The Fort

Jack has been working on a fort in the woods for almost a year now. He has just recently finished it. So he went down in the woods and came back with several pictures, because of several blog reader's requests.

Wood burned signs.

Camouflage sidings.

The inside of the building.

The gate that leads inside.

And finally, a view of the outside.

The results are in

and it took exactly 3 days for my family to consume all 5 dozen (that's 60) cookies. I ate 2. I believe the standing record is 2 1/2 days.

Carter Mountain Orchard

Jon, in the orchard
Jack and friends
Just a picture of a bunch of apple trees.

Yesterday, our homeschool group took a trip to Carter Mtn. Orchard, outside of Charlottesville VA. This orchard is on the top of a "mountain." The same mountain that is home to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. It takes about 2 1/2 hours to get there, though it is a beautiful drive this time of year. We spent the day picking apples, learned about how apples grow (Jon called this part "apple school"), took a hay ride, and drank fresh cider. Apple snobs that we are, we decided that EZ Orchards or Daum's has better tasting cider and much better tasting cider donuts. These people here just don't understand the superiority of NW apples. I'm sure they'd all disagree. Now, what to do with all of these apples in this 90 degree heat!

This is a link to the Carter Mtn. website:

http://www.cartermountainorchard.com/

Making cookies, again

It seems that I'm forever making cookies. Particularly the chocolate chip variety. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy a chocolate chip cookie occasionally, but really, I prefer a nice, crunchy gingersnap. Too bad no one else in the house shares my taste in cookies. Here's our favorite recipe:

Cream together:

1C. butter (I use all butter, no margarine or shortening)

1C. sugar

1C. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Add 2 eggs

Stir in 2 C. white flour

1 C. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 package chocolate chips (we prefer Ghirardelli 60% dark)

Bake @375 for 10-12 min.

Now here's a question: How long does it take my family to consume all (the recipe makes about 5-6 dozen cookies) of these cookies?

Under the weather here

It seems like everyone has or is currently suffering from some malady. Jack had a cold, which I then received. Which was passed on to Madeline and Bill. There was a brief bit of throwing up, also by Jack. That has, thankfully, not been passed around. Anyway, we've been down since last weekend. Hopefully though, we're on the mend.

Now for the exciting news. For my birthday, I'm getting the nasty noise (think fingernails on chalkboard) in my car fixed! I'm sure that no one can appreciate this as much as I do. In fact, everyone probably thinks this is a lame birthday present. But let me tell you just how awful and annoying the noise is. Gosh, to turn a corner and not hear a grating sound--it will be like heaven! Oh, and I bought a new burner for my stove as a birthday present too. One of the big burners. Really exciting birthday stuff around here--we pull out all the stops for birthday celebrations.