so yummy.  And I didn't have to put sugar in our apple sauce this year because they are so sweet.  

We also made some really yummy apple cake

1 and 1/2 cups white flour

1 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups diced apples

Mix flour, cinnamon, soda, salt and baking powder together. Beat eggs and add sugar and oil. Add vanilla and dry ingredients. Stir in apples. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

We have been reading all of our favorite apple books.  ("Apple Cake" you are my favorite fall book.)

And enjoying our apple/kale/beet juice using the juicer. 

Now somehow I just need to get motivated to can another 10 jars of apple sauce...

Morning Walk

Sunday Knitting with Grace

Today Grace and I started our new weekly tradition of knitting together.  We decided awhile ago that once school started we wanted to do something special together every week just the two of us. Since we both love knitting it sounded like the perfect idea.  My hope is of course that this tradition will continue until she graduates from high school.  However today she informed that she could only promise me the next 6 years because after that she would have too many friends that will want to be with her.  "Well we can maybe continue, but I can't promise it.  I'll just have to see."  At least have a six year contract.  Anyway, today we went into Stillwater to a little coffee shop over looking the river and knitted happily away for an hour.  Afterwords we stopped into our favorite knitting shop to gather ideas for our next projects.  Can't wait until next Sunday.

Apple Picking

Fall Hike