I love you a bushel and a peck!

Last year when Nate was on vacation up north with his grandparents, Peter and I celebrated our anniversary by going to brunch then apple picking. This year we went to see Jason Mraz for our anniversary, and made the apple picking a family affair.

We decided to go the same place as last year, Sky Top Orchard, because it is beautiful, has lots of different varieties, a playground and petting zoo for the kids… and was actually letting people pick. I think there was a lot of damage done to the apple crops this year, so a lot of the orchards aren’t even doing self-pick.

Awesome vistas

We packed up the car just in time for Mia’s morning nap and headed to Hendersonville, NC, about an hour and half drive west into the NC mountains. We were getting nervous as we drove because there were some ominous looking clouds in that direction, but we figured we would give it a try because we probably wouldn’t have another opportunity to go this fall. It was still dry when we got there, so we spread out our blanket next to the trees for a picnic lunch.

YUMMY! We had pasta salad, while Mia had carrots.

Daddy-daughter cuddling! (So mommy could finish her lunch!)

After we ate, we headed out into the orchard to pick some apples. Our first stop was Gala apples. Either because of the storm damage, or because the trees were already picked over, Peter had to climb high up into the trees to get the good ones and throw them down to us. I caught most of them! Peter’s aim wasn’t always right on, but I decided not to lunge into the trees with Mia strapped in. She only got hit in the face once – and by my arm, not an apple. Luckily when we got to the Cortlands, they were low enough that he only had to climb a little and could easily hand them down.

Can you see him in there?!

Designated apple catchers!

The Cortlands, from the Galas

We were hoping to pick some Macintosh apples as well, but they were so picked over there were, like, two left in the trees. I think this is because they are the trees closest to the stand, and of course, Mac is a very popular variety of apple. So, we just bought those in the stand.

Thank goodness some nice lady took mercy on us and handed us her cart before someone else could grab it!

Nate definitely got in on the action

Can't wait to get it home!

When we were done picking, we paid for our apples (a bushel and a peck) and took Nate over to play in the playground. It’s pretty cute with a little apple and pumpkin house and some other stuff. Unfortunately, about five minutes after we got there, the downpour came. He tried to convince us to let him play a little longer (he wanted to stay in his house), but we were standing under a tree and didn’t really want to get wet ourselves. So, we grabbed half a dozen of their famous apple cider donuts, a gallon of apple cider and headed home. Just in time for Mia’s afternoon nap!

But I want to play!

No, I do not bribe my children with warm, fresh, apple cider donuts! It just helped.

During other parts of the year you can get things other than apples: grapes, pears, peaches and pumpkins, so we’re debating going back next month for the pumpkins. Either way, we will definitely be making apple picking a fun fall family tradition!

Video!

I wanted to post some video because I've figured out how to use it on my phone and have gotten some good stuff in the last couple days!

This one is of Nate enjoying the new hoodie his Aunt Katie got for him so he can feel brave at Pre-school (starting Monday)! Of course, I feel the downfall is going to be that he will just roar at people all day, but... I'm sure he'll be fine! My favorite part is when he wiggles his little bottom and says "I have a spiky tail. It scares off the meat eaters." Or something like that.

This one is what I think is Mia signing "more"! Now, it's not exactly right because it's supposed to be the tips of the fingers coming together, not what looks like clapping, but still! Given that it just so happens to take place when she's lunging for MORE... She's brilliant, just like her brother! ;)

And this is just one I took because I think she's so cute when she's eating. Like a little bird. She really has started eating like crazy the past week or so! For example today she had: 

Breakfast: two ice cubes each of green beans and plums.

Lunch: a full container of sweet potatoes and half a banana

Dinner: a full container of apple pear oatmeal, a full container of carrots and some banana flavored puffs

That is a lot of food!

We do a mix of stuff we've blended and frozen ourselves, and pre-packaged baby food. We try, but we only have so much frozen stuff, don't want her eating the same things for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and sometimes it's just easier!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the videos!

Little travelers

Our recent trip to Chicago made me realize how lucky my kids are! They have each traveled more in their first year (or three) of life than I had done in my first 18. Unlike Peter, who got to travel a lot as a kid, I pretty much stayed in California for family vacations. The only time I traveled outside of California was to go to Texas to visit my dad's family. So, I flew to Texas when I was about one, then drove there when I was about eight and again at 16.  So we drove through California, Arizona, New Mexico and A LOT of Texas. Twice. Good times! Since then (really, since meeting Peter) I have been able to check a lot more states off of my list. And luckily my kids have too! 

Part of it is that my family, and most of Peter's family live in other states, and have friends in other state. We also live in a state that is within close driving distance of others where we might want to go. This is very different  from California, where it's a full day from top to bottom or you can travel 5 hours to get to... the desert! Again... good times! We have had weddings, visited friends and family and just gone to baseball games, all in different states. Nate even got to go on a week long vacation to the north (or is it the Mid-West? That's always confused me) - to three states I had never been to (including two I still haven't visited), with his Nana and Grandpa. 

I don't know how other families are, but maybe some of it is just how things have changed in the last 30 years. The world is a smaller place, so why can't the country be? Some of my European friends travel between countries on long weekends. Some of my Southern friends have never been outside of NC, let alone the south! I do not want my kids to think Gastonia, NC is the world. Really.

So, we will all continue to increase our state count - and hopefully, eventually, our country count! Here is where we all stand right now:

Peter's state count: Obviously he has us all beat!
Best: Colorado
Worst: Kansas?

My count - Fairly respectable I think.
Best: California (duh),
Worst: Alabama?

Nate's count - Pretty good for a 3 year old!

Mia's count - She'll get there, but still pretty good for 7 months old!
Hopefully we can increase it with a holiday drive to NJ this fall/winter!