Apple Pickin' Fun

After the zoo, we decided to go apple picking because we are crazy I had a craving for Evan's Apple Cider and needed more apples for another apple pie.

The weather was perfect, although since it was late in the apple picking season, the trees were pretty well picked over. 

We were still able to find enough yummy apples to sample and add to our bag.

And we bought a peck (is that a real measurement) of my most favorite HoneyCrisp in the market along with a gallon of apple cider.

A benefit to apple picking with few apples was the absence of other apple pickers.  We pretty much had the orchard to ourselves!

With our apples I made a homemade apple pie, which didn't last long enough to photograph, and since I was on a domestic kick, I also whipped up a loaf of Maple Oat "Becca Bread".

It's soooooooooooo good!

Catching Up

Many moons ago, when Libby was a monkey-haired sack of newborness and we were sleep deprived yet still needed to find ways of entertaining a demanding almost-four-year-old, we packed up our brood and drove to Cincinnati where we became members of the Newport Aquariam.  For roughly the cost of two visits, we got unlimited passes and could go anytime we wanted.

We've continued the tradition of buying membership at local parks where we can bring the kids for a great day of fun. 

Lucky for us, we live within an hours' drive of two semi-major cities with a variety of zoos, parks, and museums.

Last year, we had a Louisville Zoo membership pass.  We visited the zoo about 4 times within that year, so the passes were worth it.

Since our membership was going to expire the end of September we decided to spend one last morning walking around the zoo and visiting our favorite animals. (I must say, the biggest benefit to having the passes is the freedom to see only the stuff we're really interested in, and not feeling obligated to check out every exhibit.)

Of course, I had to get a picture of my favorite rhino rumps!  I have captured them on camera every.single.time I go!

The elephants are always a hit! A bonus with the Louisville Zoo is they have both an African and an Asian elephant, so the girls could see the similarities and differences in the two animals. 

We treated the girls to some cotton candy, an often-requested but rarely-gotten treat...

Libby especially enjoyed the sugary snack, which we enjoyed in the shade while watching the seals (sea lions?) swim in Glacier Run, the new Arctic Animal exhibit that just opened recently.

Of course, the Polar Bears were a big hit!  Although we didn't get a picture, the main attraction is a cub named Qannik, rescued from Alaska (I believe) after she was separated from her mother.

The exhibit provides lots of places to view the bears.

We also always enjoy hanging out with the Amur Tigers!

And it's become a tradition for Anna to get a picture compared to a Gorilla.  See last year's here.

After the zoo, we lunched at Lynn's Paradise Cafe.  I don't think my arteries have completely recovered from the hotbrown I ordered.  Then, we drove back to Georgetown and headed to Evan's Apple Orchard for from apple picking!