Apple Days...

For the last couple of weeks we have been doing several activites with apples! We have learned about the seasons, the parts of a flower, pollenation and the seasons of an apple tree. We have read a lot of "apple" stories and learned about John Chapman (aka Johnny Appleseed). They have tasted several types of apples and we made applesauce one day. Beckett and Helen made apple print shirts and then wore them today when we went to The Apple Barn in Sevierville. Nana and Papa joined us and we left early this morning so we could get up there for breakfast! We had apple julep to drink, apple muffins and apple fritters with apple butter! (as well as plenty of eggs, bacon and biscuits!) After breakfast we looked at all of the trees in the orchard that were pretty much picked bare and then we headed into the store and bought several apples to bring home. After a quick trip to the Orvis store so that Sean could spend some of his birthday money from Susi, Grankaki and Granbob, and a quick trip to Eddie Bauer for me and the Disney store for the kids, we headed to the park so Sean and Papa could fish. Nana, the kids and I went to the Sugarlands visitor center while they fished. We watched a short film about the National Park and looked around the museum. We also enjoyed a short hike on the trail around the visitor center! It has been fun doing all of our apple activities and today was a fun end to our study!

After hearing the story, "The Little Red House With No Doors No Windows and a Star Inside" we cut open an apple to find the star!

Cutting up apples to put in the crock pot for our applesauce. (Don't worry, they used plastic knives!)

Helen and Beckett with their bags of apples from The Apple Barn. A picture with Nana and Papa by one of the many harvest decorations at The Apple Barn. (I just noticed that doll beside Beckett...she is a little scary! Oh my!)