On how and why we went applesauce picking

The plan was Roosevelt Island because of trams, and parks and frankly, to mark it off of our cool things list. But then the doctor called and said that the tick I had pried out of Everett's rump after the father-son campout was a proud carrier of Lyme disease and the littles (especially Ev) needed his blood drawn at noon. Well, noon didn't give us enough time for Roosevelt, but it was way too much time to just sit in our sauna, er--home, so we took a quick trip to Madison Square Park because we had heard about Smuckers Applesauce Orchard, and last minute plans are always better when free food is involved.

The make-shift orchard was at the foot of the Flatiron Building and shadowed by the Empire State Building and couldn't have been more perfect. I must admit--I love me some trees but I also LOVE the city, so this kind of felt like the best of both worlds (plus--delicious and all-natural applesauce hanging from said trees, yes please!) The boys were so excited. At first I told them to only pick one, but then they reached celebrity status and all the Smuckers employees were taking pictures and having me sign release forms, so they paid those little boys in kind by giving them bags to fill. And oh, did they fill them! Our fridge is full of Smuckers Fruit-Fulls and I am one happy mama.

Willard Scott of Today Show fame was there doing his Smuckers birthday/anniversary series. Just in case you're wondering, he's every bit as adorable as he looks on TV.

A super nice woman took a bunch of pictures of the three of us together, you know, picking applesauce and such. It's rare for me to have pictures with my kids when we're out on adventures, so I thought this was so nice. And just FYI--I am not even a little bit OK with how HUGE my boys are looking. Both of them. Geesh.

T mentioned that he felt like he had gone trick-or-treating and it's true, the spoils were plenty. He was sweet and shared some of his goods with everyone from the doctor to the nice people who work in our corner Laundromat. He told me later, "I a little bit wanted to have them all for myself. But then I mostly wanted to share them with other people." I was so proud of him for thinking it out and making a very mature decision. Again, the growing up thing.

Just in case you're curious or concerned about this whole Lyme disease thing, we should find out soon and are still in the window to kill it with kindness, I mean, hardcore antibiotics. Poor Everett has sticky veins and it was a nightmare trying to get just a small vile of blood. Talmage's blood draw was easy-peasy, but his temper tantrum and attitude regarding the whole thing were horrendous. It was right after the two blood draws that I told their doctor I was expecting again, and we both just looked at each other and laughed. Crazy.

I must be in a chatty mood because there's more! See those pictures of Ev and his Dad dancing to the live band at Midsummer Night Swing at Lincoln Center? Gosh I just love those pictures. And especially Everett's little pointer doing a "thumbs-up"!