Jonamac Apple Orchard

As far as I'm concerned, the Apple Orchard is one of the single-greatest places on Earth.  We've had it on the calendar to go that specific day for quite a while because that morning, I was going to start "Parker Prep."  (The nickname for the little preschool activities I planned for him.  Visit www.parkerprep.blogspot.com to see what we did!).   We're learning one letter per week, so what better way to start it off than by visiting the Apple Orchard?  We decided to try out Jonamac Orchard in Malta.  We got the kids all ready to go and Adley just looked so cute, we had to take some pictures.

Parker could hardly contain himself on the way.  He was so excited...
until he fell asleep 30 minutes in to the drive.

We were pleasantly surprised when we got there.  They have a huge area for kids to play in, and, as I've mentioned before, one of the perks of being married to a fireman is going to the 'busy' places during the week.  This place just-so-happens to be free on weekdays.  Boo yeah!  (Do people still say that, because I just did).

Aside from this massive rocking chair,

they have a grain bin filled with corn and farm toys,

a hay-bale maze

a few different slides, a play tractor, and some tricycles to ride around on a little track.

We played for a while and then went to pick us some apples.  Parker wanted to pull the wagon.

There were baskets of apples everywhere, so we had to explain Parker that we could actually pick the apples out of the tree instead of just out of the basket.

Ryan found the mac-daddy of all Jonamac's.  It was so juicy and delicious!

We read in a book earlier that day that you can shine the apples, so Parker had to try it out.  He kept putting them under his shirt and rubbing them on his belly.  

Adley was a champ in the carrier.

By this time we were parched and hungry.  It was time for cider and a doughnut!

We played for a little longer, and when it was time to go, Parker said, "That was a sure fun day!"  Indeed it was.

(We ran out of gas on 88 on the way home.  Dave Martinez had to come rescue us.  We filled up, only to realize we ran the battery dead while we were waiting for him.  Then we had to jump the car, too, haha.  Thanks Dave!) 

Parker the Entertainer

Things are starting to get real fun around here.  Adley is "out of the woods" and not so newborn-ish anymore.  She smiles constantly and is starting to laugh!  There's no denying that she loves her Parker brother.  She watches him all the time, and I don't think he minds much at all ;)

Sometimes I have to remind him to eat his food!

Pat-A-Cake

Smells Like Fall

One of the best things about living in the Midwest is the changing of seasons.  Especially Summer to Fall.  I never look forward to Summer ending, but I do look forward to eating soup, drinking tea, wearing sweatpants, watching football, visiting the Apple Orchard, riding in the combine...must I go on?  Anyway, it was in the low 60's one day, so I decided it was time for the first Roast and Cornbread of the season.  Parker helped Ryan with the cornbread...

Adley did too...

and I relaxed, because of course I already had the roast in the crock pot for the past six hours =)

Yay for Fall!

Labor Day

Ryan was on shift over Labor Day Weekend, so I took the kids out to German Valley for a few days.  It was hot, so the whole fam showed up at the pool!  I just love the fact that my siblings and cousins and I have been swimming there since the beginning of time, and now we're all bringing our kids.  Adley even took a little dip in the pool!

  

A few hours later we all met up at the woods for some steak over the fire!  How sweet is that?  

And we cruised around the woods on the Rangers and 4-Wheelers for hours.  

Feeling Rebellious

School at NCA started a few weeks ago, and I was feeling a bit rebellious because instead of stressing out about lesson plans, meeting the students, getting Parker to the babysitter, etc., I was livin' it up!  Haha - well as much as a stay-at-home mom can.  On the first day of school, we went to the Splashpad.   (No pics.  Wa waa).  The second day we went swimming.  It was Adley's first time in!

She loved it, and then she fell asleep in about two nano-seconds.

And the third day, we took Parker to see his first move, Planes.  He was excited when we told him we were taking him on a date to the movie theater, but he was even more excited when he found out there would be popcorn involved!  It was such a fun time.  He sat really well through the whole thing, laughed out loud a few times, and talked out loud several times ;)  He sat in between us holding the popcorn, and kept offering it to us every few minutes.  Love that kid.  

  

End of "Summer"

Usually by mid-August I have about 25 more things I'd like to do before the end of summer, but not the case this year!  That's because "summer" is never-ending now that I'm home with the kids!  

We really wanted to take Parker camping, but I wanted the safety-net of a close-by home just in case. So we called up our friends Billy and Rebecca Ruff and asked if we could camp out at their beautiful home in Naperville.  It's on a few acres, lots of trees - it would fulfill the requirements.  They were all in, and so were their four kids.  The night was absolutely perfect.  Not too hot (or cold) and it was a full moon.  We had the typical campfire food - foil dinners, pizza, s'mores with peanut butter - and crashed in our tents around 11:30. 

My original plan was for Parker and Ryan to sleep outside and Adley and I go inside, but she had already been sleeping her car seat in the tent for several hours, so we just decided to give it a shot.  Ryan, Parker and I slept surprisingly well on our air mattress, and Adley woke up around 6:30.  

Success!!  

We considered having breakfast on the fire, but since the house was only 30 yards away, we all went in for some delicious pumpkin waffles and cranberry maple butter made by Rebecca.  

Thank you Ruff family for letting us invade your beautiful 'compound!'  Possible annual event?