Weekend Update: More Soccer Fun & An Apple a Day!

This was yet another fun-filled-fall weekend! 

This gorgeous Saturday morning found us, as it will for the next many weeks, on the soccer field cheering on Jack & Sophie in their respective games. I spent my time, once again, trekking between the two fields to catch as much action as possible! This week, Pop & Nana, and Yaya were also in attendance which was nice for everyone...Drew & Darcy love walking around with Pop...and Jack & Sophie sure appreciate the extra audience for their games!

Jack was playing goal keeper when I got to his game. They switch positions throughout the game.

Darcy with Pop

and 

Drew with Pop

Sophie getting ready for the 2nd half of the game!

Drew is just happy that he has plenty of soccer balls to play with!

After soccer we headed quickly home to change clothes...you know the kids had to look picture-ready for my favorite family outing of the year...Apple Picking! We started our apple picking tradition waaaay back in 2003 when Jack wasn't even 2 years old.

:::Warning:::This could be my most picture-intensive post EVER! I got a little carried away when it came to the apple picking pictures and am sharing not just photos from this year...but from all of our trips over the last eight years! Join me for a nice little walk down memory lane...

We first started going apple picking with our Sunday School class in Chicago. Apple picking was an annual class family outing...back when a lot of the families only had 1 or 2 kids...here we are trying for a group photo of the kids in 2003!

Here we are as a family of three in 2003!

And now a family of four in 2004! Sophie is 3 months old in this picture.

When we we moved to NC in September of 2005, we missed the annual class trip to Royal Oak Farm orchard by one week. :-( 

After getting a little settled here, one of the first things we did was find an orchard to carry on our family tradition.  And we picked a great one! Through internet research, we discovered Sky Top Orchard & thought it looked like a perfect place to carry on our tradition...and it has been! Yesterday marked our 6th season returning to Sky Top to pick apples & enjoy the beauty of God's creation. We have picked in years of plenty & in years of drought when there was hardly an apple to be seen...and it is always a day the kids remember! In fact, on the drive up yesterday, the kids asked if we were going to be freezing...because on the October day we went last year it was surprisingly very cold and misty; and the kids have not forgotten that I was the only one who found gloves stashed in the depths of the car! But yesterday the weather was sunny & beautiful & mild, as it has been on most of our visits to Sky Top. And as the pictures below will show...no matter the weather or the year, a great time was had by all!

Our first trip to Sky Top in November 2005

Sophie is almost 18 months

Ready to pick-em!

On the mountain top!

Jack is almost 4

Eating apples (you will see lots of pictures like this one!)

Picking apples...you will also see lots like this :-)

Sophie needed a haircut!

Second trip to Sky Top in October 2006

Jack is almost 5

Sophie is 2 and I am pregnant with Darcy in this photo

We had a wagon this year, that was fun...

Beautiful fall colors!

Sophie getting a lift from Daddy

Inspecting the fruit!

And enjoying a sample!

Jack loves to climb the trees to get the best apples!

Eating apples, again...

Saying "cheese"!

Just hangin' out

The wagon is heavier when it's full of apples!

Third trip to Sky Top in September 2007

Jack is almost 6 and Sophie is 3.

This was the year that the drought was so awful. The apple crop was decimated. They brought in apples (in the crates behind Jack & Sophie) for people to fill their baskets with. But it was still a wonderful day!

Still it was a lovely day for a walk through the orchard...

Darcy, 5 months, really enjoyed the trip!

We had a little mountain top picnic...

took some cute photos...

climbed some trees...

explored the bamboo forest...

and took a hayride (which everyone enjoyed despite their silly faces in this photo!)

And then we just relaxed!

 Above we have "Think no evil, Speak no evil, & See no evil!"

Our sweet lil' chunk!

Fourth trip to Sky Top in October 2008

We apparently skipped the "How tall this fall" sign this year & Jack went straight for the trees!

Sophie hydrating before the apple picking

I love this shot each year of the kids with buckets in hand & Jeff pushing the stroller!

This year Jack is almost 7, Sophie is 4 and Darcy is 18 months.

Beautiful vistas guaranteed!

First pick of the season!

Darcy isn't sure what to think of it this year, but there is food involved, so it can't be all bad!

Sophie's pick!

Basket.getting.heavy...

Darcy is out of the stroller & exploring!

Jack & Darcy (who wants back in the stroller!)

Sophie on the way home...wiped out from a fun day!

Fifth trip to Sky Top in October 2009 (the infamous cold year!)

I was blogging at this point, but have no idea how I skipped a post about this annual event!

Last year was probably the best fall color that we have seen in all of our trips!

Bundled up & ready for fun, no matter what!

Heading out...

Yaya (my mom) joined us this year...she came prepared with ear-muffs & gloves!

Our newest little picker, Drew is 6 months!

Sophie, 5 years old, picks an apple

Jack, almost 8 years old, still climbing the trees!

Darcy, 2 years old, snuggles with Daddy & wonders why in the world we are out there!

(We found out the next day that she had an ear infection, so that's probably why she didn't have as much fun last year.)

Drew doesn't seem to mind the cold at all!

Sophie reaches one at the top...with a little help from Daddy!

Darcy picks an obligatory apple!

That's done, now can Daddy hold me again?

Yes!

(Just a note...I did dress all the kids in multiple layers & long underwear...we were not completely unprepared for the cold!)

Jeff, Darcy, Sophie, Jack & Yaya

Family photo...hey, we are missing one!

That's better! All of us with Drew sleeping soundly in the stroller!

The walk back up the hill...

Have you noticed there are lots of hills at Sky Top...it really is on top of a mountain!

Darcy has the best seat in the house!

Can we go now?

Everyone happy to be back in a warm car!

Even Darcy!!

Drew wonders what all the fuss was about? He just had a good little nap!

Darcy is ready for the ride home...and a little nap herself!

Sixth trip to Sky Top in September 2010 (this past weekend!!)

MUCH warmer weather again this year! 

Jack is almost 9, Sophie is 6 and Darcy is 3.

Ready for some apple pickin' good times!

That's Jack with his basket on his head...he knew I was taking a picture...stinker!!

Look, they have apples here!

Imagine that, Jack's up in a tree again!

Golden Delicious

This year we snagged one of the apple picker pole thingys which was handy because a lot of the lower branches were picked over...I think a lot of people have found out about our favorite orchard!

Sophie likes to climb the trees, too!

Darcy likes to eat the apples!

No more napping in the stroller, at 18 months Drew enjoys eating the apples this year, too!

Found one!

It was a beautiful day, so we wanted to get a family photo...

it took many, many attempts...

my mom just kept clicking the camera...

we acted silly...

but out of about 20, there was at least one decent one!

Drew said, "This!!!"

Drew wants to pick an apple

Hey, it looks like a ball!!

Darcy had a much better time this year!

Yaya didn't have to bring her ear-muffs & gloves!

But she's always willing to lend a hand!

Up the hill...again!

Hmmm, somehow mommy ended up with the stroller full of apples & the camera...

Winesaps!

My boys!

This year we also fed the sheep & goats

And walked up another hill...

Jeff commented yesterday how it could be that we always seemed to be walking UP-hill???

Mommy & Drew's shadows

A few quick pics with Yaya...

They really all did pretty well for being hot & tired!

But very quickly, Drew was done!

And we all enjoyed a nice apple cider slushie & apple doughnuts! 

A perfect way to end another wonderful apple picking outing!

Now, I hope to spend some time this week baking & decorating with the bushel of wonderful apples we brought home!