The Apple Orchard!

Today I took the kids to an apple orchard in Nebraska City. I did have some help from our friends Melinda and Andy who came with their daughter Sidney. It was a wonderful time. The kids loved picking apples- there were so many! We ate a slice of homemade apple pie (with ice cream), some apple cider, apple donuts (so wonderful- they just melt in your mouth), and for the ride home popcorn (yep, it is know on the floor in the back seat). I am ready to go back already- mainly for some apple donuts- but it was such a good time I would love for Kyle to be with us. Apple orchards and pumpkin patches are definantly a perk of living in the midwest!

One of the kids favorite parts of the apple orchard- riding horses. There was no line, so they were able to ride for quite awhile. Gavin has been on horses several times and was thrilled to ride again. He kept reaching up to try to catch a leaf of the tree hanging over the horses. He finally got one and when he was done riding he was ready to feed it to the horse- who wasn't too interested, I am sure a leaf isn't as tasty as all the apples he gets. I was so proud of Avalyn, who is sometimes afraid of trying new things and has never been on a horse. She sat on the side smiling a waving at the horses, but after a while of watching Gavin and Sidney (who is 2) ride she jumped up and said "I want to ride", the 3rd horse was ready and she ran right to it. She was so excited, she sat up there by herself, held on, leaned forward often to pet and talk to the horse, and the best of all smiled the whole time!