Apple Picking & Pony Rides

Madison 2.5 yrs and Lindsay 4.5 yrs

On Saturday we visited Terhune Orchards for their annual Apple Festival. We went to our first one only a couple weeks after we moved to NJ in 2012...

Look at my precious Maddie Grace... just 8 months old!

It was a very memorable visit a couple years back, because it was Lindsay's very first pony ride. This year it was Madison's turn to ride the pony, and oh was she excited!! She is into anything cowgirl/pony right now, and couldn't wait to put on her pink boots and get to the farm.

Not sure why Lindsay decided to put Madison in a choke-hold, but it looks like she doesn't mind. LOL

The sweet lady who ran the horse operations asked the girls, "Who wants to ride first?" and not surprisingly, Madison volunteered. She told us the pretty pony's name was "Sugar", or as Madison fondly refers to her, "My pony Sug-ah!".

Hee Haw!! 

She was a little unsure at first, mainly because Mommy and Daddy couldn't walk with her. But as she rounded the corner, she looked up and we could tell she was in hog heaven. When she got off she told me, "That Sug-ah Pony is a bumpy ride!" LOL.

Next up was Lindsay's turn, and she was ready to ride! She talked the lady's ear off, and had lots of questions like, "What's this thing (saddle)? Can I hold the reins instead?" LOL

We took turns feeding the goats dried corn kernels...

 and Daddy and the girls checked out the hens and a white peacock...

 ran through a hay bale maze...

 and took some silly pictures!!

 Lindsay climbed into this tractor for a ride,

 while Madison preferred the slide!

After playtime, it was time to pick some apples! We went into the orchards with a big brown bag and filled it with Empire, Stamen-Wilson and Pink Lady's.

 Daddy and his Little Ladies...

There was a field where you could pick wildflowers, and Lindsay, our resident flower-picking-expert couldn't resist running and smelling the flowers.

Mama and Maddie in front of the old farm house

They also had pumpkins to pick, but we decided to save that activity for next month! We took a wagon ride around the property and saw a really cool corn maze, but opted to not go through it because it was really crowded.

Daddy and his little Cowgirl

We left the farm right before the rain came, and the girls and I made a fresh apple pie in the afternoon. We topped our pie with Halo Farms Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream and were cozy in our warm house as we watched the rain... the perfect end to a trip to the orchards!! Welcome Autumn!!

Preschool Girl

On the night before preschool we picked out her outfit for the day...

 Painted her finger and toenails with sparkle nail polish...

And put one EXCITED girl to bed! She woke up around 6:45am, and burst into our room, "Today it's PRESCHOOL Day, finally!!" 

Her breakfast of choice: Biscuits and gravy with eggs! Breakfast of champions! LOL. We opened the special card Auntie Annie sent her for her first day, it had stickers!! 

 She couldn't wait to get dressed and was adamant that I curl her hair for the special day. When she saw herself in the mirror, she exclaimed, "Mama! I look just like Goldilocks!" Modeling her backpack with her special butterfly patch she picked out...

 Outside for pictures...

Lindsay Diane, 1st Day of Preschool (4.5 years)

Today was a little chilly, and it definitely felt like FALL! The tree in our front yard is already loosing its leaves, which made it feel really like a classic 'back-to-school'. We're from Cali, and it was still in the 90's for all of our 1st days of school. On the ride there, Madison sweetly told her, "I going to miss you Sissy!" Sniff Sniff. She wasn't the only one!

She walked in and shook the teacher's hand, and Mrs. Juliano said, "Welcome to Preschool Lindsay!" I had to turn my head quickly, because at that moment I almost lost it. I busied myself with helping her hang her backpack in the cubby, hoping she wouldn't see my teary eyes...LOL. Thank goodness Jarrett was there to give his baby girl a good send-off!

Inside her classroom she has a large, locker-like cubby with her name on it and two hooks, one for her backpack and one for her coat. I am pretty sure my locker in high school was smaller..LOL.

At 12 noon on the dot, the church bells rang and I was waiting outside the building to pick her up with the other Mamas. The teacher called out each child's name and I saw her face when she ran down the steps... "Mama!! Where's Daddy?" and "I'm hungry!" LOL. When we got home she couldn't wait to call Daddy and tell him all about her day!

I missed you Sissy!!!

I keep telling myself "It's only preschool", 3 hours for 3 days a week. It's a new season for our family, and I am thrilled for Lindsay, but it seems like yesterday I was rocking her in the chair and kissing her tiny baby feet. What a short, short time we have with our precious daughters. Fourteen years are going to fly past! Love you my sweet Lindsay Loo! xo

Crayola Factory

 Here are some pictures from our visit to the Crayola Factory in Easton, PA!

The girls had fun drawing on the digital notepads and watching their illustrations come up on the big screen! Lots of purple and pink scribbles...

I had a little fun myself...LOL

 Crayon Boats... Madison wanted to just stick her fingers in the water to splash!

 Our little cowgirl wrestled herself up a "pony"...

Cheese!!

Their favorite part was playing with the foam playdough and making "pizzas".

 The girls made their own crayons and named them... Lindsay chose red and named it, "Red-a-licious" and Madison chose purple and named hers, "Maddie Purple".

 On the way home from Crayola Factory Jarrett got a phone call (at last!) we have been waiting for all summer: He can officially move forward with his dissertation surveys! We celebrated by eating at Cracker Barrel... it's always a treat to eat sweet tea and biscuits n' gravy! Fun family day made even more sweet by good news!!

Madison: 2 1/2

Stats:
height- 32 inches
weight- 23 lbs.
clothes/shoe size- 24 months/ 5 toddler
hair- almost blonde in the summer now, growing into a sassy little bob.
eyes- light brown with long dark lashes.

My little baby Maddie is growing up! I try to fight back time, but she says with pride, "I do it myself"! or "I am a BIG girl!" Madison Grace never fails to amaze me with her independence, intelligence and sense of humor. She is the resident "ham" in our house, and loves to entertain us by singing or shaking her little tush.

Here are a few of her favorites:
*Food: She loves chips and dip (especially the dip!), yogurt, chocolate milk and macaroni and cheese. Pancakes, oatmeal, turkey and cheese sandwiches are frequent meals. She loves all fruit, and will eat broccoli. When she was a baby she loved veggies, but lately it has been difficult to get her to even try a bite. Madison was so shocked when she discovered she liked broccoli. She will ask people in the produce aisle, "You like broccoli? I like broccoli and eat it all up!"  
*Books: Madison loves to read her 'born' book, the shutterfly book I made her (and her sister) on their first birthdays at bedtime. What kid doesn't like looking at photos of themselves as a baby? Pete the Cat and books about Ballet and Cowgirls are her two favorite reading genera lately.

*Songs: "Call Me Maybe", "Fix my Eyes on You"
*TV: Madison loves the Disney show, "Sheriff Callie" about a singing kitty-cowgirl and her friends. She can't wait to be a cowgirl for halloween! We found some pink boots at Target and I can't get her to take them off. She has been telling Lindsay, "I'm gonna put you in jail!".... we're working on that one..lol.

*All Girl: MGF loves pink and purple, and would wear a tutu or skirt or dress everyday if I let her. She loves accessories like earrings, necklaces and sunglasses and likes to compliment people on their jewelry. There is one particular necklace I wear, and she asks me every time, "Mama, can I have that necklace when I get older?" She lets me put her hair in pigtails, although gets disappointed when it isn't french braids like big sisters.

*Toys: She sleeps with her Dolly, Molly and Kitty. Madison enjoys playing baby dolls, reading, and with her little people doll house. I can hear renacting long conversations with her dolls that go something like this: "No Ba-lijah (not sure why all dolls both male and female are named this)! Mommy says___, and you must obey or you get a spanking. Good job, I love you." It is pretty humbling seeing your parenting skills being used by your 2 year old!
*Petite Princess: She is still super tiny for her age, although her height seems to be just a little below average. She is fully potty trained (PM too for about 4 months). Wakes up at 7am and naps from 1-3pm during the afternoon, and goes to bed around 8:30pm.

Playing ballerina in her leotard.

*Friends: Madison enjoys playing with her older sisters friends, and I am excited for her to begin making her own friends in CBS this year while Lindsay is in preschool. She plays well with other kids, although despite her size, she isn't the type to back down when another child takes a toy or steps on her toes. She likes to tell tall tales and is quite into tattling.
*Learning: Madison loves her learning time. I have been giving Madison little activities during Lindsay's learning time and she has been doing fantastic! She knows all her shapes, colors and can say her ABC's and can count from 1-15. She recognizes 12 letters out of the alphabet, and loves craft time. In the fall we are going to start the ABC Jesus Loves Me 3 year old curriculum, and I don't know who is more excited for the one-on-one preschool practice time together, her or Mama!!

Love you my sweet "big" little girl!! xo