Making time for each other when doing things for others

 I was up late cooking apples my friends helped peel and slice. I hoped to can 15-20 quarts to give to the local Homeless shelter. One pot burned terribly, one just a bit before being saved, and two large pots awaited the food mill and canning. As soon as I awoke this morning, I was making applesauce again. My boys were also up late.  They somehow managed to attend the first 1/2 hour of the applesauce party before bedtime round two.
Although a little sleepy everyone was chipper. I fixed the boys some toast with apple butter and gave them a bowl of mandarins to eat for breakfast.  Then they played and I worked on applesauce.  They then made cards to give with the applesauce.  Then they played again, nicely.
And then I noticed that I still had a bit of work to do, they were just about out of patience, and it would be hours until my help (grandma and grandpa) arrived.
So I packed a quick lunch, put two trikes and a pot of the burnt applesauce in the back of the car, and after picking up a coffee for Mama, headed to the park...Oh what a good idea!

We rode our bikes into the safety town, ate our picnic, and my 4 year old noticed there was a lot of trash.  He wanted to pick it all up.  I grabbed a kitchen size trash bag from the car and we practically filled it by walking around the park.  Oh the joy it invoked.  We were so happy to pick up trash that I do believe for a moment we skipped in unison.
I do not believe in preaching to your children.  I think most teaching is through imitation and observation. What I do, is much more important than what I say. It brings tears to my eyes to witness them doing something I would love for them to do, especially when I said nothing.
My heart ached with love for these little people who found pleasure in making this park more beautiful.
The joy stayed with us through the day.

Little guy trotting with joy.  He even stopped to pick a dandelion seed head to blow in the wind.

Then ever the comedian in bloom, noticed Mama with a camera and stuck his fingers in his nose.

 We took the burnt applesauce to the Breakneck pigs to enjoy. I parked the car so the boys could watch the meat birds, and adorable puppy, while I bought some grain, feed, veggies, and stew chicken.
All that talk about feeding the pigs must have spurred some creative juices.  They spent the rest of the afternoon building a pig home and gates until Grandma and Grandpa arrived.
And then, I got back to the applesauce...

A very dirty stove, which gets replaced tomorrow.

15 quarts complete.