Apple Picking!

It's that time of year.....apple season!!!! ....

....and believe it or not for the first time this year we went apple picking as a family! And we had a blast!!! Why is it that when you do things with your kids it seems like the most exciting thing you've ever done??? I was beyond excited going to the orchard today! I just love to experience things for the first time with them and as a family. I hope we all can look back on days like today and have the best memories... memories of love, togetherness and just simplicity!

To be honest with you I don't remember going apple picking as a child (I may have gone... but I truly do not remember). Off we went... it was a bit drizzly today... but nothing that rubber boots and rain jackets didn't solve!! We grabbed a wagon and bushel and set off down to the orchard. We decided to pick macintosh apples...yum! yum! The kids had a blast climbing the ladder and examining all the apples to make sure they didn't have any worms!! :) Soo cute!

Picking the apples didn't actually take that long.. but we all had a lot of fun nonetheless! We picked 23lbs.... I went to check out the gift/bakery shop and picked up some fresh apple cider also! Yummy and perfect for fall days like today!

Once we got home.. I added some spices to the cider and put it on the stove to heat up all afternoon ~ and let me just tell you how much I love love love the smell of apple cider, cloves and cinnamon throughout the house!! A comfort scent for sure! I popped a chicken in the oven... and of course I just had to make an apple dessert!! So I decided to attempt butterscotch apple dumplings! I had never made them before...and I have to say they are now my favorite 'apple' dessert ~ it even tops homemade apple pie!! I will certainly make them again... and sooo wonderful to serve to dinner guests as well! They just look soo inviting...and yum yum yummy!!

Here are just a few pictures from our afternoon!

Not sure if you are tired of all my pictures! But as you can see I just love taking pictures...and after looking at them again, I can't help but feel soo blessed.