Wacky Wordless Wednesday

Flashback Friday

Like I said in my previous post, this trip to the pumpkin patch/apple orchards is a yearly trip. We started before Miles came along (pretty much all our lives), and we want to carry it on for as long as we can.

Here is a look at the past three years of out annual adventures in Greenbluff.

I propped Miles in the pumpkins for his first pumpkin patch picture. As you can see, he was less than thrilled. This is just about one month old.

At just over a year, he was all about walking around the pumpkin patch. And climbing all over the pumpkins (but not posing!).

This year, I only got a "pose" out of him because he wanted to climb over these pumpkins and sit by the scarecrow. He was excited that he made it to the other side (there were about four feet of pumpkins he climbed over to get here).

But this year, he thought they were all like balls and could be thrown. I repeatedly had to tell him that we don't throw pumpkins, or any kind of produce for that matter (except I did tell him to throw apples that he picked up off the ground under the trees in the orchard...poor kid was probably confused!).

During our first trip, I carried Miles in the sling (besides the pumpkin propping).

The next year, he went in the stroller, but we did eventually let him out to walk around.

This year, we didn't even bother with the stroller...he now wants to "walka-walka" everywhere!

Daddy and Miles posed by the scarecrow the first year.

The next year, like I said, he wasn't into the posing thing! So, he ended up on Daddy's shoulders for a bit (we actually used the stroller for the pumpkins!).

This year, he was all about helping (and still not wanting to pose!).

This one is a self portrait of our family from our first visit as the three of us.

I love this picture. Attempts at more self family portraits both last year and this were failed attempts!


Hope you enjoyed the glance back in time!

Apples: Part 1 (and some crazy hair)

On Tuesday, we took our annual trip to Greenbluff! Greenbluff is a beautiful area north of town that is made up of many farms that grow all sorts of produce, depending on the time of year. This time of year it is apple and pumpkin season. I have gone to Greenbluff just about every year I can remember. Miles has been every year of his life so far... We hope to keep this annual trip a tradition for years to come. This year, Miles was able to get into it a bit more and really enjoyed it!

We started out at Walter's, that is no longer owned by the Walters. The apples were good, but the pumpkins left something to be desired.

Because we went up on a Tuesday, all the festivities were shut down and there weren't many people around. During the weekends the traffic is astonishing, the lines are long, the train rides are full. But there are also fresh pumpkin doughnuts, caramel apples, fresh cider, kettle corn, pony rides, hay mazes, and more. While Miles is still little, we opt to avoid the crowds and go during the week.

First, we took a "train" ride to the apple trees. This year we picked only red and golden delicious. Miles wasn't quite sure about the train ride to begin with, but warmed up quickly.

He liked that it was pulled by a tractor. It was a blue tractor, but since riding his "Gupay's" tractor this summer, he is obsessed with all things tractor. This farm had tractors everywhere and each time he saw one he would point and yell, "Gupay, Gupay, more Gupay!".

The apples looked delightful!

And Miles agreed! He was ready for some picking...

Luckily, there were many apples at his level that he could pick on his own.

He had a hard time getting them off the tree at times, but overall did a pretty good job helping pick apples.

He also helped Daddy by running picked apples to the apple box.

And usually throwing them like balls, into the box.

We tried to teach him to set them gently, that we don't throw produce!

He also helped Daddy carry the box back to the store so we could pay for them.

This is just part one of our day to Greenbluff. I have some more pics from apple picking (namely some of me and Miles) as well as our trip to the pumpkin patch on a different farm.

Notice Miles' crazy hair in these pics? I opted not to comb his hair that morning, mostly out of laziness. If I had a dollar for every time someone commented on his hair that day, I could have purchased a few lattes! Mostly people liked it :) with comments like "Nice hair, little guy", or "I like his hair, very cute!" I usually replied with, "Yeah, I didn't comb it this morning...authentic bed head!"

Boys + Rocks + Water = ?

Boys + Rocks + Water = A good time had by all!

Man, I never knew how much boys liked throwing rocks in the water. Miles spent hours this summer at the lake cabin throwing rocks into the lake. Peter has spent many many more hours than Miles throwing rocks into a larger lake, known as the ocean. So, twice on our recent trip to the west side, we spent some time by the ocean, throwing rocks into the water. Or at least the boys did!

Quite honestly, I was thrilled to actually go down to the water as opposed to throwing rocks off the boardwalk. Though I knew Miles would walk into the water soaking his feet, I was looking forward to getting these pictures. Growing up, I spent quite a bit of time in this part of the state. We spent many a family vacation in the San Juan Islands, specifically Fidalgo Island and the city of Anacortes. My favorite park in the state is Washington Park on Fidalgo Island. Therefore, many pictures of myself, even at this age, were taken on beaches just like this one, with the logs, just like these. I really wanted to get some pictures of Miles on a pebbled-loggy beach of Washington, and I love how they turned out!

Cousins

Peter and Miles. Miles and Peter. Two little boys born three and a half months apart whose mothers are sisters. Miles calls his cousin Peter, Pete, and I think it's pretty cute. They are both just getting to an age of being curious about other kids, but not quite sure what to do with each other. Miles has also recently started saying "mine", which inhibits the playing together, though we're working on sharing and learning that just because you have something in your possession, doesn't mean it is, indeed, yours.

Here are some pics from our weekend visiting cousin Peter a few weeks ago.



I am pretty sure Peter is pulling on Miles shirt to get the ball that Miles is playing "keep away" with. Here is a better shot from my sister's blog.


This is Cameron earnestly trying to get the boys to play together, throwing the ball in a circle between the three of them. Peter was pretty good at it, but Miles and his new word ("mine") became the downfall of the game.

Some fun at the drinking fountain.

Peter was kind enough to share one of his favorite activities with Miles. Throwing rocks in the river, I mean ocean, by the railroad tracks. Miles enjoys throwing rocks just as much as Peter does, remember?

And this was just the beginning of the fun filled weekend. Peter and Miles also played at Peter's house.

Miles had a great time on their balcony.

He and Peter did a lot of in and out!

Peter, with his skinned-up face from a tumble, or two, he took. He's a little more rough and tumbler than Miles!

Can't remember what they were doing, but they were both enjoying it. Maybe they were just shaking hands?

Cousins hugging....awwwww.....!

Playing puzzles together.

Miles riding Peter's "hoo-hoo", or horse, while Peter dug in Aunt Annie's purse (or as Miles says, "Ent En").

Peter hit the jack-pot with "Ent En's" credit card!

After all that fun, Peter relaxed with a nice ice cold beer...

(it is empty)

And the other cousin! The newest addition to the clan: Moira Eileen! She was about six weeks old when we first met her. Here she is just learning to smile.

And also learning to be content hanging out by herself for a few minutes.

Miles had many hugs to share with cousin Moira!

A little out of order, Moira and her Mommy snuggling:

More hugs from Miles. Did I mention that he loves babies?

Is she smiling at him?

This is Miles trying to make Moira smile like her Mommy did by poking her...Miles didn't understand why it made her cry when he did it.

And that was just one day! Whew! Day two with this clan coming soon...stay tuned!