Apple Picking - 2009

Every year we like to go apple picking up at Homestead Orchard in McHenry county. I believe the town is Woodstock. Anyway, we go to the same place every year because we know they have good apples and they sell our jams and jellies in their little store.

This year Mommy went and, due to her poor health, it probably wasn't a good idea. Not only did she not feel good but it was a hot day and that really drained her of energy.

The kids had a great time running around and taking bites out of apples to see if they wanted to pick more. I think we eventually settled on some Jonathans and another variety that I can't think of the name right now. Oh, and we picked some really large apples that are intended for cooking. Aura's mom made an apple pancake with them and it was very yummy.

Young Love

Ian is definitely a ladies' man. Girls just love him. Here is a neighbor of ours that finally got him down on the ground after a lot of chasing. Of course, when I asked her if Ian was her boyfriend she screamed "Yuck!" Proof positive that she is absolutely smitten with him.

A Short Vacation

A few weeks ago the kids had a couple of days off for Labor Day, so we decided to take an impromptu vacation. After pondering for a while we decided to take the kids back to the Amish village in Millersburg, OH. We were there a couple of years ago and the children really enjoyed a petting zoo that was there. Not only did they have animals but there was a train that we rode around the farm and we also took some buggy rides with an Amish man.

A few funny things happened while we were there. Our hotel room had a balcony, which the kids really enjoyed, but one time Cami ran right into the sliding door. She came running through the room and jumped to go over the threshold of the door and bounced right off the glass. She cried a lot but she was also laughing.

The petting zoo was changed around since we were there last and had a lot of new animals in it. Mommy went shopping at a store next to the zoo while daddy took the kids into the pasture area. We quickly found out that these animals were not tame little animals but instead were full grown aggressive adults. Cami got head butted by a sheep and that same sheep tossed Ian across the yard. It was like the petting zoo from hell. After being abused by the animals we went running out of the pasture completely shell shocked.

Last time we were there we stopped at an Amish restaurant/deli sort of place that Aura said made the best sandwich she had ever eaten. We stopped there again and it was just as good the 2nd time around. This time I took a picture of her sandwich.

It was a fun trip but a tiring trip. We were sort of worried that this trip would ruin our fond memories of the previous trip but instead we added a whole new set of memories to the mix.