All in the orchard...

Ahhh apple picking....

What great fun it is; traveling through the orchards, climbing trees, tasting all the apples & getting as many as you can of those yummy little delights.  Mommy hauling the big 'ol bag as the kiddies keep loading it up.


Our experience was fun.  Myself and three other of my mommy friends along with a gaggle of girls, ages ranging from 6 to 11.  They ran, they played, they climbed.  They sought out the apples at the highest branches. The fattest, the smallest, the tastiest....Hanging upside down from branches and swinging like monkeys.  Smiles abound.

Oooh look, dead possum, or is it? Hmmm - let's not check & let's go pick from that tree over there.

Honestly - we had a blast.  All 16 of us.  Yes - 16.


Going apple picking with kids over the age of 5 is actually fun.  They can run ahead, but know not to go too far.  They recognize to NOT poke the dead thing or even walk to closely near it.  They don't want to pet it, or try to feed it, or eat the apples on the ground near it or anywhere else on the ground.  They may let out a girlie squeal of Grosssssssssss, but I get that.

While we were having fun walking along, laughing and having adult conversation - watching the girlies climb and giggle - I took note to the clearly new parents.



Please don't think of this as a put down in any way, rather view this as advice from the been there, done that club.

Mommies of infants...  Your infant child does NOT want to pick apples, nor will they remember the experience.  While it's cute to tow them around in their little strollers or papoose, you handing them an apple for the first picture of them apple picking does absolutely nothing for them.

Let me ask you something... How's changing that mighty poop diaper in the middle of an apple orchard?

Oh, or better yet - pushing that big heavy stroller and all the baby accoutrements up that muddy gravel hill, slipping and sliding on rotten apples??  Not nearly as much fun as you were hoping, was it?

No judgement - been there, done that.

Your toddlers??
Listen, I love kids - I thoroughly enjoyed watching other people's toddlers run and play and have a great time.  The giggling & the laughter are truly heart warming.

At the same time, I felt incredibly sorry for the mom running after the little 2 year old who'd just slipped in apple slime and whoops.... just missed falling on the dead thing.  Yeah, the dead thing came into play quite a bit.

It's OK - dad had full control over the bag of apples.  Carry on.

I could see the mom's face filling with angst as the moments went on.  This was NOT the day she played out in her head before they left the house for the day.  Yes, it was an AWESOME idea to take Johnny's wagon. You didn't really think he was going to sit in it.  Did you?


Again, been there - done that.

I can remember those days.  Very well, actually.  The times you plan out and can't wait to share with your children.  I'm here to tell you as an older momma, from the been there done that club - wait on that little outing. Unless you have a full team of grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends along with your toddler - it may not actually play out like it does in your head. Go to the park instead.  Trust me.  You'll thank me later.

But hey, if you decide go give it a go anyway... don't say I didn't warn you!  Good Luck and have fun!

May I suggest one of our orchards up here?? There's a winery right across the highway.  It may come in handy.  Just sayin....

Have a fabulous day!

Thank you for reading my blog!

~Jenn