Binkies and Briefcases

Yes, this is the third time in a month we’ve been to a farm. It’s fall and we live in Pennsylvania, enough said.

Today I got to have some special one-on-one time with Nicholas, just us and 11 other preschoolers and their mommies. (and a few daddies and grandparents too)

The field trip only lasted an hour, which was prefect for the three year old attention spans.

We boarded a tractor and took a hayride to an apple orchard where we were each allowed to pick 4 apples, then it was back on the tractor and over to the pumpkin patch to pick out a pumpkin and a few gourds, and finally back to the general store where they handed out apple sauce and cider for everyone.

It was a great way to spend an autumn afternoon!

Are you loving the pumpkin hat as much as I am?

One of the best things about being a parent is getting to share the same experiences you had as a child with your own children, and one of the best things about marrying your high school sweetheart is that he’s from the same town and has many of the same family traditions. Like going to Weber’s Farm in the fall. Pretty much everyone in Baltimore County, MD goes to Weber’s Cider Mill Farm in the fall. (and I think they were all there with us on Saturday because it was crowded!)

Sure we could have gone to a pumpkin patch much closer to our house, but that’s not the same. My sister and a friend of hers met us there and we got to share all of our childhood memories with Nick and Abby.

As a grown up I love the little general store with all of its canned goods. They also sell apple cider slushies and cider donuts at an adorable little cafe.

and pumpkins and gourds (farmed on land owned by the family of one of my very dear friends from high school and college)

Charlotte (my sister) and I always loved the pumpkin story book walk, although we both remembered it as being much more elaborate when we were young.

Pumpkins are dressed up like characters from nursery rhymes, like Humpty Dumpty and Little Boy Blue.

There are tractors big and small to occupy little boys

And giant slides built into the hillside

and toddler-sized hay maze

a petting zoo with goats and geese

a mining area to pan for gold

and plenty of opportunities for family photos

Admission to the activities is $7 for kids ages 2 & up and $5 for adults, memories like the above photo: totally priceless.

I’m linking up to Fun on a Dime

Ugh. Being sick is the one time that I truly miss being a full-time working mom. It used to be so nice to be able to take a sick day, drop Nicholas (he was the only one we had at the time) off at daycare and go back home to do nothing but lie around watching endless hours of day time tv in a house that was already clean & organized. (Note: NEVER move when you are 6 months pregnant and already have a toddler. Two years later you will still be catching up with the unpacking and organizing)

Now when I need a sick day I have to inconvenience other people & ask them to take a day off. If Eddie has to take a day or two off it also cuts into our family vacations later in the year because he only gets 15 days throughout the entire year that he can take off. Using them for babysitting days while I’m sick leaves less time with him during holidays and for vacations. Boo.

Thankfully, my mom (who otherwise would have been working until late that night) and little brother were able to come for a few hours last night & bring dinner and my dad & step-mom are taking off from work and coming today. Eddie was able to get an alternate and he will be home VERY late tonight to be here for me tomorrow, which makes me very happy, but also feeling guilty at the same time.

That’s four people who will have had to miss work within a 36-hour time span to help one stay-at-home mom.

Hey, government, are you reading that?

4:1

So now 3 out of those 4 are taking paid personal days and other people are getting paid to do their jobs, for example Eddie’s alternate is also getting paid for 12+ hours of travel time and the overtime he’ll be putting in this week.

hmmm…maybe companies looking to cut costs should look into hiring babysitters to rotate among wives of their employees who need sick days. It would be much less expensive to hire me a babysitter than pay two engineers.

Well, at least there is an up side.

Apparently my getting sick is more effective than a government stimulus program AND a bunch of people get to have special bonding time with their kids & grandkids in the process.

Just doing my patriotic duty.

You’re welcome.