Motorcycles and Apple Orchards

Every time we are driving on the road Ainsley will pipe up from the back and say, "Mom, motorcycles are dangerous. They put you in the hospital." Knowing that, try to explain why one of your very good friends arrives on a Harley.

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It took a bit of coaching and reassurance that this motorcycle would not be moving prior to getting this picture. She also considered wearing her bicycle helmet. She's very safety conscience. Mrs. Helman is a friend from church and her husband is in med school on rotations. Because he's frequently gone, we love to invite her to come and hang with us. We love Mrs. Helman and are thankful that she can share in the fun things we do with the kids.

As you may have guessed, today we are going to the apple orchard with our dear friend. She rode with us in the car. (Making Ainsley very happy.) We went up to St. Joseph and to an apple orchard with a lot of variety. Still we have yet to find cider and donuts that compare to what there is in Michigan, but it's still fun.

Pickers, ladders, who needs them. Thank goodness my mom is tall!

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Andrew loved being outside and seeing all the apples. He also loves eating the homemade applesauce. Chunky please. (We are going to try spiced on him next.)

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Tasting the tree before picking. Each tree produces a different flavor of apple. It was funny to see Ainsley say yes or no to the tree she was about to pick from.

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Learning to twist, not pull!

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Andrew is wondering, "Where is mine?"

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It was a beautiful day. Just warm enough to give us all rosy cheeks, but not hot enough to break a sweat.

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They had a great play area for when we were finished. Andrew loved the bumblebee swing!

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Ainsley loved the straw maze! It was great that she could play and get lost while we could still see her.

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A Climber!

Yes, I've got a climber. I think he's going to keep me busy.

Watch me mom!

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Almost up.

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Soccer

I am going to be attending a soccer clinic at church with some of my friends. Coach Chico says I'll have moves by the time the clinic is over. In preparation; mom, dad, Andrew, and I went out to the park to practice in my new soccer shoes and kick my new soccer ball. Mom got some great shots of dad and me. (Dad's the soccer player, not mom.) You would have never guessed it was my first time out.

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Running and kicking. I was showing more coordination than mom had expected. Of course, we won't post the pictures were the ball got in my way!

Is this called dribbling?

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Andrew enjoying the surroundings. A flag football practice and watching soccer. As well as a casual spoonful of food. It doesn't get much better than this!

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Will it be a goal?

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They aren't sporty, but they are mom's favorites. It was a wonderful day for me to watch Ainsley and dad just playing together. I hope they can continue to find things to do that they both enjoy!

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Puffs. What, I use my hands?

Andrew has been introduced to Puffs. A magical food by Gerber that most babies like. Andrew has been particularly antsy when it comes to getting into the high chair. It seemed as if food wasn't immediately in his mouth, we were sure to know about it. So, the introduction of Puffs came. A bit too early we discovered since he couldn't quite get them to his mouth, but they were entertaining all the same.

You can see from this first picture that he is very unsure of this new food group on his tray.

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Ahhh, these fingers have a bigger purpose than to just chew on. Check it out, they hold onto these things. But, now what do I do with them?

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We cheated, Ainsley had an assist to her credit and now Andrew also know what they taste like. He seems to be pleasantly pleased..

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October 12th update: Well, as I'm sure you have guessed, he's a champ at eating finger foods by now. Gerber has these new things ( well, new since Ainsley was at this stage), freeze dried yogurt morsels. Andrew loves them, to the point he now turns his nose up at Puffs frequently. Especially if he can see the bag in sight. I am sure this is a ploy by Gerber because they are more expensive per ounce than Puffs.

Coloring and Drawing

Ainsley has had an increased desire for coloring and drawing as of late. We have been drawing the majority of our bible lessons out in the morning and she has been imitating some of the things she sees me draw. She also has been using some of the Kumon learning books and we have seen a huge improvement in line drawings, coloring in the lines, and completing mazes. Watching her creativity blossom has been a huge joy for me since art is a passion for me and something I enjoy. I hope we can continue to foster creativity in Ainsley and that she will enjoy her masterpieces later as much as she does now.

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Some explanation may be required for this self-portrait. This is Ainsley with blond hair. Eyes, nose, mouth, arms, and legs are all intelligible. The red circle is her heart. (We focus a lot on being self aware about the state of our hearts. Are they black or red, loving or sinful?) The blue part according to Ainsley is her body. She's been praying for a big family and is very focused on when she will get married and have children of her own. Perhaps she's drawing a future Ainsley with a pregnant belly or she truly just doesn't get the concept of the stick figure. I'm guessing it's the latter.

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October 12th update: Stick figures now include ears, pig tails, shirts, and foreheads (these are indicated by a covering of blond bangs). Some pictures show our house too.

Playing at the Park

The humidity has broken and we went immediately to fall type weather. We've tried to stay outdoors and enjoy the fresh air because we know winter will be here before we know it. These pictures were taken at a park that we visit with our church friends. It's a castle theme park which Ainsley loves. It also has a rubber walking surface. That means no mud and less bruises when the inevitable falls occur.

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Always ready for a photo.

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Sliding and making echoes on/in the tunnel slide was plenty of fun to everyone.

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Hanging all be herself on the slider. I can't count how many times I pushed her back and forth. There was never a complaint about sore arm muscles either!