Apple Picking 2016

Apple picking has become a family tradition of ours since before Brett and I even had kids. The only year we didn’t make it out to the orchard was last year. The season got away from us and before we knew it, the apples were gone. So we knew we had to make it happen this year. Life gets so busy with four kids and all sorts of weekend activities. So we found a window of time in between Caspian’s morning soccer game and Savannah’s ballet rehearsal to fit in one of my favorite annual family traditions!

I think family traditions are so important for kids. My kids thrive on daily consistency, but I also think even the consistent annual traditions for our family ground them. There are several fall traditions that we try to keep going such as Apple Picking, the Autumn Drive, a trip to the pumpkin patch and cutting down our Christmas tree. I hope that these are all things my kids will recall with fondness with they are grown and starting families of their own. I know they are some of my dearest memories that I will keep with me forever.

This was Josephine’s 1st official apple picking experience. As I mentioned before, we didn’t go last year and the year before that I guess she sort of went with us…in a way. We went apple picking later in the season in 2014 when I was about 38 weeks pregnant with JoJo. I was having a lot of back pain, but it was very important that we fit in our annual apple picking excursion before Miss Josephine was going to arrive. Well, after a morning of walking around and picking apples, my back continued to hurt. I called my Dr. when I got home and went into the hospital and ended up having Josephine that very night!

Jo loved picking apples. She likes when I give her thinly sliced apples at home, but she was not a fan of the skin from the apples right off the tree.

Miss Savannah is 8 years old going on 13. She is such a wonderful big sister and a big helper with her younger brother and sisters.

Matilda Jane knows how to strike a pose when Mama has the camera around. Matilda is the biggest fan of apples in the family and though she is picking a red Jonamac apple here, her favorite are any of the yellow variety.

Caspian was my helper and helped me fill my half-peck bag. He enjoyed finding the most perfect apple on each tree.

I was hoping to get a cute group shot of the kids, but this is what I ended up with instead. And while, it’s not what I had in my head, it’s life. And I’ve learned over the years, that most things in life don’t turn out just as you’ve pictured them in your head. But they all create wonderful memories, nevertheless!

Happy Start of Fall!