Apple Picking & Fall Family Fun

It's FINALLY starting to cool off here a little bit! We haven't had to run the air for a few days, and it's been so nice! We wanted to do something to celebrate the arrival of fall, so this past weekend we headed inland to Julian, California to do some apple picking. (Moving here from Michigan, apple season was something I really missed so I was excited to find out that we could do this not too far away!)

The orchard was pretty picked over (we need to go in September next year!) but there were still several trees that had apples at Toddler level! :)

"Pull, pull, pull!"

Look, I picked my first apple! 

Walking in the orchard.

 

There's another good one!

CJ was excited to find a red one (albeit small). 

Put it in my bag.

"Another one!"

The orchard had samples of all their different kinds of apples, and CJ enjoyed his snack-time of lots of fresh apples! 

Daddy and the "apple of his eye"

On the way back home, we stopped at Julian Mining Company and did the Harvest Tour. First stop of our tour was at the Petting Zoo. JT hung back with E (hello GERMS!), and CJ and I went and fed the goats! 

Next up on the tour was the tractor pulled hayride. E's first hayride!! 

CJ was excited about "riding" and the "tractor!"

The hayride rode past this old truck and I told CJ that this was "Mater's cousin" and he ate it up! Ha!

The last part of the tour was apple cider making. We learned about the historical significance of apple cider (used for apple cider vinegar to preserve foods), as well as the practical aspect of being able to have a use for the "not so nice" apples. Here our tour guide is showing us all the yummy fresh juice he is able to squeeze out of a soft apple with his hand. 

CJ has such a brave outgoing personality. He couldn't wait until it was his turn to go up on stage and help make the cider. Turning the apple grinder. 

Throwing apples into the grinder. 

The finished product! YUM!!! It was so sweet and delish. And I was actually able to drink some this year since I wasn't pregnant! CJ LOVED it...and drank 3 cups! 

This wasn't our official trip to the pumpkin patch for the year, but we still let CJ pick out a small pumpkin for himself and his little sis. Baby E with her baby pumpkin.

And our little brown eyed boy with his little pumpkin. 

What a fun time! Looking forward to more fall festivities with our family. 

Doc McCJs

CJ loves the Disney Junior show Doc McStuffins. It is super cute and has catchy little songs. The "time for your checkup" song has come in handy lately when visiting the pediatrician for various "checkups".  

CJ decided that E needed a checkup! I thought it was too cute! Listening to her heartbeat!

 Checking her eyes and ears!

 Pumping up the blood pressure cuff.

 She needs a bandaid.

I look forward to many more memories of these two playing together! :-)

Grape Shapes

It's no big secret that our CJ is an extremely picky eater. Tonight, for his fruit at dinner he was having grapes. I suppose he must have already been full from the 3 jelly sandwiches he had eaten, because he started playing with his grapes. But we have to give him credit for creativity. First he grabbed 4 giant grapes in his tiny hand and showed JT..."Look Daddy, a Diamond!" (with the grapes aligned in a perfect diamond shape!) Then he showed me "Look Mommy, it's Toodles!" (the shape of Mickey Mouse's head). 

He constantly keeps us laughing at the funny stuff he comes up with!

Answered Prayers!

Y'all remember back in April when I posted asking for prayers for the last two of my infertile blog friends waiting for their blessings?!

I am SO excited to update that both Lianna & Faith are both pregnant!! Lianna is having a baby girl and Faith is having TWIN girls!

I know that the are still lots and lots of families out there experiencing infertility and heartache waiting for their babies, but it is so amazing to me that every. single. name. on the list of ladies I started praying for back in 2008 has been blessed to become moms.

God is so good!

"Whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive" Matthew 21:22

Football Fanatics

We aren't like most other rivals in this family...we cheer for both teams all season until the final game when we play each other! 

Go Clemson Tigers! Go University of South Carolina Gamecocks!

A fun visit

My sister and her husband came to visit us last week. It was such a great visit! I hadn't seen her since last October, but it didn't feel like it had been that long since we talk on the phone and FaceTime so often. 

The first day of their visit we went to the USS Midway Museum. 

CJ had a blast running around the boat and checking out the planes. 

 E was content for her first trip aboard the Midway. 

CJ was awarded a Junior Sailor Pin. Here he is saluting when the veteran presented it to him. SO CUTE!  

 Auntie pinning it on. 

The second day of their visit we went to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. CJ was at preschool.

We got to see baby Monroe SOO close! He is just so adorable!

They loved the Safari Tram ride (E's first time!)  

And the elephants are always a favorite of mine. It is the largest herd of African elephants outside of Africa. SO amazing to see and the newest elephant baby girl Qinisa (pronounced "!click sound with tongue!-inisa" who was born August 28 was adorable! 

After we got home, there was lots of playing, snuggling and puzzle assembly. 

The third day we drove down the Pacific Coast, visited the Birch Aquarium, and went to La Jolla. The marine layer was super heavy (a fog over the coast) so their view wasn't the greatest unfortunately. 

But stop for some In & Out for lunch-their first! (E's first visit also, but she just had some milk ;)). 

 E checking out the fish! 

CJ checking out the octopus!

CJ's favorite thing to do at the aquarium is "play with boats". HA!  

 Two Pumas overlooking the ocean! 

The seals were back! So my sister and her husband go to see them! 

 The tide was really high and we kept getting splashed by the waves. CJ thought it was SO funny!

Our last day together was pretty chill. Saturdays in the Fall revolve around FOOTBALL! My sister and I took E to a friend's Bday party. (CJ was supposed to go, but had a fever. :( ) I was glad my sister got to meet my California friends. 

All the South Carolina Gamecock fans at my house...AHHH. Ha ha! At least one of the two teams we were cheering for won. 

Clemson was a huge disappointment on GameDay. :( 

 

CJ played some playdough and did some dancing with his aunt even though he wasn't feeling 100%. 

 

So many great memories were made! We got a sitter and went on a double date one night to take advantage of San Diego Restaurant Week. Another night, after the kiddos were in bed we made microwave s'mores and played board games. As usual, the time went by way too quickly! I miss my sister so much already! I'm looking forward to the next time we'll be together!