Apple-Picking

Oliver's pre-school had a field trip to go apple-picking today. It was a gorgeous day. Absolutely beautiful weather. Perfect temperature.

After Chloe got on the bus, we headed over the mountain to where the apple orchard is located. It's a beautiful area (my personal favorite in the county, but a little too difficult to commute into the city). Where we lived before, it took 45 minutes to reach the closest apple orchard. Now, it's a 15 minute drive.

The morning began with what is a long-standing tradition for the pre-school, to serenade the family who owns the orchard with an apple song the children learned at school. Then, the pre-schoolers and parents were loaded on to tractor's pulling trailers and we went for a ride through the apple orchards with stunning views of the Hudson Valley as it starts to show its fall colors. Of course, I was hauling a 13-month old and was trying to keep my four year-old from jumping off the trailer and couldn't snap any photos of the scenery.

Oliver picked a quarter peck of apples--about 10 apples total. We came home with 4 apples. On the tractor ride back, Oliver taste tested his apples, taking a bite out of each and determined they didn't measure up. I think he did eat one total apple before tossing it aside for a apple-cider donut being handed out as a snack.

Oliver in his apple-picking hat.

Mmmmmmm, apples.

I did find it ironic that we all went apple-picking, which is totally edible and sat down at the end for a snack of apple-cider DONUTS. Apparently the apples the kids picked were for show? Oliver knew a good thing when he tasted it--of course, he tasted and discarded a lot.

How 'bout them apples?

 And, my favorite photo of the day....

 LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!