an apple a day...

 ... or two, or three... may just keep the sanity away in some cases!Let me explain...Last year, I got a chance to pick a whole slew of apples(well, okay, I loaded up the kids and we ALL picked a whole slew of apples!)Then had visions of a years worth of applesauce running through my head...It was all a very beautiful plan, really, as all plans begin.We picked, washed, cut, boiled,Sauced, bottled, and canned.and after a HARD days work,I had a whole slew (we're talking 30+) quarts of good, ole fashioned, homemade applesauce.I could see it now,The praises, the admiration,the mother-of-the-year-award...So I opened the first bottle (in hindsight, something I kinda, maybe shoulda done right after the first batch!)and lovingly dished it up for my kids (who LOVE applesauce, BTW!)and after the first spoonfull,as if on cue,they all made that scrunchy-what-is-this-vile-thing-that-has-dared-to-cross-my-lips faceand asked, "Where is the normal applesauce??!"(scratch the 'hail to the chief' intro to the mother-of-the-year award... )And so, as apple season has come upon us once more,and I sit here a year later,and a year wiser,I still loaded up the kiddos,still picked a whole slew of apples,still sliced and diced them,       but this time, I poured ooey, gooey sauce over themand turned them into:Apple Pie Filling!       ... lots and lots...of apple pie filling. So c'mon over, sit a spell -I'll whip up a hot apple pie just for you!... and even offer it with a side of applesauce(because we also have a years supply of that, after all!)