We decided to go over to the west valley to watch the superbowl with Grandma and Grandpa. About thirty seconds into the game, the kids decided that playing in the backyard sounded more fun and since I hadn't even realized who was playing until the night before when I asked Deke, I was more than willing to chaperone their outdoor fun. After playing in the yard for awhile, Hunter (who is obsessed with climbing in their trees whenever we are there) started up into the tree. "Mom can we pick some lemons and grapefruits?" he asked. I also was intrigued by the thought of some lemons coming home to make homemade lemonade, maybe some lemon cupcakes etc. etc. Grandpa gave us the okay, handed a bucket and a fruit picker and told Hunter to fill it up
Hunter having fun climbing in the tree to pick some grapefruits, as soon as we get to Grandma and Grandpa Burch's Hunter is right up the tree. He loves climbing and can get up high enough to make me really nervous
At first it was more of a Hunter up in the tree dropping lemons down and Emma just watching holding a lemon in her hand.
Soon Emma decided she wanted to help and then Hunter started dropping the lemons on the ground for her to get and put in the bucket. Occasionally he would call her over and then reach down from the tree to hand her one. Saying things like "look at this one Emma it's a baby one." Emma would reach up and grab it smiling and run it over to drop it in the bucket. She was quite pleased with her new assigned position.
Every three or four times she would drop the lemon in and then stop and lean way into the bucket to do a quick "inspection" of her loot.
Then she would pick one up and smell it, pat it and toss it back in. Hurrying over one arm swinging at her side to pick up the three lying on the ground that had been picked while she had been occupied. She happily worked with Hunter, so engaged in the activity she was oblivious that I was even there until I would snap a picture then she would turn and look at me. Eyebrows raised with enthusiasm she would pick a lemon from the bucket and hold it up for me to see and wait for my comment. "That's a good one, your doing a good job, keep helping" I told her as she turned mid sentence and was already trotting off to fill her little arms with as many as she could carry. Soon Hunter had decided he was ready to try to use the fruit picker and reach some of the lemons that were harder to get to. He did a really good job with it and was pretty fast with using it to get the higher ones down.
He would reach it way up high and get one off of the tree and then tip it down to Emma so she could grab the lemon and transfer it to the bucket. They had a nice little system going, it was cute to watch them work together. Hunter is such a great big brother. So attentive and aware of his sisters. Protective of them and includes them in things.
About halfway through Hunter decided it was time to let Em help in the picking....
He would ask her which one she wanted and then she would walk over to a spot, get up on her tip toes and point. Hunter would pick it for her and hand it to her or if he could, he would lean the branch down for her and let her grab it herself. It was sweet.
I just sat and watched them picking lemons together and pretty soon the bucket was full to the brim and both of them seemed to feel a sense of accomplishment. Not just that but they had had a lot of fun picking them gathering them. Avery who had been inside watching the big game with the rest of the bunch came out just as they were finishing and hurried over to help carry the bright yellow goods to show dad.
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