A is for Apple

I rarely take photos in Michigan these days. There are only so many pictures that one can take of carousel rides at the mall and boys playing with trucks in the sand, cute as all that stuff may be. I did, however, pull out the camera for our spur-of-the-moment trip to Grand Rapids a few weeks ago. At 9 a.m. on a Friday morning, my husband said, "Instead of me going into work today, how 'bout we rent a car and go to Michigan?" Because (and only because!) he agreed to pack for the boys, we were on the road within 2 1/2 hours, and the boys were ringing Pop-Pop and Gangee's doorbell and shouting, "Surprise!" a few hours after that. A part of my husband's motivation for the return was nostalgia brought on by the turning weather and the changing leaves. In honor of the fall season, our family made a brief stop at Robinette's, a lovely apple orchard where urbanites like us can purchase our own autumnal experience. Overpriced, yes, but a nice stop. Next year, I want to dress us all in overalls and flannel and do the whole thing: apple-picking, corn maze, hay ride, donuts and cider. Well, maybe not the denim-'n'-flannel (or the corn maze, now that I think about it), but the rest of it, for sure.

The Moo sports his new haircut on the play wagon.

I was surprised that Jonah actually "took a bite" out of this giant apple like I told him to, just so that I could take a picture of it. I love it when he cooperates.

Donut sugar is best when licked off of hands, didn't you know that? These donuts, by the way, were to die for. I don't know if I'll ever be satisfied with another kind of donut again; at the very least, not completely. You've set the bar high, Robinette's Orchard. Well done.
After play, cider and donuts, I decided to drag the boys into the apple orchard so that they could actually see where apples come from -- a tree, not a plastic bag in the market. I was way too cheap to spring for a $12 peck of U-pick apples; neither, however, did I want to be accused of or guilty of stealing. Somewhat to my relief, Jonah failed in his attempts to pull any apples off the trees themselves, so I just told him to pick a decent-looking one up off the ground -- not stealing! Close enough to hand-picked, and a whole lot cheaper.

Jonah cooperated before with the giant apple, but I couldn't get a smile out of him on our hike thru the apple orchard. Win some, lose some, though I tend to think that this picture is a winner, despite the "Are you kidding me, Mom?" look on his face.

"How big is your apple, Jonah?"

As big as his giant candy apple head, apparently.

See you next year, Robinette's!