Boy's Special Outing

One gorgeous, warm and sunny autumn day, Opa & Oma and I (Aunt M) took a trip North to see the colours and go apple picking

with a birthday boy and his best-bud cousin. Yes, Kenny and Timmy are the same age again (Tim is not so sure at this moment). Congrats, Kenny, you're finally free of your booster seat now that you're 8 years old!

Apple picking was a family tradition for many years and a kid I always loved it. Of course these 2 goofy, fun-loving friends have fun anywhere doing anything - especially when they're together :)

"Here, let me pull it - ohhhh its too heavy, I can't do it"

"Oh yes, I can!"

"Oh... I'm dead!" ( you can't see is big grin which he was trying hard to hide)

But a crisply tart or sweet and juicy apple fresh off the tree was all the reviving needed and a good many of these were enjoyed after they were rubbed all shiny on Kenny's shirt (no, we didn't clean our's on his shirt).

Soon it was "No sweat" , or "race you" and a little showing off the muscles build up pulling up to 40-50 lbs of apples. :)

"Look I can carry it myself!"

How's the lunch? "Best bun I've ever had" with thumbs up was Kenny's enthusiastic reply.

I lured the boys away while the apples were being weighed and paid for lest the lady overhear their boasting as to how many apples they ate and decide to weigh them too ;).

There was an interesting structure near the barn that we went to explore.

This is inside an authentic ________ (guess...)

You don't look too convincing, guys

that's better Yes, its a Tee-pee

Kenny's photography (and the inside top shot)

After this we headed for the highlight of the day:

Round the Bend Farm: a family farm set up like a park with exhibits, a petting zoo with interesting facts about the animals. There were soft cute kids, lambs, honking/hissing white geese, big faaattt pigs with their snouts stuck in pumpkin shells noisely eating while flies swarmed around, cute knobby-kneed calfs, interesting looking chickens of various origins and nationalities.... and everywhere differently dressed straw people (some with pumpkin heads). There was a wedding party, the Wizard of Oz characters, football player and many more. Unfortunately, I did not know how to get Chris' camera back into photo mode and therefore we don't have any photos :(.

And then there was the hay-bale maze/obstacle course - that was the greatest! The boys ran and jumped non-stop on it while Oma & Opa were stocking up on fresh, naturally grown produce and poultry at the barn-store. Boy, the boys sure got their exercises today - we had no trouble getting them to bed that night!

BTW, this Dutch CRC family does school tours too! FMI go to: http://www.roundthebendfarm.com/.

"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof"

Yummy pasta dinner with, yes, green sauce - which after the initial trepidation was eaten with great relish and 2nd & 3rd helpings requested

Dessert was a banana coconut pie which Timmy made specially for the birthday boy. All in all it was a wonderful day. Thanks boys for coming!

We'll have to do this again - with another pair of special kids!