Afton Orchard

Saturday was another perfect fall day. So perfect, in fact, that I turned down a "mommy's morning off" when Dave and some other dudes take the kids for an outing without us for a morning. Some days, I would be all about that, but this particular Saturday was meant for a a fall outing with the ones I love the best!

We decided to head to Afton, after a good 30 seconds of debate in the car before we hit the freeway. Right or left? Right! No, left! It is a little far but we went last year and loved it, and with this gorgeous weather, you don't mind driving a little ways. Afton is primarily an apple orchard but also has some great pumpkin and raspberry patches, playgrounds, petting zoo, hay ride, kiddy cow train, a cider press, store/restaurant/bakery, and a corn maze (might not be part of the property, actually, but they at least share a parking lot). It is a great place to revel in the season. Don't mind if I do!

There was this ghost lady in the field we thought maybe was there as part of the Halloween theme, but turns out, she just dresses like that. She was there to buy a pumpkin.

 Oh yeah, did I mention the pile of tires to play on? It's a big pile. Which leads us to the "kids jumping off stuff" portion of this post.

Apple donuts. This is at least 34% why I visit these places. The apple donuts are to die for. Says me. Dave couldn't care less!

I also got a pumpkin to try but it was just 'meh' - tasted it just like regular pumpkin bread rolled in sugar. But the apple are so moist, with little chunks of spiced apples throughout. Yummo. I'm not sure if they are as yummo as the ones we had at Apple Jacks last year - those left an impression! I might have to make a trip this week to compare. Someone should.

 Three hours later and the babies were about ready to conk out, but we stuck around for the magic show. Magic Morti, maybe? He was funny, but the kids didn't get it - slight of hand is lost on them.

I am so thankful for days like this. It was the perfect way to spend a Saturday, out of the city air and crunching leaves under your feet, celebrating the season. If I had to find one flaw it would be when Joe pointed at a rather round lady with an orange sweatshirt and yelled, "Great! Pumpkin!" I don't think she heard him, but you can be sure I hustled him away quickly before I told him that people aren't pumpkins. They have been watching too much Charlie Brown, perhaps. 

But the rest of the day went off without a hitch. The kids had a blast, even with their runny noses - which also are celebrating the season! Cold season. We spent most of Sunday and Monday inside, downing the liquids to try and get these babies better. We did take a short walk though yesterday and it felt like a gift - perfect temperature, and just walking with the stroller is very theraputic for us all. Then we got home and Joe fell asleep on the couch while I was making chicken soup for dinner. He was so tired, and Riley didn't know what to do without her playmate. She stayed kneeling in front of him trying to wake him up till I stopped her, and even then, she sat there pretending to have a hot cocoa party with him, pouring fake mug-fulls and making all sorts of small talk with his comatose form. That girl! She loves to talk. 

Wonder where she gets it from?