How about them apples!

Blogging has been low on my To-Do-List these past few weeks as I've tried to get into the swing of things with regards to the family's new schedules x 4. I think we've figured out a routine that works well for all of us. Returning to work hasn't been nearly as challenging for me this time around, except for the fact that there's one more little person to think about and to plan for before I leave the house. Ed, however, may disagree. (He's the one that has to spend almost 14 hours alone with both kiddies each day that I go into work.) When I work my nightshifts things aren't as crazy, but the dayshifts...well, let's just say that the days are really busy for Ed. (Makes him appreciate me all that much more, right?) ;-) He manages just fine. He actually does a pretty fantastic job, if I do say so myself. It sure does make leaving my family to go to work each day a little bit easier. I'm a lucky lady.

Bella has survived her first two full weeks of school. She is loving every minute of it. One day last week while we were eating breakfast she asked me if she had to go to school that day. I hesitantly said yes (unsure if that was the answer she wanted to hear). Relieved (me, not her), I got a huge smile and, get this, a fist pump!, followed by an enthusiastic "Yes!". And I'm very happy to report that there has been no mention of having learned any new words of which she has no idea what they mean.

This past Sunday we went for a quick and impromptu run to an apple orchard with the neighbours to do some apple picking, something that Bella was really eager to do this year. (Ed was out doing groceries with the boy and this is why Alex is not in any of the photos.) Bella had a blast. Seriously. Best hour and a half ever.

Sweetness.

It wasn't until we were on our way out the gate that somebody actually asked us to not climb the trees. Oops! Apparently you can damage the branches and thus, the whole tree. (Bad us.)

She was wearing a dress (like I said, it was a last minute jaunt to the orchard and that just happened to be what she was wearing that day), but boy, did it ever come in handy!

She is about to bite into the fruit of her labour and she is totally excited.

A tree just her size!

With fruit just her size! Perfect for a certain little girl's lunchbox.

An 'oops!' shot. (A superzoomed self-portrait, supposed to be of the 2 of us), but it turned out to be a photo of only Bella's eyes and nose. (And it just happens to be one of my favourites.) Nothing says 'little girl' quite like dirty fingernails and remnants of blue nail polish.

Now what do I do with all those apples? Oh right, I guess I should make an apple pie. Or some apple crisp. (Do you all know how much I HATE peeling fruit???) And here's to hoping it turns out better than my strawberry jam!