Columbus Day

Columbus Day has been a big thing to me for the past several years. A cousin told me a while back about her family's tradition of picking apples and making pies on that day, and ever since I've done the same. (Well, I don't actually pick them, I just buy them at an apple stand across the river.)

Anyway, I've been dreaming about sharing my pie tradition with "my kids" for a long time, and it was SOOOO cool to pile the kids in the car to actually do it! *Happy Shelly* I've never pealed ten cups of apples and not had a scrap of apple peals or cores leftover to toss before. They gobbled down every bit of them. It weirded me out a bit, but it sure made clean-up easy!

I was trying to figure a way that apple pies and Columbus Day could go hand and hand, and I figure that apple pie is "America's favorite dessert" and since Columbus "discovered" America, (ok, please hold off on the emails on that one; I know that's up for debate!), I figure I can get away with it.

I just wish they were understanding a bit more English so I could explain all of that to them better. They just figure it was a nice fall day and Mama got hungry for pie.

They also got a care package from their aunt and uncle and kept *very* busy all afternoon with their loot. One of the things was an adorable teddybear that you wind up and it plays "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." Aleksa's eyes got really big when she heard it and then she screamed, "Twinko, Twinko, Mama!" She has hardly parted with it since. (I got all teary hearing it play "her song." It was too sweet!)

Anyway, that's the day's highlights! I made sure to get this typed up early since I have no doubt that I'm going to crash as soon as possible tonight. John is watching, er, playing with the kids. Another one of the presents from today was an ERECTOR SET. John was sure giddy about there being an actual motor in the kit! Happy, happy Papa.


Apple Day
Apple Day
Apple Day
Erector Set
Aleksa's Bear
Adam's Jeep