The Apple Doll, Part One

We have already made a few trips to the library since last Friday.  It's amazing how excited the boys get when you tell them we are going to the library.  Some books we keep the whole two weeks and others we read once and then take them back and pick a different book.  We have a system when we go to the library (other than trying to find books on the boys' summer reading lists)--I tell the boys how many books each of them can pick and they go randomly pick their books.  Logan pulls out the book and looks at the cover and if he likes the picture on the cover he adds it to his stack of books.  Alex will pull a book out and ask me what it is called--if he likes the title he adds it to his stack and if he doesn't like the title it goes back on the shelf and he keeps searching.  Logan usually has 3 or 4 books before Alex picks his first book.  We always have a nice variety of stories to read by the time we leave the library--which I like!

On a recent trip to the library one of the boys picked a book entitled The Apple Tree by Elisa Kleven. It is a book about a little girl who loves her family's apple tree; in fact, she loves everything about apples.  She spends all of her time playing in the apple tree.  When she has to start school she picks an apple, makes a stick body for it, and names it Susanna. She takes it to school with her so she won't feel alone.  The children at school make fun of her and the teacher asks her to stop bringing it to school.  The little girl's mother eventually shows her how to make a real doll out of her apple and encourages her to take it to school for show and tell one day.  The little girl takes her doll and the children like it so much the teacher asks her if she will help the entire class make their own apple dolls.

I wasn't really sure how my two boys would react to this book.  I finished the book and they both started asking questions and talking about the story.  As they were talking I turned the next page and found that the author had included two pages of instructions on how to make your own apple dolls.  I shared my find with the boys and they both got excited and asked if they could make apple dolls.

So, today we started the process of making apple dolls. We (well, it was me, but the boys watched and gave moral support--ha) peeled the apples and then cut out noses and carved eyes and mouths.  We then put them in a lemon juice-salt mixture to soak for 30 minutes and hung them in the garage where they will dry for several days.  The fun part will come next week when the boys get to make the bodies, clothe them, and give them hair or hats to wear.  The boys are excited about it and keep asking if the apples are ready--at this rate it will be a long several days but it will be well worth it on the day they are ready and the boys get to finish their apple dolls.  Until that day here are some pictures of what we accomplished today.

The book we read (and enjoyed!)

The apples soaking in lemon juice and salt

I decided to hang the apples in the garage to dry--it is a warm and dry place.  The book listed a wire hanger as one means of hanging the apples, which is what I used.  I am afraid the boys' apple dolls may have boo-boos when they are dry from the wire going through their faces.  Ha.  I should have thought it through a little more before stabbing the apples with the hanger.  In my defense, when two little boys are excited about something their excitement tends to be contagious and you find yourself in a hurry to see the results.

I also wanted to share a picture of the snack the boys had today--Interesting Inchworms!  Banana slices placed side by side to form a worm, cookie crumbs sprinkled on top (or cookie chunks if you're working with a 4-year-old who insists on more than crumbs), gummy antennae, and mini M&Ms for eyes.  The recipe came from the book I received from Alex for Mother's Day--it's full of fun snacks that we plan to try this summer!

Now we wait.  The apples should be ready sometime next week . . .