The Orchard...

I had a hankerin', you know, a craving, a yearning.  Maybe it is fall, leaves changing colors, the opportunity to wear sweat shirts and jeans sometimes.  I just really, really needed an apple, cinnamon, sugar donut from Evan's Orchard in Georgetown.  I mentioned this and Andie, our middlemost daughter, said she would like that as well.  And, as a bonus, our youngest grandmonsters, her children, were on fall break from school.  We were able to set a time on Wednesday, October 22nd, to meet a Evan's Orchard.

The Mini's are totally on board with Evan's Orchard.  They have an amazing playground. The Mini's have always had a great time playing there.  Claude had meetings in Frankfort that morning but thought he could meet us a little after noon and we could enjoy lunch there.  Plans in place.  Action.

It is such a fun place, the Mini's were eager to play and not eat.  So tickets were purchased for the play area and off we went to burn some Mini energy.  There is a new play item this year.  It is called the Pillow Bounce.  Hope the pictures give you an idea because I cannot find words to describe it.  These pictures make me wish I had, had a brother when I was a child.

 

 

Then there were the old favorites starting with the rat racer.

 

 

 

 And the brightly painted tires to climb and jump on.

 

There was another new feature called the Duck Races.  I thought this was a very clever use of gutters and water pumps and big tubs and rubber ducks.  

 

 

We did pause long enough to get some lunch. Claude was tasked with purchasing the donuts and apple cider to bring home.

I left before the kids wore out.  Wednesday is the day I take Papa to the nursing home.  He doesn't play and sing anymore but he does take a DVD.  There is so little he can do to feel he is contributing to life that this is a really important thing to take him to do.  So I left to take Papa to the nursing home.  After the DVD finished, Papa and I drove to Dairy Queen and met Andie and the kids for something more to eat and an ice cream treat.

At Dairy Queen, Hayden positioned himself by Papa with a book to share with him. Hayden is a hugger.  He must have needed a hug because at one point he just stopped what he was doing, turned to Papa and gave him a big hug.  Now, Papa is alone and doesn't get lots of hugs.  He was very surprised by this quick movement but totally enjoyed this hug from his great-grandson.  Cute moment. Hayden hugged for a nice long time.

 

After our treat we headed to Sadieville for the evening.  The Mini's wanted to ride in Ma's car.  This was not a problem as Andie had their little car seats which are very easy to move from one car to the other.  We first took Papa home.  Hayden wanted to talk Legos with Papa for a bit. Bailey plundered among the guitars, mandolin and violin. They both think Papa's apartment is a very cool place.

I loaded them back in the Buick and headed to Sadieville.  My car did not come with a sun-roof but we had one put in right after we purchased it.  The Mini's like for me to pull the ceiling of the car back so the extra light can come in through the sun-roof.  I didn't realize they didn't know that the glass would also open.  I told them it would do that and as we drove up I-75 I pressed the magic button and the widow slid back into the ceiling of the car.  They were so impressed and excited. They kept raising their little hands to reach up and feel that breeze coming in through the sun-roof.  Then we reached the garage and Bailey wouldn't get out of the car till she stood up with her head out the sun-roof.  We called Andie to come see her daughter and Bailey pretended she was the princess in the parade they see in LaGrange every year.  We could have created a bit of a problem here. 

Craving fulfilled.  Grandmonster time an added bonus.  Not a bad 24 hours.