{Much needed} Fun at the orchard

The last couple of weeks have been, at the very least, difficult.

I've been trying to put a post together about my Grandma, and keep getting hung up on one thing or another. I've decided not to rush it, and just work on it a little bit at a time....so that when I do post it, it will be exactly what I am wanting.

Last Saturday, the day after Granny's funeral, I was in a funk and in much need of doing something to take my mind off our current circumstances....and Shane saved the day, as usual. He's done that a lot lately.

He decided that we should take the boys over to a local orchard for some fun. We went once already this season, but didn't do any of the "fun" (read--expensive) things that they have for the kids. Since we didn't go on any official vacations this year *sniff*, we decided that we could afford to take them over there and let them do a very few of those fun things, and then go have dinner at "the nut place" (that's what our boys call Texas Roadhouse).

I was so glad we did--I had some much needed fun there (not to mention the best apple cider--mmmmm!) and so did the boys!

Riding the "tractor"

Ha! Love this one...apparently, Col was getting smushed!

Love love love this guy :)

Ethan was really, really excited about feeding the goats.....
we had a couple of moments where he got a bit too close!
They're so gentle (and fed so well by the hundreds that come through there everyday)
that I'm sure they'd never try to eat him, but you just can't be too careful! *giggle*

Who's that little bee?

Ethan loved climbing around in the wooden choo-choo train....

And begged--in his own way, of course--to ride the ponies.
"See Momma? That one there. He wants me to ride him. Please? See him?"

Then, we got to the 'real' fun--the bouncy house!
The boys could have played for hours and, as I stood there, shivering, it felt like they did ....

Next, it was time for a hay ride....

Cam was so excited about going anywhere behind a tractor!

Col, for some reason....not as excited.

Mommy and Cami

Daddy and E

Daddy and the boys

{Almost) All of us!

We decided that, since that pony wanted Ethan to ride him so badly,
we would go ahead give in. I mean, who am I to tell a pony "no"?
Ethan loved that part of the day, by the way....

After about three hours, we were starving (and out of moola!)

We headed over to Texas Roadhouse for some very good eats!

What mommy said:
"Ethan, smile for mommy!"
What Ethan heard:
"Ethan, give me your stinky face."

Cam, enjoying some of those prized peanuts....

....and loving on his Momma a bit *grin*

We had a wonderful meal to end a really great day--steak, mashed potatoes,
country friend chicken....and, yes--hot dogs. (Much to my dismay,
when you have boys, those are almost always involved....)

....well, most of us enjoyed those foods, anyway.
E made his meal off of his usual--carbs.
Some things never change....