A Day at the Orchard

(First of all, let me preface this post with this...I'm not a huge fan of the new blogger layout.  I like some features about the new layout but still like the old for other reasons.  So these pictures are not in the order that I would have wished but I will work on getting better about learning the new layout.)

The weather this week has been beautiful.  Everyday has been bright blue sunny skies with the sun shining so brightly.  We have taken advantage of it all and been outside each day until the sun goes down.  Jaclyn had a free day this week so we decided to plan our annual trip to the Tuttle's Orchard for today.  Today was perfect, actually, with the kids in jeans I think they were a little too warm.  Looking at the kids faces this evening I think each of us got a little sun on our faces and arms. The kids loved running around the strawmaze, sunflower maze, the straw stack, the playgrounds, the parking lots and the pumpkin patch.  We brought a blanket and had a picnic lunch and topped it off with apple slushies.  Yum-Yum!

Our deal (or my deal) with the kids and pumpkins is that if they can not carry it to the wagon then they can not get it.  The pumpkin must be small enough that they can carry it.  Chaney's first pumpkin that she (tried to) pick up was too big.  Then, she found the perfect one.  I won't mention the part that this pumpkin was still so heavy that she would take about 5 steps then have to set it down then another 5 steps...but her perseverance paid off and she made it.

Paul found a pumpkin that was just his size.  Actually, the boys thought it was fun to pick the smaller pumpkins so they had gathered about 10 but had to narrow it down.

Pete enjoyed playing in the mulch.

This maybe my first picture with Hank smiling.  He had just got down from the straw stack and I'm guessing he liked it.

Tire swing is always a hit.

Pete was showing off his social side and was waving at anyone and everyone.

I took this picture from across the play area and it shows Chaney's social side perfectly.  She got up on the tractor and stayed there for about 30 minutes.  She stayed and talked to any and everyone who came up.  She is such a little social butterfly.

Paislee likes to go down the slides like this.  Not sure how many times she is going to get hit in the face before she realizes this is not the best way.  But, who am I to argue with a 22 month old.

This was take #4 of getting all three in one picture together.  This was as good as it was going to get.

We visited the animals when we first arrived.  This llama was still trying to wake up and did not want to socialize with us.  We did visit him again later in the afternoon and he was out.

It's so bright she needed her shades.

Racin' time

These two loved the straw stack.  Chaney's pants were a little big so each time she came down off of it we had to get the straw out of her pants.  She was an itchy mess.

Apparently this little goat was hungry and wanted food that was a little out of his reach.  He managed to get up and get what he wanted.