A is for Apple - Our Trip to Tanner's

Last week our lesson was "A is for Apple".  So when 'Grandma' Pam suggested going to the apple orchard, we thought it was time for our first official field trip!

 We met up with her and headed to Speer, Illinois to Tanner's Orchard.  (Where there are pumpkins along with apples.)

And bugs.  Miles spent most of our time at the orchard catching bugs.

Once we got moving again, we jumped around a wooden train.

Checked out the chickens.

Looked at bunnies.

Fed the goats.

Who have a system of bridges that go across the roof tops.

With stations with conveyers that you can send food up to the goats.

The goats watch for it and try to eat it before it gets all the way around.

We took advantage of the hand washing station and cleaned up...

And headed out to pick some apples.

We found the apples.

And picked some apples.

And yes, Miles had his mouth full in the previous photo, we might have tasted the apples too.  I'm not sure if that's allowed or not, so if not, I apologize to Tanner's publicly right now.  They were delicious! 

(So does this free advertising make up for my boys eating an apple?)

We filled our bag and bought some too!

Then headed back to the gift shop and bakery to check out the goodies.

Where we tasted some fresh apple cider.

And saw a goldfish pond...  which Miles would later say was his favorite part of the day.  What?!

We grabbed some lunch too.  But Miles meal that came with a hot dog, apple sauce and apple cider also came with an apple cider donut...which he ate first.

We'd smelled them from outside and it was all the boys asked for after that.

 After lunch we headed back for more fun.  Inside this grain bin was some fun....

A big ole sand box with digging machines.

Then the boys drove pedal tractors.

I told them to practice for the pedal pull in Yale, Iowa over Independence Day.

But they were quickly distracted by the pirate ship.

...who wouldn't be?  It had a slide instead of having to walk the plank.

Cooper and G'ma Pam played tether ball.

Then there was a climbing wall.

A train caboose.  

And a hay bale maze.

Where the boys wandered around for a while.

Next Cooper found a spider web to relax in.

Until he noticed Miles and G'ma Pam at the top of a big hill nearby.

King of the hill anyone?

Cooper barely made it to the top before he laid down and rolled to the bottom.

While Miles chose to walk.  He is my mini-me in the cautious nature department.

At the bottom, Miles tried to relax in the web, but it wasn't working out for him to well.

We wrapped things up and headed for the car.  It was a fun filled day for sure! 

...and we even took some of the fun home to share with Derek.