Apple Picking

We travelled up to Carter's Mountain this morning to go apple picking.  It's one of the most popular apple orchards in the area, and is always crushed with people... so we have learned to go EARLY!  If we get on the road by 9 and are there by 10 (they open at 9), we're golden.  The morning is filled with hours of running through the trees and devouring all the apples we can eat while saving a couple for purchasing, then some football playing, followed by picking out our pumpkins (30 lbs each this year - and they were the smallest ones we could find!), and a delicious lunch of fresh made burgers and fries, apple cider, and of course the required hot apple cider donuts... We're back in the car by 1, silently gloating while we pass what seems like hundreds of cars lined up, idling, on the long windy mountain path as we head home with our shiny apple and hot donut treasures.  A trip up the mountain never fails to disappoint.

Fireman Drew

Decked out in a costume. And the requisite baseball glove that he seems to have glued to his little hand lately.

Yo-Yuck

Despite what he has named yogurt, this kid LOVES it. Adores it. Would eat it 24-7. And he has to have it out of the container - definitely not a bowl! I adore how he pulls the container close and peers inside, barely able to see down to the bottom. I sure hope his accuracy improves - he has a tendency to over load the spoon and wear most of it on his bib. It's good to have lots and lots of napkins handy...

Space men

After 5 minutes too long of Evan being silent, I checked over his shoulder and found this.

He had been looking through his toys, and pulled out some very specific guys, then arranged them in a perfect semi-circle around the spaceship.  He got embarrassed when I asked about it, so I'm left to wonder what was going through his head! I do count the smurf as a space-man, so maybe the guys were on the moon? Everyone who flys? A Mars adventure?

We've been webbed!

We woke this morning to a yard that is simply filed with spider webs! All shapes and sizes, on the grass and flowers, covering entire bushes.  The morning dew and light fog made each one stand out-there must be at least a hundred in our yard alone.  (Oddly the neighbors didn't have nearly as many... Not sure I want to think about what's living in my grass!) Evan wondered why all these webs were in the yard, and together we came up with the realization that Spiderman must have visited last night!

Orioles Win!

Okay, so technically everyone wins in 4yo t-ball, since the rules are pretty lax and they don't keep score, but today was a huge victory anyway.  Evan's team had a doubleheader bright and early this morning, and made it through without any major meltdowns or injuries, and felt a great sense of pride after both games were done.


It was as gorgeous Fall morning - 65 and sunny.  The grass was littered with parents and grandparents in folding chairs, all clutching coffee and cameras.  We played the Red Sox at 9am and the Braves at 10, and everyone did great.  There are three innings per game, and everyone in the lineup bats each inning.  The kids get three swings on their own and if they still haven't hit the ball well, Coach can give a little assist.  Each child runs one base after a hit, and the last kiddo in the lineup hits a grand slam.  The kids hit in a different order each inning, and get to try new spots on the field each inning as well.  Today Evan got to hang at 1st, 2nd, and "right field."  Fielders all stay on the infield, since hits rarely go more than 20 feet, let alone into the grass, and they're slowly getting better at understanding when to chase the ball and when to let someone else across the field go after it.  Baseball doesn't have a super-fast pace though, so quite a few sand castles and dirt drawings were created, some dancing happened, and many a mom was cringing at her kid scuffing new shoes in the dirt while they waited for the ball to come their way.  Evan passed the time by chatting with the other team's players while on base... sometimes having too much fun telling his new friend a story and forgetting to run to the next base. After each game, naturally everyone lines up and "does high fives," then does a team cheer and gets snacks. I think Evan's sold on playing ball.

Before the game the kids received their official team shirts, and Evan couldn't show off his new #2 enough.  

 

"Hands in, everyone... Goooooooo, Orioles!"

Patiently waiting for our turns to bat.

 

  

Nice hit, Evan!  

Good running too.

Fielding... in the "ready" position, prepared to grab
the ball with our "alligator hands."

 Good game, good game, good game... 

 Drew waited pretty patiently through both games; 

he was definitely proud of his brother.

In the pool

Evan's ready for water-play day at school,
or the pool, or wherever he can wear
his goggles and get wet!

We spent a lot of time in the pool this summer.  I just love how it's literally across the street!  So easy to go after school/work, or first thing in the morning, and not a hassle to go for a quick dip when we need some heat relief or to release some energy, then come home for naps.

Of course, with two little kids, there wasn't much picture taking happening - we were both in the pool with them the whole time. Both boys, but Evan especially, had a ton of fun (and worked really hard) swimming.  Evan's skills progressed quickly being in the water so often, and by the end of his 3yo summer he can use his kick board all the way down the pool and back almost 100% unassisted, jump in and be under without a problem, he's got the basics of arm movements down, and he can even fetch a toy at the bottom and push off the wall under water.

Today, at the end of the summer, he asked if he could use the diving board.  He's been waiting forever for that - he was asking about it last summer when he was only 2!  One afternoon we had the pool almost to ourselves, and with the lifeguard's consent, we gave it a shot.  Evan was a little nervous, and paused at the end, but didn't go back - he jumped right to me.  Oh, the happiness!!  And the repeats... he must have done another 20 jumps before he finally gave in to the blue lips and chattering teeth to skip happily home, proud of his new diving-board status.