Redneck Apple Cider

 We got together with our homeschool friends and were able to be taught the art of making cider, redneck style. In the first picture posted you might see a sink, in that sink is two unused garbage disposals. The process was this: first you wash the apples, second you chop and sort the apples, third you plunge the apples onto the garbage disposal which shreds the apples and then plops them out into a bucket on the bottom end, fourth you take that bucket and and poor it into this large bag like thing that is then twisted to remove all juice and keep all pulp in then finally the juice drains out and is funneled into containers and ready for tasting. We all had a great time and were pleasantly surprised to get juice no matter how many apples we contributed. The kids were able to warm by the fire and roast a few marshmallows, sip cold cider and enjoy their friends. It was a bit of work and a very cold day but "Many hands make light work" and great people to talk to makes it more enjoyable to be together. This is the kind of activity that is more fun together. 

Farm Fun!

So the kids piano teacher also has a little mini farm with cows, pigs - including baby pigs, a donkey and some goats. The kids just loved seeing the baby pigs and chasing after them. They were so small that they could sneak through the fence that was surrounding there momma and escape. At the end of the summer there was a corm patch that was fun for the kids to chase the pigs though. The kids were absolutely fascinated with the baby pigs. 

I have no desire however to recreate that experience for our family. So grateful that we have friends that help us to experience things that we couldn't on our own. 

Road Construction in Front of Our House

So first of all Bristol lost her first tooth and she is so excited about that. The tooth fairy came and gave her the going rate of $1.00 for her tooth. 

Our road was all re-done. We got to see all of the stages. Tearing it up, smoothing it out, adding leveling dirt/sand, dumping asphalt into the machine that leveled it and then the crew rolling it and making sure that it was all complete. 

Hailey thought that it was pretty cool that they added sand and then flattened or leveled the road in preparation for putting the asphalt on. She also thought that is was really cool how they put the asphalt on and how quickly it dried. 

Bristol thought that it was pretty cool to watch the tractor that leveled the ground. It also shook our house and was very powerful. 

Stetson says it was a regular road construction site and that was both cool and annoying! 

 

Halloween Fun!

                                                 

Went to our annual ward carnival. It was a chili/soup, bread and pie contest. There was also a lot of fun games for the kids to play and plenty of friends to chat with. We enjoy being with our friends and family whatever holiday it is. 

Trick or treating at Grandpa Weyerman's. He loved everyone's costumes. 

Posing outside grandpas house. 

Making potions with our friends. We also enjoyed some homemade treats, games, zipline, and general fun together. Thanks to good friends. 

One kitty, a witch, Dinosaur and Marie Curie - Scientist

We also had a birthday party with friends, made donuts, watch Coco (our spooky movie), painted pumpkins, went trick or treating to our friends houses, and enjoyed lots of fun and time together. Not much school was done on this day but lots of crafts, creativity and fun were had. 

 

Author Jennifer A. Nielson

Stetson got to meet the author Jennifer A. Nielson. She signed several of his books and he talked with her just before this photo. I wasn't fast enough to catch him talking with her. She gave an awesome presentation about being an author and what it takes to be a creative writer. She also answered a lot of questions that the youth had and even helped them do some creative problem solving. 

Everyone really enjoyed her enthusiastic attitude and contagious love for writing.  

we are now trying to read all of her books. 

Thankfully Stetson had already read several of her books and then was given a few of her books by me sister. Life is a series of interesting events. 

 

Art

Hailey using Play-Doh to share the emotions of family members on a certain day. 

Stetson taking photographic liberty! 

He loves to make crazy faces for all of his pictures. 

Hailey and I love this shake that I make "Carob Smoothie". She decided that she would stack all of the ingredients up and I thought is was notable and artistic. 

Ezra with a mustache!

Hailey made a design!

Evelyn dressed up as a princess and and then dressed up baby Silas as a frog prince! So cute!!!

Stetson trades Lego people! 

Sand shell art! 

Pirate time with the neighbor! 

Kind messages from Hailey!!!

Lady Bristol! Dressed by Lady Evelyn!!!

Evelyn dressed up Hailey and herself as a Princess and Handmaiden.

Evelyn using math shapes to express or represent our family.

 

Ice Skating

"Try and Fail but don't fail to try" - Stephen Kaggwa

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light , not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant , gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?" - Nelson Mandela

These two quotes were on the wall at the ice at skating rink and I think that they are very inspirational. All of my girls have liked skating and so we decided that we would try to go once a month.  

Ironically we were driving there and we saw one of Stetson's good friends walking so we turned around and went back to see if he needed help and then ended up taking him with us. We had a good time and improved some in our abilities.