Happy 16 month sweet pea!

Yes, it's the 24th again, and our sweet little Brilee Grace is a month older.  It seems it's usually around this time that I lose track of "how many months old" our babies are...but the time is really flying by and I hate not being able to call her a baby anymore since she is a full-fledged toddler.

(Disclaimer: the video below was originally not intended to be a video.  I was trying to take a picture of Brilee while she was amused with sticking her finger up her nose (you can only see this the first second of the video).  This was her newest discovery, and she was quite pleased with herself.  I realized my camera was on video setting, so I just let it keep recording for a few seconds.  She'll love me for this in the future, I'm sure ;)

Brilee, you crawl up on top of the table if anyone forgets to push their chair up to the table so there is not even one INCH for you to be able to squeeze yourself through.  You find amazement in dumping out half-full glasses and shaking the salt and pepper before mommy catches you and swoops you back to the floor.

You are the first to obey when I say, "Let's go upstairs" or "Let's get our shoes on!"  I'm amazed at how much you understand what we are saying, and you are one smart little cookie.  When I tell Sean & Lilly, "Daddy will be home soon" I find you rushing to the door thinking I said that he is already home.  You get disappointed when Sean & Lilly go somewhere without you (usually to Nana's) and you're trying your darndest to get your shoes on too and look so sad when they leave out the door and you don't those shoes on yet.

You still have ONLY 2 teeth!  I'm not sure when those row of teeth I see below your gums are going to finally pop through and relieve you of your teething misery.  However, you are a trooper when it comes to eating almost anything with only those two little slightly crooked bottom teeth.  Maybe you'll have a few more by your 18 month check-up or we'll just have to have a chat with the pediatrician.  She's going to have to tell you to let those stinking little things come through!

Big gummy smile with the whites of teeth bulging under the gums.  

Which is why you have a paci in your mouth 95% of the time--those teeth hurt!

You have about 6 pacifiers, but for some reason, they all seem to disappear and we're scrambling at bedtime to find at least one for you to go to sleep.  We find them in odd places, you carry them around 3 or 4 at a time, switching them out as though they are "losing flavor" or something then you lose them again.  It's a never-ending cycle.  Until those teeth all come then, then you're going to have to part with your beloved paci's like brother and sister had to do.  They both gave them up at 18 months, but I think your teeth are going to need a "little" bit longer...just how long we'll have to see!

You're doing GREAT with your sign language--using please, more, eat, drink, all done, diaper, doggy.  You're trying to say, "More" and "all done" when you use those signs.  It is so cute when I ask you if you need your diaper changed and you pat your bottom (the sign) then lay down for me so I can change you....ok, sometimes you run away after patting your bottom, but I guess you're entitled to a little bit of fun! You're also saying the word doll without using a sign.  I think you've done the best of all 3 of the kiddos when it comes to your signing vocabulary.  (Though Sean was basically speaking in sentences at this age, so he really didn't have use for the signs!)

Pulling down her pants in response to needing her diaper changed...I find this hilarious and perfect for future potential dates!

Sorry for laughing at your expense, sweet pea, but you're just such a joy to us and bring SO much laughter!  We love you!

Windy Hill Orchard & Cider Mill

The kids and I took an extremely fun field trip today with the HINTS homeschool group to Windy Hill Orchard & Cider Mill in York, SC. The kids were excited to get a chance to have an apple donut, cider & take home their own pumpkin. (Since apple season is at it's end, they had pumpkins for the kids to take home, but the focus of the presentation was still on making apple cider & Johnny Appleseed).

We got there a little early to make sure we had plenty of time to get down there. When we arrived, the kids had fun looking at the baby pigs, hens and roosters that were freely roaming around the entire place.

I was SO disappointed that I forgot my camera at home, but thankful at the same time that at least I have a decent camera on my phone.  

I was so glad they got the chance to walk around without a large group crowding around, because right around the time I took this picture, a few buses arrived with kids from several different schools.  I had no clue that our group would be tacked onto another school group, which was a little disappointment because with all of the kids that were around it was harder to keep track of where my kids were.  However, our group of homeschool moms stuck together and made it through our tour without getting separated :)  I didn't get as many pictures as I had hoped due to the commotion of keeping up with everybody, but I got a few good shots of the hayride.

Our tour guide was "Johnny Appleseed", and BOY, was this guy impressive!  He had his whole presentation (which was rhymed and very metric/rhythmic) memorized and had a great way of speaking with children.  He started off our tour telling us how apple cider is made and by telling the story of Johnny Appleseed.  I was EXTRA impressed when he gave a gospel presentation at the end of the story!  He spoke of the truths of the Bible Johnny portrayed and that Jesus was the only way to heaven.  I was SO glad that all these school children were getting the gospel presented to them on a field trip!  I learned later from the mom who organized our group trip that the family that owns the orchard is a homeschool family, which made sense why they would have such a great presentation of this degree.  

I wanted to get a picture of the kids with Johnny Appleseed, but he was busy, busy and was off on another tour after ours was over.  The kids were MOST interested in the next part of our tour--where they got to pick out their pumpkin, then go eat an apple donut and drink cider.

Lilly picked her pumpkin out rather quickly...

However, Sean went up and down every row of pumpkins looking for "the biggest, best pumpkin ever!"

 I'm not sure he was satisfied with his pumpkin (since he had seen a HUGE pumpkin at the entrance to the orchard, but once I told him, "Yours is the biggest one I've seen out here for the kids to choose from!" he was proud that he had chosen a keeper.

The kids thoroughly enjoyed their cider and donut.  They each got a cute little "apple sipper" in the shape of an apple with a lid that flips open and shut.  The cider was ice cold and very yummy!  So much so that I bought a gallon to bring home to share with daddy...oh, and along with a dozen donuts.  ;)  We couldn't let him miss out on the yummy treats they enjoyed!

We enjoyed our picnic lunches with the other families then headed home.  Since it was 1:15 by that point, Brilee fell promptly asleep about 30 seconds after we pulled out of the orchard.  Sean and Lilly weren't too far behind.  They all enjoyed a nice nap home in the car--so, I took the long way home avoiding the major highways which would have been quicker.  I enjoyed the nice scenic route instead :)

 I love limp baby heads when they are fast asleep.

 Sean had to keep his pumpkin right next to him in the car.  He wanted to make sure his didn't get mixed up with the girls' pumpkins!

I just love how Lilly wants Woody buckled right up with her in her seatbelt.  Such a safe little mommy :)

OH, and notice how the girls are wearing matching shirts?  (The only matching outfits they have due to the fact that I shop by consignment only and happened to find the same one for them both).  Anyway, we went to Target later, and a lady stopped us and said, "How cute!  Are they twins?  Um, lady...one is over a foot taller than the other and has obviously much longer hair.  Do matching outfits really equate to twins?  Please, people, inform me on this one!  

Laundry fun

The Boys' Camping Trip

Jon took Sean camping Friday night with a few other father/sons from our church.  They went to Cane Creek Park and had a blast.  Jon took some pictures (though I was disappointed he didn't get anyone to take a pic of the two of them together!)  But, he got a great shot of Sean's fish that he caught....and the food because that is important to guys ;)

While they were camping, I took Lilly & Brilee to Chick-fil-A for their "Fairy Tale" night.  Kids who dressed as fairies/princesses/knights/pirates got a free kids meal and they had fun games, Renaissance actors, and Horse-drawn carriage rides (around the parking lot, ha!) Lilly & Brilee wore their costumes I got from the consignment sale which were little angel/fairy costumes with wings on the back.  It worked out well to double for this event!  They had so much fun and one of the ladies dressed up from the Renaissance era fell in love with chatting with her and they took a bunch of pictures of the girls (they had everyone sign a release to post them on their FB page).  Anyway, I'm glad they took pictures, because I forgot my phone to take pictures and Jon had my camera with them!  When/if they post any pictures, I'll add them in a different post.

Apple Pie Filling

Every year after apple picking, I usually make apple butter and apple jelly.  This year, I decided to give apple pie filling a try.  I've heard how easy it is, and how versatile it can be--not only using it for pies, but also sauces and other desserts.  SO, I found a highly recommended recipe on All Recipes and made my first batch today!

The recipe said it would make 7 quarts, but in my case, it only made 5 full quarts, and I ran out of the filling half way through the 6th...I guess we'll use that one this week to try out how it tastes :)

Maybe the jars were filled with too much air between the apples?  The slices were rather large due to my apple slicer/corer having rather large wedges.  Maybe for the next batch, I'll cut each slice in half, but I sigh at that prospect as it already was difficult to do this with 3 kids running around!

They did help during the apple PEELING portion--I absolutely LOVE my apple peeler from pampered chef.  The kids do too!

 Now, this peeler WILL also core and slice the apple, but the problem is that it slices it in very small thin spiral slices, which won't work well for apple pie filling.  I forgot to take the corer off to begin with, so I let the kids peel a few to eat before taking it off to peel the remaining apples for the filling.  (It also gave them something to eat while I could finish the work without them under foot ;)

I know the pic below of Lilly is blurry, but I had to include it because at the time she was pushing as hard as she could saying, "It's STUCK mommy!"  It was stuck on the corer, and this is the point I just removed the corer/slicer so I could slice the apples in wedges instead of spirals.

 Sean wanted to eat the thin little peeling left over

 Makes a HUGE mess....this is just the beginning--by the time I was finished there was apple juice/peelings all over the floor, counter and little trails the kids left behind.  I've learned to deal with these messes much better than I used to...guess I've resigned myself to the fact that life with little kids is very messy and can be cleaned up...

 Sean eating his spiral sliced apple (also notice the peeler leaves some skin on the apple that has to be peeled off by hand.  Oh, and in the background of the pic below, you can see just how large the wedges are on my hand apple slicer/corer.

Before making my next batch, I need to go to the store for more jar tips...and cornstarch.  I'm going to try to slice the apples thinner to see if I can get at least a full 6 quarts next time.  Oh, and I need to buy apple cider to make apple butter!  Below is the apple pie filling recipe for any who may want to try it! **Note--I didn't add the yellow food coloring as the recipe directs--I didn't see the need for it, and I don't like the idea of adding things that aren't necessary.  Anyone know what it could be for??

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 10 cups water
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 drops yellow food coloring
• 6 pounds apples

Directions

1. in a large pan, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add salt and water and mix well. Bring to a boil and cook until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and food coloring.
2. Sterilize canning jars, lids and rings by boiling them in a large pot of water.
3. Peel, core, and slice apples. Pack the sliced apples into hot canning jars, leaving a 1/2 inch headspace.
4. Fill jars with hot syrup, and gently remove air bubbles with a knife.
5. Put lids on and process in a water bath canner for 20 minutes.

Homemade Playdough

Somebody tell me why I haven't tried homemade play dough before now? It's easy, not smelly like the store bought stuff, and the kids have fun making it too! Win all around!

I got this recipe out of our Sonlight curriculum book for a lesson that went along with one of the stories from "Uncle Wiggily's Story Book," called Uncle Wiggily and the Birthday Cake--which is why the kids are making cakes out of their play-dough.  They had lots of fun and I just had to remind them even though this play dough smells good, it does NOT taste good! :)

Combine in a medium sauce pan:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

2 T cream of tartar

Add:

1 cup water

2 t food coloring

Cook over medium heat and stir, about 3-5 minutes, until it gets thick and pulls away from the sides of the pot. Let cool. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. You can also add peppermint or almond extract for a pleasant scent.

 Lilly's finished cake

 Sean's cake

 I had to occupy Brilee with a snack, so she didn't try to eat the play dough...