our gymnast.

I think as soon as she was able to talk, Larkin started asking if she could be in gymnastics. She “played gymnastics” every day for the last 6 months, waiting to be 3 years old, and finally old enough to be in gymnastics classes.  

this is the smile of a girl who finally made it to “gymnastics day!”

lazy applesauce

I would actually make this just for the smell that fills my entire house…. but the bonus is, you have homemade applesauce when it’s done. win win, folks.

this is a really “exact” recipe… so be prepared to write it down.

A bunch of apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into pieces. 6-12 apples to make enough to keep in your fridge. more if you want to freeze some.  (if you buy them from the store, buy a variety of kinds. Some red, some green for a mix of sweet and sour)
1/2 cup of water
1 tablespoon cinnamon (I like a lot of cinnamon… you  may want a less)
1 teaspoon almond extract

Mix those 4 things in a crock pot, and turn it on low for a couple of hours. 

the applesauce makin’ help around here is second to none.

Once the apples are starting to get soft, take a whisk to mix it until the apples start to become saucy.
Whip that up until it’s as chunky, or chunk-less as you want it. I’m very technical in the kitchen, clearly.

This is the part where you want to take a big whiff, and smell that scent of fall goodness.  
Now is when you will need to taste it. I try to put as little sugar in it as possible, but if it’s pretty tart you will want to throw in a handful or 2.  With the extra cinnamon + almond extract it doesn’t seem to need as much sweetener as some apple sauces.  If its really thick, or pasty, you will want to keep adding water until it’s the consistency you want. I normally freeze it without sugar, and add some water and sugar before we eat it.


the finished product was Larkin approved.