Apple Pickin' With the Fam

Sunday was apple picking and we had some really nice autumn weather. Connecticut in autumn is really beautiful, and I told dear hubby that I would love to move there if and when we can afford a house. It reminds me of Wisconsin with its rolling hills and vast expanse of trees, and in fall, it's just so incredibly gorgeous.  The foliage is just turning those vibrant colors of red, oranges and yellows against the dark bark of the tree. It's stunning and as I like to say, "Soothes the soul."

Apple picking was just a short 30 minute drive away (I think that was how long it took). We carpooled with Grandma because our family car is still in the shop for repairs and our other second car (a P.O.S.) that really is not safe to drive. Kiddo was 99.9% good on the ride there and we were stopping off a place called Vanilla Bean Cafe for breakfast. Everyone was meeting there as well.

I'm ashamed to say that I ate a very expensive meal. I was excited to see Eggs Benedict on the menu - my ultimate favorite for breakfast - that's all I could say over and over when someone asked me what I was going to eat.  The portions at this place aren't the greatest for the price, and I of course slipped into the mode of, "If it'll cost $10 for breakfast, I could use that $10 elsewhere to make a meal for the whole family if I went grocery shopping." That's exactly what happened when I was standing in line and had one person in front of me who was giving their order.

I turned to hubby and said, "I'll just get a bagel. That's cheap, maybe with a cup of tea."

Hubby was adamant that I got what I wanted. I resisted! I wanted to be economical but hubby was determined that I get my favorite. 

"If you don't get the Benedict," he said, "you'll ruin the whole day. Get what you want."

We don't go out often, I mean, next to hardly ever. Even tho I was rationalizing against getting the expensive breakfast, I sighed, fought against it, but in the end I just went with it. I ordered it.

I should have done what Grandma did. She had a breakfast before she left her house (smart cookie!) but I didn't get up in time to do that. I woke up 20 minutes before she was going to pick us up (kiddo had a nightmare in the middle of the night and it shot my sleep).  I was half asleep when I heard the phone ring downstairs and hubby was talking about the apple picking and whether or not we were going. I yelled, "We're going, I'm up!" and stumbled out of bed to get ready. "But, she'll be here in 20 minutes." hubby said. I came down the stairs and already had my jeans on. "Wow, you're fast." he said.  Fast but halfway awake, I thought.

Breakfast was Eggs Benedict, home fries (too salty and spicy, bleh! couldn't eat it) and two wedges of watermellon (really tiny).  Even tho it was expensive, the eggs were good... and full of fat and calories and everything that could possibly give my digestion trouble later.  Eggs, more eggs with cream (for the hollandaise sauce) and butter can do a number on me. But, my gut is like roulette. Sometimes I make out and I'm perfectly fine the rest of the day. Other times... let's just say keep me near an open window and a lot of fresh air.

Kiddo, on the other hand, was trying my patience. He's a natural born runner and I'm being generous by saying he was good 60-70% of the time while at the Vanilla Bean Cafe.

Bad kiddo: Running like a mad man, jumping on the couches that were in the back of the room, dropping to the ground when you have him by the hand. The running part is what I can't stand. He thinks it's one big game. No matter if I smack his bottom, he'll giggle it off and just pick up running again the chance when let go.  Not sure how we can break him of the running without BREAKING him! Sometimes I swear by Odin's Beard!

*Find a happy place, find a happy place* There was a cute moment tho, kiddo was super adorable when his baby cousin showed up. He held her hand and was incredibly gentle. "She's so soft!" he said. She's less than one years old, I believe.  It was an awww moment.

Moving to the apple orchard. He had a great time. We had a great time. He and Auntie M. were picking apples along with Cousin D. (who's about one year older than our son who's almost 4) in the lanes of apples. Hubby was getting tons of great pics of everyone. Boys will be boys, both kiddo and cousin had a lot of wrestling in between apple picking.  Let them get it out of their system just as long as no one will get hurt (or hurt others).

Towards the end of the apple picking kiddo and cousin were calling each other by name- that was great to see. Kiddo doesn't get a lot of interaction with other kids, and we were hoping to get him into a place like Jamboree Village (or whatever it's called) a few times a week just so that he can get some social skills going. He needs it, he's a really personable kid.

I filled our apple bag up to the rim (for a small "bushel" it cost $11) and I thought that was highway robbery. Not so much when we came home and I weighed it. 11 1/2 lbs of apples for $11.  Just a little over $1 a pound. Not bad, but mainly we went for the family experience more than anything.

It was expensive in my book, and next time I'm serving breakfast first for everyone then we go to the Cafe and order l-i-t-e = cheap.  Kiddo, for next year, better get that running streak out of him.  And maybe by next year by the grace of God and/or winning the lottery, we'll be one step closer to getting our own home.

I do love autumn in New England. The changing of the season- is just so incredible. Add a crisp, cool day with blue skies and bright sun, orange pumpkin patches and tart apples and kids laughing, my little chunk of heaven. And when we came home, I felt a little sad that it was all over.