Apple Picking

After Mark got home, we went to Lynd Fruit Farm to pick apples. Megan and Bailey have never been apple picking before and apple picking just so happens to be a Waishnora Family tradition. Mark pines (no exaggeration) for this time of year starting in January, throughout summer, and even more come fall. This was Karigan's first trip to the orchard because last year Ohio had frost after the apple trees had already started to blossom. Sadly, the apple crop was bleak and we were unable to pick.

I got one.

Oops, I dropped it!

Oh, well. It's a keeper, anyway.

Ike made apple picking very easy for Jillian this year. Several trees were down, but still green and full o' apples.

Brendan really gets into his work. Actually, he normally spends about 5 minutes searching for the perfect apple, then spends the rest of the time eating that 1 apple.

Bailey had a blast picking apples, but I think he was more amazed by finding this abandoned bird nest.

These two have very similar, very strong (aka stubborn) personalities and were constantly taunting, picking, etc. etc. etc. one another - YET - this is how they would behave when they thought no one was looking.

Megan and her loot.

Memory Lane aka Pacemont Road

Megan and I met in Tulsa, but coincidentally, she was born in Columbus about 25 miles from where I currently live. So, today we took a trip down memory lane. Not that she has many memories of living here. She was born in Columbus at The Ohio State University Hospital and moved to Oklahoma when she was 18 months old. This is a picture of the house she lived in before she moved. We thought the trashcan with the address and the storm drain with the city, state, and 1976 (coincidentally, the year her mom and dad moved here) would make for great scrapbooking or a shadowbox or, ya know, a photo collage for the good ole blog.

Bailey the Pilot!

This was Bailey's first time to fly. The pilot let Bailey sit in his chair (I guess the airlines do not pass out plastic wings anymore.) As a SUprise, belated birthday present, we enlarged this bottom photograph in black and white. It arrived in the mail the day after they got home.

Megan Comes to Ohio, FINALLY!

Today my very best friend Megan and her son Bailey came to visit. She and I have been friends for, like...evuh! She moved to Houston shortly before I moved to Ohio. So we no longer spend our lives attached at the hip or all of our waking hours on the phone to each other, but when we do see one another or talk, we pick right back up where we left off. We haven't lived near each other in 8 years (has it really been that long?), but we get together as often as possible normally meeting in Oklahoma. Our lives have taken different roads, to be sure. I am married with 3 children. She's a sales executive and single mom. She's got man drama. I've got poopy diaper drama. But it doesn't matter. When we get together, it's like nothing has changed at all. I talk about my stuff, she talks about hers, we reminisce about how we used to be and how much we've changed...and stayed the same. I feel so lucky to have a friend like that! I know someday, we'll be cackling old ladies, still shopping, eating and gossiping with the best of 'em!

~

Wanna Sleep Over?

Jillian had her first sleepover last night, and the girls had so much fun. The night before Jillian and I planned the events. She wanted a nail polishing, bracelet making, quesadilla eating, chiminea lighting, marshmallow roasting, boy teasing, movie watching, popcorn munching, pillow fighting night of magic. And boy was it ever. Ellie earned the "ice cream cone" prize for staying up the latest. No, we did not tell them there would be a prize for the night owl of the group -- She came downstairs at 11:30 while Mark was making himself a bowl of ice cream. She batted her eyes a few times and Mark's heart melted - thankfully the ice cream did not. I made her a bed on the sofa, snuggled her in, and then she crashed (hopefully not from the sugar overload.) This morning came early, and since the sleepover was just scheduled on Monday, everyone had places to be today. Ellie did not want to leave, and Jillian did not want her to go. I see the next Anne and Diana (...of Green Gables, that is.) Such sweet, kindred spirits - these girls are!