fall + preschooler = apple orchard field trip

I do not know how many times we have been on the apple orchard field trip.  Andy, I know, has been on the trip much more than me and could probably give the tour himself.  This year, I had the privilege of taking Kella and Kinley with the preschool class.  It was a lovely weather day, which made the trip much more enjoyable.

"Hi.  My name is Kinley.  I like to eat dirt."

"I also like to eat rocks.  I also like to cry when my mom takes the rocks away."

Kella got to ride around the orchard.

I killed time with Kinley by messing with the manual settings on my camera again.

I think she found another rock.

Kella got to pick an apple.

I got some Matsu apples, local honey and unpastuerized cider.  I also scored an apple slushie that Kella commandeered.  Delicious.  

Till next year, apple orchard!

Visit

Grammy Pammy came out to spend Labor Day weekend with us.  The boys were super excited to see her walk in the door.  We started out on Saturday with a trip to the apple orchard, on a hunt for some honeycrisp apples, my favorites.  But, thanks to the lack of rain this summer, the orchard wasn't very productive and didn't even let people come in to pick their own apples.  That's okay, I don't think the boys were too disappointed that their mother wasn't going to make them work for their apples.  And, thanks to Hurricane Isaac, it was super-overcast and beginning to rain anyway.

Kella travels well in her backpack.

Instead of hunting outside for apples, we shopped inside for apples, snacks and pie.

And then, they got to play on the cool pirate ship.  In the sprinkling rain.

And, that night, we celebrated Grammy's birthday with a peach pie! 

Horrible camera photo.  Grammy is such a good sport.  On her birthday, she agreed to play Monopoly (one of her favs) and then before she left, Cale roped her in with a 35 pair memory game.  Guess who won?

Saturday at the apple orchard

Last Saturday, Grammy Pammy and I took the kids to an apple orchard.  We went last year, and had fun, so we wanted to do it again.  Such a difference a year makes!  Last year was cooler and rainy and the orchard was not very busy.  This year the orchard was crowded and the trees fairly well picked over.  Never the less, we manage to fill a huge bag full of apples.  Grammy made a pie that evening, I've made baked apples and have taken some as snacks for after karate and we still have probably 10 waiting to be eaten.  Next up, an apple cobbler.  Yum!  The boys did well.  Marcus complained that he was tired, but he managed to walk around and climb some of the apple trees.  I sent Cale off down the rows to find trees with apples on them.  That was a great way to run off some energy.  The car ride back was interesting-tired, hungry boys do not make the best car riders.  But, I know they had fun and enjoyed being outside.  Something they'll remember.

my little industrious boys

Kella slept for part of the time.  The bumpy paths did wake her up.

Liam, so happy with his apple, which he ate as we walked.

Grammy, on the phone with Uncle Joe.

She woke up!