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the hidden dangers of apple orchards. maybe not so hidden.
I now conveniently have about 38,000 McIntosh apples thanks to a little apple picking excursion this weekend.
Please don’t even suggest that I make a pie.
Or apple sauce.
Or jam.
Is apple jam even a thing people make? I’m not finding out.
I decided to take the four kids apple picking on an 82 degree day in early September because I figured it wouldn’t be crowded and a friend said there were lots of apples low to the ground for kids to pick.
PERFECT.
Except it’s strange to walk around an orchard while you sweat. And we had a tiny little mishap.
Poor Miss Harlowe got bonked in the head with an apple. The orchard even has a sign with all the rules when you walk in. “Don’t climb the trees.” “Watch out for poison ivy.” That sort of thing. But it said absolutely nothing about falling apples endangering babies. Maybe that’s just one of those parenting things you’re expected to know on your own.
Luckily, Harlowe only cried for about 3 seconds and appears to be completely unscathed by the incident. Of course, it’s hard to assess the emotional damage at her young age.
Meanwhile, after our extreme heat apple picking adventure, it was time for kindergarten.
Dylan would have rather had apples rain down on her than show up for the first day.
But she got out of the car, head to toe in some kind of circa 1994 polka dot dress that she begged me to buy at Target.
Then we spent 40 minutes outside her classroom, trying to coax her in…
At pick-up, she described her momentous first day as “good.”
Sometimes she can be so wordy.
Of course, I’m sort of bummed that Dylan insists on growing up.
But I’m so proud of that girl.
Even if she insists on wearing that dress.
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I’d have to guess that Madonna is proud, as well, though a side ponytail would really cinch it.
She such a cutie. (Dylan, not Madonna.) You can tell her that my daughter would totally dig that dress.
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Wow. That is quite some dress. But hey – I bet she stood out in class!
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I like the mismatched socks, myself. She’s got her own style!
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Let’s hope she’ll still shop at Target when she’s a teenager!
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I am beyond impressed that you manage to take such great excursions with all your kids. I’ve been a mom of four for two years now, and I can still barely get out the door with them all.
And I love Dylan’s outfit, down to the mismatched socks.
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Wow! Congratulations to you all for having a kindergartner!
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I bet sir Isaac Newton’s mom never took him to an orchard! I love the sunglasses on top of their heads!!!
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Um, you do realize Harlowe is Newton reincarnated, right? Apple. Head. Newton.
Get ready for a GENIUS! Especially since it happened at such an early age.
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The dress? I could live with. Mis matchy socks? I might have an OCD heart attack. But of course in her cuteness she pulls it off….
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That dress is awesome. Or should I say totally rad.
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Dylan is a rock-star – you absolutely should be proud of her. First day of K is SO hard for some little ones. A huge achievement – GO DYLAN!!!
And I personally LOVED her blue dress – maybe that dates me, maybe it makes me a trend setter. Up for grabs….
xoxo
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So cute! Polka dots and all. Glad she had a good first day.
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We showed up late for the first day of kindergarten too. Her school just opened this year. The start time for afternoon kindergarten was changed several times. we arrived ready for a 1 pm start time. Unfortunately the start time was changed to 12:40. I am keeping my kindy info sheet that states a 1 pm start so I cannot be accused of being wrong. Samantha took it all in stride. She ran into class without even giving me a hug or even waving goodbye.
As for the apples, sounds like a great gift for neighbors, friends, new teachers, school secretaries, etc.
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At first I thought you took them apple picking because it was a nice day. Then I realized you thought 82 degrees was hot. Come to Texas and we’ll show you hot! I think I would have needed a sweater.
Love the dress.
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First the apples. Have you considered making yourself some good old fashioned apple hooch? It helps you deal with the kids growing up thing. As for the socks people are commenting on, try littlemissmatched.com – it will help the OCD if they’re supposed to be mismatched and therefore fashionable. You have beautiful children – congrats on kindergarten!
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Good. My kid is the master of the one word answer too.
Applesauce is very very easy, and you can freeze it.
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The apple excursion is something I’d do, for sure. Sweating with a bjorn on is, well, hot. My youngest, Annie, got bonked on the head with a falling apple at 4 months too — you’ll be happy to know she’s turned out to be completely fine. Unless you count that awkward stagger she does when she runs (I think that’s just because she’s two). Bravo, enjoy the extra time (ha) now that the kids are back in school!
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Dried apples, try them in the microwave….good for snacks. If Dylan begs you to ‘cut her hair’…it’s because the boys wll be pulling on her pony tail as a sign they find her attractive. Thanksfully there are no ink wells now for them to dip her hair in.
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The dress? Very retro. In a polka-dotty kind of way. And the first day of kindergarten for my daughter, we spent an hour in the hallway while she cried and screamed and then she peed on me. Count your blessings
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Oh don’t worry. I did the same thing to my kid…..and she’s 13. I’ve drawn my line in the sand with clothing/personal style fights: no tattoos or pierceings. No seasonally inappropriate outfits ie bathing suit/Jan/Chicago. Anything temporary is OK. Glad you both made it thru the 1st day!!
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I went to kindergarten the first day just fine. After that my poor, young, frazzled mother had to drag me down the hall SCREAMING every day until I was in the 2nd grade. But Dylan seems much more level headed than I was
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i’m thinking ’84, but no matter, you all survived. just keep the apples for tossing at passersby. now that you live in the burbs you will certainly have neighbors that do stupid things to annoy you, and apples, especially rotten ones, will be perfect ammo.
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maybe apple butter. there may be a recipe for super easy apple butter in the crock pot or microwave. not jam. not jelly. we have some apple jelly. ick. thin, runny, pale. sort of like sneeze snot. post-nasal drip.
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Good for you for letting her wear what she really wanted…not sure I would have been so nice and would have battled for a different outfit! I’m trying to keep control of the clothing for as long as possible but my girl is starting to catch on and choosing her own combinations. Wow, amazing what they think looks good eh?!
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Did you cry? Kids always do fine, but kindergarten first day wrecks a bit of havoc on us mamas.
PS–I’m making applesauce this weekend!
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Cracking up at the dress…my SIXTH grader wanted the one right next to it which resembled a red and black striped tiger. I won that battle, lol!
Glad she had a good first day!
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totally off the subject – love the “drug free school zone – do those signs really help?
The things our cities spend money on…
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Lol yup are kids just want to grow older and we want to stay young forever. Sadly they will win. I love the pictures.
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That picutre of you and her at the kindergarten door is priceless!
And as for dress, i think chidren taking ownership over self-expression is a good thing. . . that way when she looks back on it, she can’t blame you, right?
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Hello! Just found you via ‘Shake Shake’ and am loving your posts! We have managed to find hidden dangers while sitting motionless on a floor of pillows, so I’m not too surprised by the apple falling incident. Hopefully, Harlowe won’t need future counseling. But, you might.
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