quintessential fall apples {and the "situation"}

the weather's been luscious for the past few days.
the fall weather we dream of in the summer...
the fall weather we take for granted, forgetting winter is just ahead.
we did a lot of outdoorsy things over the past few days.
some were not so noteworthy, like cleaning out the back porch (which is half craft project mayhem, half bulldozers, and a third half unknown items needing a home). i'm all about an afternoon outside with the kids...but one spent also getting something on the to-do list accomplished? oh my. now that is a great saturday afternoon. "we" (clint) put together our cheapo-super-sale (yet wonderful) fire pit and although i keep forgetting to buy marshmallows, we are chomping at the bit to fire that baby up.

today we joined my dearest girlfriends and descended on a local orchard. the quintessential fall activity.

 little did we know (ok, actually we forgot) it's Columbus day. 40 million other moms and kids had the same idea. after fighting the crowds and angry bees for picnic tables, we headed to the hay bale maze. it was there that things got interesting.
we had our first (of several to come) "situations".
the "situation" had to do with a certain little boy (who likes to hide when a "situation" is approaching). said boy was found crouching by a nearby hay bale. i knew instantly what was ahead. little lady was strapped in the carrier (as i was trying to get her to fall asleep - and when i say trying, i mean she was screaming and making every effort to avoid sleep), and onward we trudged to the porta-potty.
yum. there's nothing i treasure so much as crouching in a porta-potty, with a screaming baby strapped to my frontside, while taking care of a "situation"...especially when i realized i forgot to fill my wipes case. i'm awesome like that. so i did what any good mom does...i used the current "situation" underwear in liu of wipes, and threw those babies in the porta-potty. little boy went commando, and i sanitized our hands like i was scrubbing for surgery.

i had a long pause of wanting to head home. but i love these girls so much. any time with them is worth "situations" and screaming. i'm so glad we stayed.

we headed to the orchard and i don't think there is anything i love more than seeing a pile of kids eating apples like candy. they must have housed 7 a piece and had a fantastic time trying different trees in hopes of finding the one the produced the sweetest fruit.

 

 this little lady totally captured my heart (and lense) today...what a little beauty...and those pig tales?
oh my. a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e

 my sweet friend ab...mom to 4 girls (one of which is pictured with the apple :) and truly one of the sweetest and most incredible people i've ever met

favorite shot of the day...apple chillin.

i love that my dear friend kesh lugs her "real" camera like i do...makes me feel less ridiculous for including it in my already stuffed-to-the-brim diaper bag

she's killing me with cuteness today :)

rowie also found this little buddy....who was with us for the remainder of our day. thankfully we let him roam "free" before getting in the car :)

and with another mid afternoon "situation," coupled with a little girl who still hadn't fallen asleep, we called it quits. i'm now googling applesauce canning (hoping there is a recipe that allows me to not have to peel all those apples - lazy, i know) and planning to make kesh's incredible apple crumb in the near future to surprise mr. clint. mmm, i can taste it now.