What I Love About the Midwest (Part 2)

Apple picking!
I guess it doesn't hurt that the house we lived in the longest during my childhood (also by far my favorite house) had an apple orchard just beyond the backyard.

Just a week or so ago (see! I'm catching up again on posts! we've just jumped from Labor Day weekend to last week!) Pete and Eden and I headed up to Eckert's for a day o' family fun. Since it was a Friday, not all of the attractions were up and running (aka no pony rides), but it was also much less crowded and we didn't have to pay for anything. And it was even more fun than I expected! There was a kids' area with a big wooden play structure, tire swings, and lots of animals, a country store, and of course, apple orchards and a large pumpkin patch. Eden loved it all, especially the wagon ride (behind A TRACTOR) and the apple picking. I was surprised how much she liked picking the apples actually. She was very into deciding whether an apple was a "good one" or "yucky," and she loved putting them into our bag.

I think the pictures sum up the day best and there are quite a few of them, so enjoy!
Unsurprisingly, this is the first structure Eden wanted to climb in the play area.

Chickens! (Really, I promise they are there. Normal-sized, living chickens, mind you, not just big wooden ones.)

Goats!

Pigs!

The same pigs! (They warrant two pictures because they were adorable. Don't you judge me!)

And see! Here's a second picture of the goats as well. They were not as adorable. But they had this contraption in their pen that supposedly they climb up from time to time. I'm not sure why - perhaps so they can get a good look at their adorable neighbors. But I have to say, we did not witness any goat climbing while we were there. Makes me wonder if Eckert's is trying to pull a fast one.

Camel! Yeah, I'm confused on this one too.

Tortoise! Also a slightly confusing barnyard choice. But fortunate, as Eden is a big fan of tortoises.

She will tell you that they come from the "Glop-a-gose."

I love this kid.

This is practically the only picture where they are both looking at the camera. Punks.

Pun'kin.

Here comes the tractor and wagon to take us to the orchards.

Fun fact about Eden: often when she's really enjoying something she gets a very serious look on her face instead of smiling. She's done this every since she was a baby. I think it's because she's really focusing and concentrating? I don't know. But lots of experience makes me say with confidence that she is feeling much happier than she appears in the above photo.

Almost to the orchard!

And here is just a long sequence of Eden helping pick apples. I know I should have cut some of these pictures to make it shorter... but I couldn't.

Thank you, Eckert's! Eden still wants to know when we're going back to the farm.