how to make apple pie {and tie heart strings}

I've heard it said that a picture is worth a thousand words.  You all know my capability of coming up with a thousand words- it's not difficult for me to be didactic, verbose, and long winded. (See?) My dad recently commented to me while I was typing a reply to an email, "Amy, you aren't writing a novel, ok?"  <nervous grin>  Sorry :-)

I did these photos hoping that they would pretty much speak for themselves, a photojournalism, you may say...  but because for some reason I can't get away from over-explanation, here's an intro:

A couple of days ago, my little brothers and sisters were reading a book for school called, How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World.  It's a somewhat zany story about how the character wants to make an apple pie, but because the local market is closed, they must travel all over the world to locate the various ingredients needed.  For example, you need butter for the filling and crust- head over to England and find a nice British cow!  You'll find her quite dignified with her lovely accent, and her manners impeccable.

Violet (age 3) was completely inspired and did not cease to plead with Momma,

"Can we make apple pie?  PLEASE???"

Abigail (age 5) was not far behind...

So after Momma picked up some shiny green Granny Smiths, I took advantage of my homeschool graduate status.  While everybody else was hard at work in their studies, I spent the morning with the two little girls making apple pie.

Counting the apples- see the recipe in the back of the book?

Working to train them one of Daddy's favorite philosophies, "Clean as you go!"

Because the butter was so cold it was hard to work with...  so we called out the "big guns".

  (Thanks, Daddy!  :-))

As I was chopping apples, they went back over the book...

Gotta make sure that we were doing everything right!

No comment, child.

When we poured the cinnamon sugar mixture on the apples all they could think about was "testing it".

"Pleeeeeeaaaaase, Amy?"

Her face just cracks me up.

...and that, my friends, is making apple pie!

No, I will admit that they aren't the prettiest pies on the planet- but who cares?  My little sisters were so thrilled, I pray that their hearts were blessed and that they will be able to recall memories like these throughout their entire lives...

I hope you enjoyed- even though my goal was to not talk very much... and I did anyway...  oh well :-)

A Blessed Announcement

For a month or so I have been all but bursting with this news... it haunted me while attending the Guild- I almost felt like I was lying when I introduced myself to people as the eldest of 9...  but you're really the eldest of 10! my conscience bit me.  

Yes, my dear readers, my momma is expecting my ninth younger brother or sister in March of 2013!

{The reason why I had to wait to tell everyone was because our family usually tries to wait until a certain gestational period before we go public with the news...}

Wow, 10.  I'm the oldest of 10.  I thought 9 was amazing but for some reason 10 just sounds... well...
awesome!  Ha, I can finally breathe and speak freely now...  :-)

My parent's went for this ultrasound yesterday- the baby is 12 weeks along. He/she was much bigger than I thought!  Momma said about 2.5 inches in length...

Have any predictions on whether it's a boy or girl?

Momma thinks it's a boy- but she thought I was a boy... I think it's a girl :-)

"Behold, children are a gift of the LORD,

         The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

         So are the children of one’s youth."

~Psalm 127:3-4