apple picking 2011

Apple picking this year. We went to Fishkill Farms, on a perfect fall day. Well, it was a little humid, but no rain. Jackson and Cade had a blast with Maya, Lukas and Penn. We rode the tractor, picked bushels of apples, ate burgers and hot dogs, found a perfect little pumpkin, celebrated Ruth's birthday, and bounced in the bouncy house.

Boys were B E A T at the end of the day. We decided that we should not take such long day trips on Sundays anymore.

But still, totally worth it.

{apple picking 2010 and 2008 - we didn't make it the year Cade was born}

apple picking 2012

This year we actually made it apple picking while there were still apples. We went back to Fishkill Farms with Penn, Lukas and Maya. Like last year, it was an awesome day. Made more awesome by the awesome (still warm) doughnuts, which Jon and I couldn't stop talking about. It's actually a pretty far drive for a day trip (2 hours) but probably worth it for the doughnuts alone.

apple time

We went apple picking 2 years ago.
P. C.
Pre-Cade.

Well, if you don't count picking them up off the ground at Great-Grammy's house.



Tomorrow, we're hitting the orchards again.

And I think Cade will wear the same sweater Jackson did.

peaches + blueberries

Last weekend we went blueberry and blueberry picking in New Jersey. Coincidentally it was the same orchard we'd been apple picking at two years ago. We met Jamilla, Naoki and Baby Tai there. It was beautiful but hot as the dickens. 

Made a good blueberry peach crisp when we got home. Almost as good as Auntie Nikki's. 

slim pickins

On Sunday we finally made it upstate for some apple-picking. We went to Applewood Orchards in Warwick, NY. It was beautiful. There weren't that many apples left on the trees, but it was definitely worth the trip. You were pretty beat by the time we headed home, as you can see here:



Tonight: apple cranberry crisp.

apple picking

This year we went to Alstede Farms in Chester, New Jersey.

There were no apples! But plenty of other fun things to do - we walked in the fields, climbed on the giant haystack, sat on the pumpkins, ate apple cider doughnuts, picnicked with little burros, & fed the horses. It was a great day.

the end of summer

Finding it hard to believe that our summer is ending and school starts on Thursday. We were so lucky to be able to do so much - Rhode Island, Fire Island, New Fairfield, Millerton, Sea Cliff ~ every where it just screamed summer with beaches, crab pinchers, kites, hamburgers, corn, blueberries, rum, goggles, bathing suits, ice cream and popsicles. I'm having trouble wrapping my head around the fact that Jackson starts Kindergarten in public school, and Cade, who's been with me more or less for 5 day stretches at a time, will be starting 3 full days as a Butterfly. I always did get a tummy ache when the seasons change, time passes, and we enter a new transitional period. I'm trying to look forward to Fall here in Brooklyn, the leaves changing, maybe some apple picking and making Halloween costumes. And trying to enjoy these last two days with my boys.

Instgram photos here.

top ten days of 2008

(not in any particular order)

1. celebrating your 1st birthday with family and friends in Brooklyn
2. watching the squirrels and birds while eating breakfast at the rental house, upstate New York
3. apple picking in Warwick, New York
4. when Uncle Michael was bouncing you on the big blue bouncy ball at Mimi and Nonno's
5. winning Skip Hop's Cutest Baby contest
6. playing on the beach in Rhode Island with cousin Sammy
7. every weekend that you get to play with Daddy
8. friday night pizza parties with Brett, Hayden and Gael (or any playdate with them, really)
9. watching you play in the kiddie pool on Kate's deck on a hot July day
10. the big hug you gave Daddy when he got back from two weeks in Amsterdam
11. Christmas and New Years with family in Connecticut and Florida, where Daddy got to spend 10 straight days with you!