Instead of doing Laundry...

With the very prettiest parts of Autumn coming to a close, I made an executive decision for my family today that we get out and enjoy it...TODAY!  We have plans to visit some pumpkin patches and apple orchards this weekend, but with the weather reporting threats of rain, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get out and play in the gorgeous sunshine.  So, play we did!

Our first stop was a little, local apple orchard and pumpkin patch called "Helene's Hilltop Orchard" that Shane and I came across in 2008 (when I was HUGELY pregnant with Jude!).  We never planned to make it a tradition, but low and behold, it has become one of my most anticipated times of the year.  We always go early in October, which usually starts off the "Holidays" for us (as Jude's birthday is end of October...and we count Halloween as a holiday!) 

October 2008:  Our first year visiting Helene's Apple Orchard

We look forward to "The Big Apple Barn" as soon as Fall is nearing!  Clearly this first year we did not deem it important enough to get a photo of us with the barn.  It may have had something to do with the fact that I looked like I was smuggling a pumpkin into the pumpkin patch under my shirt!

October 2009:  Jude's first visit to Helene's!

October 2010 Orchard Visit

October 2011:  Rio's first visit to Helene's!

October 2012:  Helene's Hilltop Orchard :)

Helene's Hilltop Orchard never disappoints, and this year was no exception!  We walked around the pumpkin patches, tripping over vines and laughing about the weird misshapen pumpkins, played some bean bag and ring toss, petted (and in some cases, when no one was looking KISSED) the farm animals, sipped hot cider and ate delicious apple-y goodness in the form of millions of calories, I'm sure!

We make a point to order most of the menu of goodies.  The idea is to share it all...some of us are still learning!

Rio digging into her first Caramel Apple.  

 

We have found it to be true that our little Rio is quite the animal lover.  She goes to great lengths to be near them.    We have noticed this about her for some time, as she squeals with delight at the sight of just about any animal.  Today was no exception.  After running straight at the fence and sticking her little mittened hand inside to be slobbered by the pigs, she rummaged the nearby corn maze and returned with "stolen" cobbs for them!  Such a smart girl!

  

Much to my surprise, she was soon after smooching any animal that she could get to!  She is turning out to be quite the lover!

Jude loved sitting by the roaring falls!

Grandfather Dam

Our next stop on this gorgeous afternoon was the place I had mentioned in a previous post!  I just would not forgive myself if I had passed up the opportunity (let's face it, it could very well be the last day before snow!) to take my family to see Grandfather Dam!  My family responded to the sights just as I imagined they would.  It is absolutely beautiful there, though I didn't take much notice as my gaze was locked upon the sparkling, wondrous eyes of my family as they took in the beauty of it!

We spotted a double rainbow in the spray <3

All that new beauty around him
and he still couldn't take his eyes off of her <3

So, after an amazing day out on the town, we had to snap back to reality and get our wild rumpus' home!  We couldn't, however, let that last bit of sunshine go to waste, so we decided to get some much needed yard work done.  So naturally, we put the kids to work ;)

Ugh!  That is a lot of lawn...and a lot of leaves!

But, then again...it is a perfect day for a leaf pile now, isn't it?

          Why not just dive right in?  Or fall in (face first, mind you!) and become the cutest ever Leaf Monster?

 I guess it goes without saying that we capitalized on that last bit of sunlight and made excellent use of this day!  I wouldn't have had it any other way!

I wish all days could be like this...instead of doing laundry!

If you want to see more photos of our day click here!