09/28/08- 10/04/08- The Field Trip That Won't Stop Giving

Last week, we drove up to Henderson County, NC to pick apples. This week we had to figure out what to do with them all. We made apple crumble, apple pie and lots and lots of applesauce. I kicked myself on the drive home from the orchard for the impulse purchase of that cute little apple coring/peeling/slicing machine the owners demonstrated. I’ve reversed my decision and am now praising myself for that one slice of rampant consumerism. Without that little wonder, my hands might have fallen off.


We skipped our regular gymnastics classes last week to make the orchard trip. Fortunately, the gym conducts more than one set of homeschool classes, and we are allowed make ups. Unfortunately, I schlepped the kids to the gym four times this week- once each for makeup classes, once together for our regularly scheduled class and once again together for “fun gym”- a three hour gymnastics free-for-all that allows dh and me an unhurried dinner date.

In between cooking apples and driving to the gym, dd practiced violin often and with renewed vigor. I think her first recital last week energized her. She watched a few science videos and completed a few math lessons.

Ds began using a saw in carpentry this week, making seven fairly smooth cuts through a pine 2X4. Two teeny cuts on his fingers dampened his enthusiasm. I’m in a holding pattern right now, but I feel certain that he’ll want to continue after the shock wears off. He completed a history lesson and a math lesson. He spent several hours incorporating clear fishing line into his stop motion animations.

Both kids visited the library and spent about two and a half hours at our group’s park day. Free reading reigns.