Apple Picking in Wisconsin

Early October and the weather was still perfect; actually a little on hot side of the scale. We were longing for the infamous New York apples. So we googled a U-Pick Apple orchard and drove northbound to Wisconsin. We found the cutest, overly priced apple orchard. 

This place was a little different than what we were used to, but fun nonetheless. They make you pay for your bag of apples before you actually pick them, and the smallest amount your can pick is half a peck! That's a ton of apples for you non-apple-picker-speakers. and it was $20 bucks. 

But hey. there was a tractor, and that kind of made it worth it.  

The tractor ride drove us to the orchard and we ate our weight in apples, and picked enough apples for 2 months. 

This humidity does nothing for my hair and I swear I feel damp everywhere. all the time.

We picked to our hearts content, and taught her about not dropping apples or eating apples off the ground.  

1/2 a peck of apples!!

We also picked our Halloween pumpkins, ate way too many apple cider donuts (they DO NOT compare to Ithaca's...), and went to the petting zoo.

this was my first attempt EVER at making a pie. It got a little crisp on the top, but it tasted DELISH.

My grandma Mary gave me her super secret, award winning recipe... and so of course it still tasted good. 

(I have since perfected it. The secret is in the crust.)

2 Years and 9 Months

We are constantly amazed at how grown up she is. Her personality is absolutely hilarious and she definitely is coming into her own. She has opinions about everything, wants to help with anything she can get her hands on, and loves playing with friends.

Here are something about my little girl:

-- Favorite foods: Chicken Nuggets, Mac N Cheese, Broccoli, Greek Yogurt, Baby Tomatoes, Cookie Butter (Peanut Butter), snacks (crackers, dried fruit, a bowl of veggies ?!..), Italian Meatballs with Ranch, Apples, and Strawberries

-- You give dad a "haircut" by cleaning his hair with a wipe

-- When you see the moon, "Hi Moon!"

-- When Dad gets home from work, you like us to lay on the bed and talk about our day or read us stories

-- I always say you don't talk or walk anymore, you are constantly singing and dancing

-- You make up new songs and sing in everyday conversation

-- You started a mini preschool that meet 2x a week for 1 hour. You love it and maul the teachers with hugs when I pick you up.

-- You are signed up for gymnastics and swimming

-- When you get hurt, you are more concerned about crying and getting boogies than the actual hurting.

-- We have to play catch with our sunglasses on

--You do exercise video with dad and you are actually very good at sit ups and push ups.

-- You like us to sing many songs when going to bed, including the ABC's

-- You can paint and color in the lines of pictures and you are very good at tracing.

-- When we were watching "Elf" it showed a baby with Santa Claus and you said, "Look! Baby Jesus!" it was so funny

-- When ever we correct you, or you are correcting us you say, "Oh! I almost forgot!" and cover your mouth

-- If you don't want to do something you say. "No, it will give me a tummy ache!"

-- You love making blanket forts under the kitchen table and go camping with all your toys.

-- On Christmas, you were singing "Happy Birthday, Jesus." At least something stuck from our conversations about Christmas :)

-- We aren't allowed to sing Jingle Bells when it comes on the radio or CD. Only you can sing.

-- For Christmas you asked for a Big Box of Toys, Blocks, and a Baby

-- You think Santa lives in Utah

--You are such a good mommy to your  babies. It makes me smile.

--You still take a two hour nap, and I always have to wake you up from it because you won't go to bed if I just let you sleep

-- You have never liked milk, but one morning you woke up and wanted a big cup of milk. And you drank the whole thing! I think you  must have been dreaming about it. 

-- You are always very polite saying your pleases and thank you's, but sometime you say "Thank you. Welcome." It's pretty funny when it happens.

-- You were overly exhausted one night and would not sleep, and you actually had a night terror. It was really scary. You were awake, but you were not aware of anything happening around you. You just screamed bloody murder for an hour straight. We have been careful to not let you get too tired now. 

-- I was going to the bathroom, and you came to hold my hands so  I wouldn't fall in

-- You constantly ask to have tickle fights

-- You love popcorn and are always telling us not eat all of it.

-- You saw Dad's brown beanie on the floor and you were convinced it was poop. You wouldn't go near and kept telling me I needed to wash it.

-- Instead of asking where we are going, you ask "Where are you taking me?!"

-- You speak so well, you can conversations with strangers and they understand you. You spark up conversations with everybody you meet.

-- You had the flu over Christmas, but we still made it magical.

-- We had so much fun on New Years Eve with the Tomlinson family. You didn't slow down all night and out lasted Tavin and Hailey!

Two and a HALF!

I am so behind on blogging. The last one was an update on our Utah trip in JUNE!! But really, does anybody read this anymore? So here is her way overdue 2 1/2 year update. 

It's is just amazing how funny and grown up Amelia is acting lately. She is such the negotiator and I have to say that she wins more often than I like. 

-- When it is time to stop an activity (crafts, TV, bath...) you hold up your hand and say "5 minutes, Mom!"

-- Love helping dad fix things and build new furniture and helping mom cook dinner

-- You take a baby everywhere and play "Ring-Around-The-Rosies" with her

-- You infamously saved me from getting a ticket for rolling a stop sign. You sure charmed him with your smile and asking if you could hold him.

-- You count 1,2,3,Blastoff!! (blastoff is a number)

-- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is your favorite movie.

--Started gymnastics

-- You love dressing up

-- You still love books over toys

-- You are starting to like coloring and tracing letters

-- You sleep 12 hours a night and take a 2 hour nap

-- Speaking full sentences

--  Slides and swings are your FAVORITE. Every night, Dad takes you to the park and you look forward to it every day.

-- You twirl your hair around your finger while your watch a movie or concentrate on something. You also stick your tongue out, just like Dad, when coloring or trying to be precise.

-- When we say "I Love You" you say "Oh Yes!" 

-- "Okay" is your new catchphrase

-- If I pretend to be sad, you sing "Hush Little Baby..."

-- Instead of saying "I love you" you say "I miss you"

-- Instead of saying Yes or No, you say "I think so" or "I don't think so."

-- When we play catch and we drop it you say, "Don't worry, you'll get better."