Summer fun, Strawberry Picking, & Enchanted Forest

The weather has turned to beautiful here. Mid 70's most days now and we can't get enough!

We've gone fishing at the pond (with not much success haha)-

 had a backyard campout-

family t-ball and BBQ's-

 we even pulled out the kiddie pool to splash around in!

But my FAVORITE thing about the weather getting warmer- besides getting to play outside- is that it means berry season is here! Strawberries are first, then raspberries, and at the end of the summer there's blueberries and blackberries.

Every time before this year that we've picked strawberries we unknowingly went at the end of the strawberry season and haven't had the best experience. They were usually small and hard to find. And we'd get SO dirty, but that part was okay. This year, as soon as I heard they were ready to pick I headed out with the kids. Not wanting to go alone and desperate for company, I called up a friend and she was actually on her way to the same place to go pick! It worked out perfectly. I loved the location- its really out in the country and I kind of feel like a pilgrim gathering in the fields, haha. Also these strawberry plants were the biggest I'd seen, and the strawberries themselves were HUGE and so sweet. We picked out hearts out and left with 36 lbs. A few weeks later we went back with Jonathan and got 30 someodd more (of a different variety- but just as delicious!) Last summer I made lots of jam, so this year I'm freezing most of them and we always set aside a few lbs. for eating.

We still got dirty, but the kids were in their own kind of heaven :) They eat wayyyy more than they pick- I'm grateful that the farmers don't mind!

This last weekend was another hot one, so we decided to stay in the shade of the Enchanted Forest Theme Park :) It's about 15 minutes from us, and I've always wanted to go but was worried the kids wouldn't care for it. Now they're at those ages where they are super active ALL THE TIME...and sure enough they had the time of their life!

 bumper boats. Kids LOVED those.

 Creepy witch mouth tunnel cave thing...

 I cannot believe these two did the log ride! So terrifying. I'm a chicken.

 Talmage insisted he go into the haunted house. Crazy boy....he enjoyed it though he did pee his pants a wee bit. haha. Also the worker turned off a lot of the scary noises for him- thank goodness!

 Old LAdy's Shoe slide, mini ferris wheel, and train ride. All so cute and fun.

The park was super adorable. Half of it was twisty cooblestone pathways through the forest, with storybook characters along the way (just statues and tunnels and tiny little houses). The second half was rides and a village that looked like something out of Pinnochio. Also lots of little shops and rooms to go into- but since we were limited on time we just did the rides and ended with a picnic. I liked that the park encourages people to bring their own food and that they provided beautiful picnic areas. I also appreciated all the hands-on play for young children- if only we had more time to do explore everything! Still I'm glad we went and made those memories with the kids.

I've been realizing that this is our last summer with these two before we have THREE little chicklets, so I'm trying to make it special and do as much as we can in the few months we have left. Talmage & Charlotte are completely thrilled to meet baby- they talk about him/her all the time! I can't wait to introduce little one to them.