Apple Pickin!

Eeeewwwww!

William enjoyed sensory bliss in the corn bins...he went in 3 different times and stayed for as long as we would let him!  Very happy guy...

Charlie found a couple of kitties on the farm and was very happy to love them as much as they would allow...poor kitties! 

The world's saddest kitten...

And a secret agent kitten...

Charlie gets an apple! 

Greetings from the apple orchard...

Bringing in the harvest...

William seems to be contemplating the apple before him...

Will saw all these other people holding goats, and he really wanted to do it.  He just couldn't figure out how!  So finally I explained it was basically a hug, and he got up the nerve and just went for it!  Success! 

Charlie "loving" this poor chick to death...almost.  Put him down Lenny! 

William kisses his salmonella laden buddy...

Charlie drives his first McCormick...

Will stuck with the John Deere...

Charlie finally got in to the corn bin at the very end of the day when we were about to go home..  I think the texture freaked him out.  Once he got in though, he didn't want to leave and we had to drag him kicking and screaming away! 

   All in all a lovely day in the orchards!  We ended up picking 11 pounds of apples and then we picked up a big bag of Honeycrisps too! We need to get busy and make a pie!

Day of the Dozers....

This huge pile of sand was too much of a draw for Charlie.  He ended up playing here for almost the entire time till we literally FORCED him to go ride one of the big diggers...

They had a super cool activity letting kids use metal detectors to find stuff in the sand.  If they found it, they got a prize, but Will was only interested in the forensics side of things.  "I'm doing SCIENCE!"  he told the guy running it...

Got it! 

Charlie boy looking so much older...

Will got to ride the roller this year and was so happy...they didn't have the smaller stuff last year...

Charlie in the cab of the only machine he rode that day...

The big tires were a huge hit!  Trying to figure out where I can get them...

Pudd...

First Day of School...

Will was SO happy to be going back to school! He loves it, and this year got to start Art, Gym, and Music classes.  He has a few kids from his class last year in class this year, which is nice, but there are plenty of new faces too.  His teacher is very nice, and has years of experience, and two boys of her own, which makes me have lots of faith in her! 

Poor Charlie got bad croup again the weekend before school started, so he ended up missing the first two days after much anticipation.  He was THRILLED, as you can plainly see to finally get to go! 

Getting prepared! 

Saying Goodbye to brother...

We are back in the full swing of things around here.  The boys are now officially back to school and they are both so happy.  Charlie is bringing home art and playing with new friends.  Will LOVES PE, and seems to be so much happier to be back in a structured world again.  Summer is great, but there has been much less squabbling, and the kids are happy to see each other again at the end of the day.  It's been nice to have a few hours a week too in which I can get some projects done that you really can't do with the kids around, but I am always eager to see them come home!

Random Summer...

Impressive Wingspan! 

William is in the middle in the white shirt.  Swim lessons have been great!  He is such a big fan of water!

Charlie and William waiting for Grandma Jeanie.  We had such a great visit, and the kids are still asking about her...

Charlie is so serious waiting for the ride to start...

Lazy Sunday morning brunch...

Summer reading at the library...

They have been building new houses across the street, and the kids have been having a great time dumpster diving for scrap lumber and various building materials...

Random shot from Gooseberry Falls.  It was on Jason's phone and too good to not include! 

The boys went to their first "Threshing Show".  This is a common event here in late summer.  All the old steam engines were on display and every old John Deere in a 100 mile radius...

Charlie looks so proud of this one! 

Time for School!!

They have an old school house on the grounds, and the kids loved it!  Just like in the little house books! 

They also have a little church they hauled to the site.  Will liked reading the hymns...