Little Farmer... APPLES, APPLES, APPLES

As much as I hate it... fall has come this year. I really hope we get our summer weather back soon, but this weekend has been all about 50-60 degree weather. And what's to do on these crisp fall days? Apple picking :) Killian and I go apple picking multiple times throughout the fall every year (even the year he was only 3 months old :) )
So, Saturday we hit Little Farmer:

On our way down to Little Farmer.. Killian loves his bob the builder doll I found at a rummage sale for .50 :)

Riding the wagon down to the apple trees

I taught him how to twist the apples off the branch

He liked carrying the bag to the wagon

Then pulling it along to mama

Of course you have to eat an apple or two while picking

And look for bugs

After picking apples, we headed to the playground. Killian wouldn't come into the corn tepe until he saw the bike :) Have I mentioned that he now can pedal his own bike as long as it's not uphill?? I'm SOO proud of him

The slide was his favorite... he went down at least 10 times.

He also enjoyed the haystack maze... especially because I couldn't come in there after him :)

Finally.. he loved the tire jungle... jumping down and climbing up... for 20 min!

Up on the very top of the tire jungle

 And he loved the wooden tractor.... Ok so he loved the whole playground :)

We went on a 20 min. hayride... while we waited, Killian played with the tiny wooden tractor he bought for 1.25

And what do you do with a 1/2 bushel of apples?? Well... applesauce, apple cider, apple crisp, apple pie, fruit leather to name a few. :)
Today Killian and I made applesauce and apple cider. First we read one book by one of my favorite kid's authors, Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, called Apples, Apples, Apples

Then we made applesauce:

The recipe is really easy:
6 apples, skin removed and diced
2 Tablespoons of maple syrup
1/4 cup of apple cider
cinnamon to taste
Put it all in a pot, bring to a boil
Then simmer until soft, smash apples as they cook (about 20 min.)
If you want it really smooth instead of chunky.. wait for it to cool and run through a food processor/blender. Depending on the apples used, you may need to add more maple syrup or honey to sweeten it up. :)

And we made a little apple cider- Which is just running apples through a juicer

(it's in a bowl, because the juice I bought for 5$ off craigslist didn't come with the piece where the juice drips into... so I have to hold the juicer over a bowl. A little annoying, but for 5$ not a big deal)

And what do you do with the skin and pulp??

Well you put it in a bag for my mom's horses :) Waste not, want not. Tonight.... We will be making apple crisp. YUM