My new love

Isn't she a beauty?? After peeling 20 pounds of apples and then picking another batch, I finally threw up my hands and gave in. All I can say is "Wow!" Not only does it peel, core, and slice way faster than I can with my paring knife, I can also use it to extract a certain amount of slave labor from my children before they lose interest. Mama's little sweatshop: gotta love it! I made three quarts and two pints more applesauce and will make some apple rings tonight! Seriously, I think I love this gadget more than I love the kids (well, at least while I am peeling, coring, and slicing apples!).

So, if "Mama's little sweatshop" and loving my apple gadget more than my kids isn't enough to put me out of the running for Mother of the Year, how's this?

While I was making applesauce, little Mr. Beeb managed to get in the drawer with the hot chocolate and popcorn (what can I say, I have a unique filing system). You know the hockey pucks that break into wedges to make Mexican hot chocolate (like these or these)? He got a wedge (1/6 of a hockey puck) and thought he had hit serious pay dirt. In addition to be adorable and working on a killer sugar high, he has almost reached toddler status. He can stand up in the middle of the floor all by himself and can shuffle out a teensy step or two before going down on his tushie.