apples, apples, apples!!!

The weather is turning cold and we need to finish picking the hundreds of apples on our tree! All I've been doing for the past week when I have a spare moment involves apples:
*eating apples
*picking apples
*smashing apples
*cutting apples
*cooking apples
*washing apples
*shaking apples off the tree
*canning apple sauce
*picking up fallen apples off the ground
*throwing away rotten apples (and trying not to get stung by the wasps that are feasting)

Isabel wanted to help me pick some apples, so she climbed up the ladder and I was "spotting" her. After she filled a bucket and was ready to get down, I turned around to see if Ansel was still in our wagon and he was gone. Joseph was in the tree and we both thought it was strange that he would go into the "back" backyard all by himself. Isabel and I started coming down to go find Ansel. When I got near the bottom I don't know why I looked down before I stepped and saw Ansel looking up at me. He had started climbing the ladder and his feet were on the bottom rung. We all just laughed so hard. This is a good example of how Ansel really does like to do everything his big sister does. (Which is why we LOVE it when she is a good example.)

Here is a little side story about that.....We still have some easter eggs out because they are just so fun to play with. Isabel put one in her mouth and shot it across the dining room. I do not allow my kids to put toys in their mouth because it's gross and unsanitary. I started talking to Isabel about what she had done and she said that Dad had taught her to do it. I looked over at Joseph and he admitted it and said that it was just so fun. Well, upstairs in Isabel room today she spit out a few eggs for Ansel and he laughed really hard. Then proceeded to put eggs in his mouth. Thanks Dad!