Just the Five of Us

Chocolate World

Vacation Photo Book

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Apple Picking

We picked a bushel of apples this weekend, and the weather was crisp and clear and gorgeous. Owen and Emma loved climbing under and into the trees to get at the apples, and often, all we could see was their feet at the foot of the trees. Jake picked some too, but he preferred to have Doug lift him up on his shoulders to get the good ones at the top. Of course, they all had to do it--Doug's a good sport. We hit the farm market after picking, and the kids had cider slushies. We made applesauce to go with our dinner, and we have plans for pies and crisps.

 

 

 

 

Bits of August (So Far)

at the duck pond

After Jake's lesson last week, we headed to the duck pond for the MOMS Club meeting. Jake played in the creek for a bit, but he was much more interested in reading. So far, he's read the first three Harry Potter books in three days. He started the fourth tonight around 9:15. When we tucked him in an hour later, he had read 150 pages.

Emma and Owen spent time looking for 'rock tadpoles'--what Owen calls little rocks that he pretends are tadpoles.

Owen's friend Jesse brought trucks to share. Owen and his other friend Owen really enjoyed playing with the trucks in the creek, dumping rocks and bulldozing through the water.

at VBS

The theme this year was Hero Headquarters. Emma loved it, as usual. Owen last two and a half days. When I picked him up on Tuesday, he was sitting alone watching the music videos with three teenage girls who took him under their wings--and he was loving it. Not enough to stay, however.

 

at the car wash

I took the kids bowling the other day, and we stopped at an automatic car wash. Owen had never been in one, and he was not sure what to think. Emma and Jake loved it, and it was cute to see all three of them watching wash with their bank lollipops.

 

 

Vacation: Friday

 

Vacation: Thursday

Fishing

With temps in the 70s and no plans until evening, we took the kids fishing on Saturday. It was a bit hectic between keeping Owen safe and the kids baited and untangled, and it was very slow for the first hour. Emma caught some chubs, and Jake caught one. He was bummed and ready to go home when he caught his first keeper. Not five minutes later, he caught another one. He was really proud of that one because he cast it himself. Then Emma caught one. Owen was even given a hook this year, and he enjoyed feeding the many minnows that would nibble at the worm. He liked dragging his pole around to move the worm and watch the fish chase after it. We only gave him about eight feet of line and he doesn't have a reel, so he was pretty limited. Eventually, he just had a bobber on the end. When we were done, we fed the fish at the hatchery and went home to filet and prep the fish. Emma was very attached to her fish, and she loved holding it even though it was dead and slimy. This, from the girl who freaks at the site of a spider. We grilled the filets, and it was very tasty.

The kids love fishing, and Doug and I are already thinking of fishing themed Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We stopped for ice cream afterward at 3Bs, and we saw a deer in the clearing. Jake was able to get about 150 yards from it before the deer retreated. Before it did though, it took a couple steps toward Jake, which he did not like. We explained that deer don't normally charge people, but Jake wasn't sure whether to believe us or not.

The Pool Turns 50!

Our pool turned 50 this year, and we had a party to celebrate. The kids had a blast, and we were there for almost four hours!

 

This is Owen's favorite snack at the pool . . . sour Skittles (we dump half the bag for the other kids).

 

Emma's been doing some crazy jumps. She loves to be in the water!

 

Rubber duck relay across the dive pool. Each kid picked a rubber duck, and they had to kick their legs fast to churn up the water so the ducks would make it across the pool Emma won in her age group.

 

 

Jake's duck didn't place--though not for lack of Jake's trying!

 

Even Owen got to try to get a duck across the baby pool--with some encouragement from Emma.

Then they had a limbo contest. Owen was hysterical to watch because he'd crouch down really low and look up, afraid to touch the stick but with a ton of clearance. Emma was the last one standing, but since she touched the stick when she tried to go under, they declared no winners.

 

 

There was a water balloon toss, too. Jake didn't want to play, but Emma did. We tried three times but didn't last long--she's VERY competitive and did not take losing well. Owen was mystified by the water balloons. He'd never seen any before, and he was very apprehensive of them for some reason. He refused to touch them and just stared at them for the longest time. He was still talking about them at night when he went to bed--he just couldn't wrap his mind around water in balloons.

Then it was time for the beach ball relay. The older kids had to kick back and forth across the pool, and the little ones pushed it back and forth across the baby pool with their noses. Emma won in her age group twice. She was on fire!

 

 

We had cake, and Owen REALLY enjoyed his.

 

The final activity was the coin dive. The board threw 50.00 in coins into both pools, and the kids dove for whatever they could collect. We had never seen the pool so busy and yet so quiet! Owen really got into it, diving for coins and chanting "Money, money, money, money" over and over--not unlike Mr. Crabs!

 

Jake collected $1.65.

 

Emma got $1.38.

 

 

 

Owen found $.60!

The kids had a blast, and Doug and I had fun, too. It was a wonderful afternoon!

Vacation: Wednesday

 

 

 

Vacation: Tuesday