apple picking

This one glorious day apple picking was enough to turn my entire view of 'life in Virginia' around!  It was quite a spectacular day, this birthday trip for a certain 2 year old in our ranks.

We headed west, past the reds and yellows of the passing fall trees into the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains to Chile's Peach Orchard.  It was luck of the draw because there were quite a few apple orchards to pick from when I looked online.  This particular orchard won because they rectified my lack of a birthday breakfast - all you can eat pancakes with fresh apple toppings!  Photos are missing because Lila was having her own breakfast and needed me to tag along. ;)

Everyone found their own little groove in the picking experience.

We picked big red apples...

and tiny green apples.

 At the end of the orchard the boots and coats and hats were abandoned to our 'apple picking' basket...

 for the need to run and be free in the wide openness.  Not just a little 'green space' as Fort Eustis calls their designated places for play, but some real open, real green... space.

 Clover necklaces were made...

Special clover bracelets were tied onto little wrists...

Purple flowers were plucked from their stems.

There were posed snuggles with Mommy...

Apples launched by Dada...

'Rockets' spotted by Maria tortilla...

And a good bit of just lazing about.

Our basket collected clovers and sticks, perfect leaves... special treasures, along with some practical coats and boots... Oh yeah, and loads of apples down below.  I think our basket became a Mary Poppins' bag of sorts!

Eventually we headed back home...

with loads of special memories in our hearts to celebrate this one special TWO year old!