cherry picking

A perfect way to spend a hot, hot Sunday morning.  And oh-so-tasty too.  We picked a little orchard not far from out home.  I drive past this orchard (and at least three others) almost every day, so the location was perfect.  

These cherries were the Sweetheart variety and we were told they last a little longer than the Lapins and also travel well.

We grab out buckets and we're ready to go

Avery suddenly became a huge cherry fan.  She ate at least one pit and if you weren't quick to supply her with a cherry, she would find one on the ground or steal one from your pail.    

Jake started with the low, easy-to-reach branches and picked every cherry in sight - big or small.  Then he found a ladder and he put his love of climbing to good use.  

We intended to bring home a small pail but before we knew it, had nearly five pounds!  So we paid $9 and happily returned home.  I thought we had far too many but we ended up eating them all in no time. 

We quickly learned that Avery was quite particular about how she wanted to eat her cherries.  She wants the pit removed but the stem still on because she's a big girl and wants to eat them the same as the rest of us. If you make the mistake of cutting it into small, bite-sized pieces - obviously, totally unacceptable -  you will find those pieces swiftly strewn all over the floor.  If the stem falls off during consumption, she will very patiently and very carefully try to put that stem back on before she finishes the cherry.  And do not forget the bib!  A cherry-eating-toddler makes a gruesome mess. 

It turned into a really fun family activity and I am already wanting to get out there again.  

and more!

 And finally some more pictures of our trip...

  We played with cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, great grandparents and friends; and had a great time.  We enjoyed wagon rides, playgrounds, museums and splash parks.  And feasted on a turkey dinner, homemade perogies, cupcakes, and a birthday bbq (including rhubarb from the garden dipped in sugar, which Jake just loved).     

Thanks to everyone for making our trip so memorable!

zoo

We went to the forestry farm in Saskatoon to explore.  They feature mostly Canadian animals and it was great for the kids to see things like bald eagles and grizzly bears close-up.  And Jake had deer eating out of his hand.  So fun!  Another highlight was the many peacocks that freely roamed the grounds -- all that colour and pageantry. 

After our exploring was done, there was a great old playground to run and climb in.  This is the kind I remember from my childhood. 

And then it was time to leave.  

The mosquito's were eating us all up and it was time to tend to our bites.  

a day with dinosaurs

We started off our Saskatoon trip with the Museum of Natural Sciences.  Hard to imagine that 200 million years ago these guys were roaming the earth.  So massive it really defies belief.  

T-rex stood a little over six meters tall and even though they were an awesome sight to behold, the biggest hit was the koi pond.  Because what kid can resist watching giant orange fish swirling around in the water.  And if that wasn't exciting enough, their pond had a waterfall.  The kids were hooked. 

      

road trip

A long, long road trip.  Round-trip it was four days in the car, totalling over thirty-hours of driving.  Avery was not impressed but we pressed on.  Naps were missed, meals were skipped, Shrek was watched, snacks were doled out, kids were crying and we watched Canada change from orchards to farmland to mountains to prairies.  

Some noteworthy moments included: hitting 200,000 km on the odometer, driving in complete silence in hopes Avery would fall asleep (it only worked for a couple of minutes), running around in a farmers field to get the kids to stop crying and thirty hours in a car with a three-year-old and no accidents.  

We'll call it a success!  

Because even though the travel was challenging, visiting with Bill's family made it well, well worth it.

to swim or not to swim?

Surprisingly, Jake chose to swim!  It took him a while to get in but once there, he had the time of his life.  Pool noodles, splashing and Humpty-dumpty-jump-ins = mega fun.  We finally pulled him out for dinner just after five o'clock and he said "I'm tired. Is it getting dark yet?" 

Avery opted to sit this swim out.  As soon as her sweet, chubby feet touched the water, she cried.  The closest she got was sitting poolside and did so with a worried look on her face.  

I think these two will have the fondest memories of learning to swim in grandma and grandpa's pool; just as my sister and I do, when this pool belonged to our grandparents!

raspberry patch

My parents have thousands of raspberries right now in their raspberry patch.  Loads of raspberries.  You could probably pick all-day-long and not get them all.  It's a kids dream come true - pick 'em and eat 'em.

This was Ave's fist experience in the raspberry patch and she was instantly converted into a raspberry lover.  Billy couldn't pick them fast enough for her.  They were sweet, warm, melt-in-your-mouth berries.  By the time I grabbed my camera, Bill figured she had eaten around forty berries without showing any signs of slowing.

       

Jake came and went as he pleased and the time not spent eating raspberries was spent on tending the garden and playing in the sandbox.  

Here's one happy, berry eating monster!