Fall Break

We had the week off school, so we took a few field trips. The apple picking was earlier this week, but on Thursday we took the train into DC and spent a while at the Museum of American History. Afterwards--because we had a few extra minutes before the train would depart for home--we hurried into the Museum of Natural History to check out the gems and the Hope Diamond. 

Tag on the Mall while we waited for the museum to open

My crazy crew

Silly faces!

I happen to have a picture of me and my family here when I was about
fourteen. Thought it was neat to have a pic of my kids here too.

  
Fall Break is officially over now, and it's not Donut Day, but I never need much of an excuse for making some tasty donuts. Unfortunately, it didn't use up any of the abundance of apples we currently have in our kitchen, but these apple cider donuts sure make it feel like fall and seemed a rather appropriate way to end our Fall Break.

It's hard for me to let the kids help in the kitchen because it's just easier and less messy if I do it myself, but Elsa was looking for something to do. So she helped.

We even used our own rendered lard to do the frying.

Super-sticky, shaggy dough

Press it out. Cut it out. 

And fry!

Then cover in cinnamon-sugar.

And we all did some taste-testing! Yum!