This year was the third! year we've gone to our friend's parents' house for an apple picking and cider making weekend. (Past posts 2013 & 2012.) We were hesitant to go this year when she sent out the invite because we had not only grown by one baby, but two.... and well being out numbered by kids makes us very aware and we didn't want to outwear our welcome. But with some persuasion we said yes! She knew we would love to go and that we were hesitant due to our size but she assured us it wasn't a problem and that her parents LOVE kids! So glad we could go and help out, well help out as much as we could.
We also got to see what an apple weekend was really about! The past two years haven't been great in apple production but this year we got a whopping 50 gallons of cider pressed!!! Crazy with 5 kids on the loose in the midst of it all.
This was our FIRST family trip in our new van :-) oh how comfortable it was!
We drove down Friday after Kyle got off work, arrived about dark and got a little visit in before getting the kids to bed. The next morning we woke up, had breakfast and got to picking apples. Isaac was really into it, we had been reading our apple book in preparation for this weekend.
The girls were napping during the first part of the morning, we magically were able to get them down at the same time. So it was nice being able to help and take some photos. Then they woke up and we wore them for a little bit before planting them on a blanket out in the orchard. You can see Isaac busy at work.
And Emma intently watching him
Once we had the apples picked it was time to make some cider. We took a break for lunch, then got busy sorting, cutting, and pressing.
So many apples! It was hard to get our mind set switched because since the apples were so sparse the previous years we were used to salvaging all we could. But since the apples were plentiful this year we didn't have to pay so close attention to keeping the half good ones.
The girls camped out on the blanket near the garage while we did the pressing.
Tired Mary:
The sun was starting to go down and we all wanted to get a swim in before it started to get cool. I was excited because it was going to be the girls FIRST swimming experience. Not the easiest thing to do when you have two babies to hold and a toddler. But I knew with Kyle there and other adults to help it was possible. They had fun! They weren't super happy but they weren't crying either.
Aren't they adorable!!?!
Isaac climbing the slide:
And again
Mama's and their babies:
Time to dry off
After swimming we finished up the last of the apples/cider just in time for dinner.
We originally planned to leave after dinner and make the drive while the kids slept since we had the twins game the next day. But decided maybe if we left in the morning we'd get a decent night sleep and could even sneak in a nap for Isaac on the drive home Sunday morning. So we got the kids to bed (Isaac was wiped out) and had a nice campfire before hitting the hay ourselves. We headed out the next morning and made it home in time to pick up Harpo, unload the car, change a few diapers, and load back up for the Twins game.
Here are some pictures our friend took:
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