Apple picking

I split my other weekend pictures up from these ones in the apple orchard because there would have just been so many for one post. I did a little research online and found a nearby orchard that doesn't use pesticides on its apples and is basically organic without getting the certification. The apples were all covered in clay, which keeps the bugs away (though not the worms, because there were so many wormy apples!), which actually made me feel so much better about biting into an apple. When you get your produce from the store and feel that gunky wax covering your fruit--it just makes me nervous. The clay washes right off when you're ready to eat, and clay is actually good for you.

Our outing was perfect for getting some after-nap energy out for Naomi, and of course she loved being able to run around and explore. The big kids had a blast too. Ben actually asked to stay home cause to him it sounded like we just wanted to bring him somewhere and make him work. Ha ha! He thought buying them at the store sounded a lot easier, but he was proven wrong, because he probably had the most fun of the big kids and thanked us for taking him.

They had about five varieties of apples at this orchard, but my favorite was the jonagold. I learned that it's actually a golden delicious and jonathan hybrid, so it's sweet but tart and basically my kind of apple. The owner led us around and showed us which apples were where, told us we could sample as much as we wanted, and off we went. From the second Naomi saw us picking apples and putting them in our baskets, she was on the job! We had to be careful to watch the baskets so she wouldn't fill them up with wormy, rotting apples she found on the ground.

They had turkeys there as well, so we went over and had a look. I wish I could have captured Naomi looking at the turkeys and goats. She looked curious and bashful and a little unsure all at once, and it was cute to watch.

Every time Ben whistled, the turkeys all started gobbling in unison right after. It was the funniest thing!

Ben was being a good big brother and letting Naomi get up close to the turkeys, but making sure she doesn't stick her fingers in the holes.

While driving back home through the small town we were at, we found a very vintage playground that had all the old-school playground equipment I remember from my childhood. I didn't even say anything, though--the kids took one look at it from the car and started begging to pull over to play on it. They thought it was the coolest thing ever. And it was, because it's so different from today's plastic playgrounds that are made for safety but sometimes aren't very functional--slides that don't let you slide, swings that are way too short, and everything plastic, plastic, plastic. I know the tall metal slides are nonexistent now because they're dangerous, but it was so fun to get back on one. It's actually pretty scary to look down from the top because it's so tall and steep--I almost didn't go. My elementary school playground had one and I have many memories of standing in line to go down that thing. And memories of kids getting hurt on it and breaking bones and such. :)

Naomi was pretty mad that she couldn't join her brother and sisters on the jungle gym. She just thinks she is capable of doing everything anyone else is doing, silly girl.

What a great way to cap off our fun weekend of adventuring together. We didn't get to go cherry picking earlier in the summer, so this made up for it.

xoxo,
Tanya