From Apples to Absurdity

Friday, the kids made dinner.  They all helped in one way or another.  Since November 18 is William Tell Day, we listened to the William Tell Overture as they made dinner, including apples.

 

Yesterday was Have a Bad Day Day.  We didn't.  However with breakfast, several of the children made mad faces with their food.  I think that's a better way of celebrating the holiday.

Today, November 20, is Absurdity Day.  It is also Universal Children's Day.  Today is the Primary Program in Sacrament Meeting.  How appropriate.  Wish us luck.

William Tell Day 2014

For William Tell Day this year, November 18, the kids and I had apple juice (and some apple slices) with dinner.  I told them that there is a legend of William Tell shooting an apple off his son's head.  I don't know if it's true or not but that's the story. 
Nichole kept asking me questions about William Tell.  Did he have any daughters?  Did he have more sons?  There were more questions, but I can't remember what they were.  I had to keep telling her I didn't know the answers to her questions.

Man, I need to do some research so I can look like I actually know things.  My kids expect me to know things.  I'll have to do that with one of our upcoming celebrations.  Brush up on my facts about what we're celebrating.  I have done that in the past with some, but I wasn't prepared with this.  Except to tell the kids that he didn't shoot the apple with a gun, but with a crossbow.  That's what started the questions.

We also listened to the William Tell Overture while Lucky conducted the music. 

He's recently gotten into leading music while he sees people doing it at church.  It's so cute.  I took him to choir with me one day and he was walking around watching our choir director and waving his arms about.  So so cute.


After listening to the overture, the kids had me put on the Animaniacs song about the Presidents of the U.S. since it is sung to the tune of the William Tell Overture.
It was fun celebrating this one.

William Tell Day 2011

Friday, November 18, was William Tell Day. How did we celebrate?
Jr. woke up that morning and came into the kitchen. In his sleepy voice he asked, "Mom, what day is it today?"
"It's Friday," I told him.
He replied, "No. What holiday is it?"
So I checked the calendar, as I hadn't been thinking about a particular holiday (I was too concerned with the guy coming to put a new heating element in our oven, which he did. Hurray!).
"Oh. It's William Tell Day."
"So what food are we going to eat?" he asked.
Ah ha. Apparently there is a lot of food eating associated with our celebrating. Our son has come to expect it. Well, this was an easy one.
"Apples!"
So there was definitely apple eating. How else did we celebrate?
Nichole took an apple to her school teacher.
There was dancing by Mommy to the short version of the William Tell Overture (no picture of that one), and we listened to the long version (12 minutes and 13 seconds)

in the car on the way to get our Thanksgiving turkey from Stokes Market in Salem, Utah, whose logo happens to be an apple.
This was Jr. Jr.'s reaction to the music.

Jeremy built a large apple out of balloons for the Stokes Market grand opening a few weeks ago.

It was still hanging there when we got to the market, not looking as plump as it originally did in this picture.
We also celebrated by having an archery contest on the Wii, though in the original legend William Tell used a crossbow and not a bow and arrow to shoot an apple off his son's head.

We had fun and Jr. Jr. even joined in.

Sometimes it's nice to know you can celebrate simply. The best thing is doing it together.