Apple Picking

A few weeks ago we took a little adventure out past the Snake River Valley to find us some apple trees to pick from. Well it turned out to be quit the adventure, the orchard we went to was planted on a hunting club grounds to attract the deer about 20 years ago, since then the owners turned it into a shooting range. So we pulled up to the sounds of guns going off everywhere but were assured none near the apples, so Lydia, Kris and I grabbed our buckets and started picking. I think it took us 10 minutes to get 4 bushels of the best looking apples I have ever seen. The man had 7 varieties and we picked, Rome, Johnathan's, and Jonagold. We then or should I say I then proceeded to make 22 Quarts of Applesauce, 8 pints of apple butter and 6 Quarts of apple pie filling (I gave 2 bushels to Jackie, our neighbor) we had plenty left over that we have used to eat and make apple turnovers and caramel apples.
Here are some photos of us picking apples:

Break Through

We had a break though this morning at preschool. Lydia walked in to her class alone and moved her photo to the HERE side and gave me a hug and kiss goodbye and walked away. It was a good feeling as I know she is having fun. I also am super excited because I get to go into her class on the 28th and be one of two Mom's to help with the class party!!! I know you mom's who do it all the time are laughing at me right now but for me it is a big deal, this is why I stay home, to be there with my kids and do fun things!!!

Also for my Mother who is so worried poor little Hannah will be sleeping in a half painted room with no crib, we are 1 step closer to her having her own room. Kris, Lydia and I painted all morning Sunday and we are DONE!!!! I just love the white woodwork and lavendar walls. Now to buy the crib and figure out how we will get a Queen bed, crib, rocker and dresser all in this room oh and where the computer is going to reside until that day money falls out of the sky and we can buy a laptop. But I feel so much better with the room painted. Now on to getting clothes ready and baby stuff unpacked from boxes.

I have three hours to myself this morning so I am off to knit (oh yeah, Rachel taught me how to knit in the round and make hats and I am on my 2nd hat in one week for Hannah and the next one is for Lydia) so fun and watch a little TV. We have a 3 year old who thinks she needs to get her Mom and Dad ready for a newborn and is waking up two to three times a night, to either go potty (which is good) be covered up (oh come on you can do it yourself) or rock her. I know I should cherish these moments but when you are 7 months pregnant you cherish your sleep more!!

Happy Fall, we are loving this wonderful cool weather.

God Bless America

Lydia is learning lots in preschool, I look forward to every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon when I pick her up and see all the stuff she did that morning. She has learned how to write letters A, B and C and what common words start with them. She is now tracing her name and can tell you she has a L Y D A in her name but not sure how they go. The drops off are a little tough but when I pick her up she is a happy little girl ready to tell me about her day. She goes to a Christian preschool so she says prayer before snack and lunch and they sing "God Bless America" every morning. She comes home and sings it for us and I finally got it on video, here you go enjoy. I set my c-section for Dec 10th, we do not know what time yet but will by next appt in two weeks. I have 10 weeks left, I am not sure if that sounds like a lot or a little but back at 8 weeks when I was so sick I never thought I would make it this far so I guess it too will fly by.
This past weekend Kris's old college roommate, Jason Smith and his good friend Mike ?, flew in from Upstate New York, they had a great time, I think they said it had been 12 years since they saw each other. Very nice men and I enjoyed having them around, they cooked for us two nights and took us out to eat a few times which was really nice treat for me. They timed up their visit or should I say got lucky with "College Game Day" being in town and a HUGE BSU football game on Saturday night. Someday we hope to make it out their way. Jason owns his own Lumber Saw Mill and I would love to see how that operates and meet his wife and kids. I have been busy busy busy with house nesting, I am almost done with Hananh's room, I painted all the woodwork from puke yellow to white and this project proved to be a tough on, sanding, priming, three coats of crappy Sherwin Williams paint, followed by sanding and two coats of GREAT Behr paint. I just have three little walls left to roll in lavendar and then we need to buy a crib and get her room set up. I or I actually can say we canned 20 quarts of peaches Saturday and 5 pints of salsa. The garden just kicked it into gear and I am finally getting tomotoes. I am working on Lydia's halloween costume which I will surprise you with a photo later once it is done. Well I better move it on out and get her from school.


"29 week belly shot"

Ohio

We got back from our trip to Ohio this past Sunday and I don't think we are yet back to normal but are working very hard at it. We were there for 12 days and had a great visit. Kris was able to take his Dad, Brother Jason, his cousin Jenny and good friend Brian to Washington D.C for the Virginia Tech BSU football game and they had a blast.
Lydia had so much fun playing with her cousins. It was so dang cute to watch how happy she was to have a playmate most every day. She absolutely loved Grandma and Grandpa and took full advantage of being around them. She played with them none stop as well. I took advantage of having Grandma around as I did a lot of relaxing which was great. The weather was perfect most days in the 70's and Fall like. Kris and I were able to sneek away for two dates, one to dinner and a walk up on Lake Erie and another to his alma mater Ashland University and to Amish Country. It was so nice to have together time.
On our flights home we had a LONG layover in Denver so we meet my parents for lunch, it was a special treat to be able to do so, despite how tired the 3 of us where. On our way back through security you would have thought I had the next atomic bomb, I had 5 TSA agents on me searching my bags (I had a back pack and her carryon and my purse) comes to find out Play-Doh is a Haz-Mat item and not allowed through Denver's airport, the funny thing is it made it through both Boise and Cleveland and on every other 30 flights we have taken since she was old enough to play with it. Made for an interesting experience.
Thanks to everyone who made our visit special, it was great to see you all and spend time with you.

Grandma, Baby Kiptyn and Lydia playing the the yard

Playing at Aunt Lindsey's and Uncle Jamey's

Cole and Lydia (they are two peas in a pod and she loved him to pieces, he did EVERYTHING she wanted)

Hanging out on Uncle Fred and Aunt Kathy's combine

Sitting on a John Deere

Playing in the yard

The four Grandkids

Wearing Grandpa's hat

First Day of Preschool

Today was Lydia's first day of preschool. The drop off went well, she was a little nervous at first but found the dolls to play with and went over in her corner and played. Now if she listened while there, I am not sure yet but I am sure she did great. I was so excited because they get there 1st book order today (those piece of papers that came home with me in elementary and you got to order a book or two) so we will order a book or two as well. On the drop off we ran into a little girl that was in her class that comes to the gym all the time so I was so relieved to know there was someone in her class she would know.

Well I better get off the internet and enjoy the quiet time for the next hour and get my to do list done.

Our Visitors

Like I mentioned before my brother Dan and his family arrived into Boise on Thursday and spent the weekend here. We had a great time. They stayed at a hotel with a nice pool and the girls swam and swam. Both Lydia and Ellie were sad to see each other leave. They have a blast together and get along great.

Baby

Well thanks to the mystery pain I got to look at my sweet baby girl #2 again last Thursday. Here are two of the photos from the ultrasound.