Apple-picking 2015

This year we went apple picking at the Flynn's orchard with our friends, the McArthurs.  They recently moved to Omaha (for only a year *sniff sniff*), but what a fun family!  They have five kiddos--four girls and one little boy.  Their oldest is Em's age and the two girls are good friends.  Kari also has a buddy as well and their little boy is Ju Ju's age.

So, after piling as many people as possible into the gator (with the rest of us trailing on foot), we set to work picking lots and lots of apples!  We LOVE this tradition and are so grateful to Pat Flynn for continuing to open up her property for everyone.

"Look!  Apples!"

Pretty Emily, growing up so (too) fast!

My handsome fellas

My beautiful girls!

Check out Christian's funny face--he must've found a yucky apple!

Silly Kari

Big girl, Britta, starting to walk!

This photo may be the one (and only) picture of everyone looking at the camera and smiling.
If you have a big family, you know what an anomaly this really is.

I'm pretty sure at least part of Heaven looks just like the Flynn's property.

 More silly Kari.

 We're back and moving on to the cider-press!  The bees think cider-making is pretty great too and poor Christian got bitten or stung right on his ear!  Luckily, Pat had some baking soda and ice and that helped him to feel better.

 The kids all love this gigantic swing on the most perfect tree.  Christian went on it with the littles and Emily and Gracie took it to new heights!

What a fantastically-fun evening!!!

Apple Picking 2014

 Our apple picking at the Flynn's tradition continues!  We went early this season as I am (over) due at this point to have this baby and we wanted to make sure we got it in :-).  We invited some of our neighbors along to join us in the fun and it was a beautiful evening (in spite of the mosquitoes being bad this year).

 The kids all got right to work and the trees were just dripping with HUGE, delicious apples!  (The extra rain we've gotten this year brought the mosquitoes, yes, but it also produced some terrific apples!)

 Juliana loves apples--she really liked getting them right off of the tree!  (They're all grown organically so all you have to do is watch for bird poo or worms :-).)

Christian and Cubby thought this apple looked like a bum-crack.
Yes, they're very mature boys.

Brian and Kahlan

Sullivan and Christian

Family picture!

My friend, Andrea, and her boys, Sullivan and Conway.
(Husband and daughter were at soccer.)

My friend, Audi, and her sweet family.

Emily and Kahlan being silly.

 After picking, all of the kiddos wanted turns on the rope swing hung from this huge tree out front.  Such a terrific evening!!

Apple Picking 2013

This picture sums up our feelings about our fall tradition of apple picking at the Flynn's orchard!  Every year, our whole family looks forward to that time when the apples are ready for pickin'.

This year, we invited our friends and neighbors along too.  My friends, Stephanie and Audi, both brought their children along and together we all had a great time enjoying this special fall tradition.

The apples were up high this year and Emily got to use the "picker."

Christian, always a good boy to pose for a picture!

Kari, being silly.

Emily, being silly.

Cubby, being silly.

Our growing family!

 This year, as if to prove that you can, indeed, enhance the Rockwellian ambiance to the orchard, Pat Flynn added a rope swing.  The kids loved it!

 Our special friend, Alexa ("Lexi").  Such a sweet little friend to both girls!

Didn't get as many pictures this year as it was getting kinda' dark (we went a bit later than we have in the past).  Still, we were so thankful to have been able to go and continue in this wonderful tradition!

Slice of Heaven 2012

Last Friday night we went to the Flynn's orchard for our annual apple-picking!  A couple other of our friends' families came along to check out for themselves why we call this place a little "slice of heaven." 

 The weather couldn't have been better.  I mean, we're talking one of the top 10 evenings of the year.  Perfect for picking!

 This was also Juliana's first trip to the orchard!  She did great!

 Here are the obligitory kids-having-a-ball-in-the-orchard pictures.  Big smiles, big time fun.

 Kari-belle.

 (She was the only one of our kids to actually eat an apple.  Yes, my kids are weird.)

 Emily

 Here is Kari and her best friend, Alexa (or, "Lexi" as she calls her).

 Emily and Miss Brooklynn.

 Here is our little family!

 Almost all of the kiddos from the evening (Em's friend, Ella, came late from a volleyball practice).

 How many kids does it take to fill a gator?  (I'll let you figure it out.)

And, here is my sweet baby and me! 

What a beautiful night.  What a wonderful blessing it is that we get to go make such great memories with our children and friends each year.  We are truly thankful to the Flynns for always being so generous in opening up their orchards and sharing so much with so many.