Pickin' Berries

The other day I was driving somewhere - to volleyball, maybe - and saw a sign for U-Pick blueberries and blackberries at Milburn Orchards in Elkton. Sounded like a fun idea - Dex and I had a good time picking strawberries a couple months ago. And blueberries are taller and easier to pick. Right? So I made plans to go berry picking on Wednesday. And THEN my friend took her niece and nephew there on Tuesday and sent pictures - they have TONS of cool (and FREE!) fun stuff for kids to do there, besides picking berries. And that stuff is open year-round. Sold! Off we went to Milburn, prepared to spend a fun-filled morning.

(NOTE: Blueberries are an ENORMOUS pain in the ass to pick. They are tiny. Small children pick them out of your basket and eat them faster than you can pick them. You have to get down on your knees in the mulch and search the bottom branches that all the other slackers have overlooked to find some berries. I might go back next week... Mostly because we're going to use all the berries I picked for a delicious blueberry pie that John is going to make. Some time.)

Blueberry stealer

At least he eats what he steals

Dex actually got the hang of picking after watching me for a while

And then he ate his own berries instead

Running to catch up

Cuteness

Then we went to the kids area and scored - KIDS HEAVEN of trucks!

Dex kept signing "truck" and giggling

More cuteness

I am DELIGHTED that Dex wanted to play in the sandbox. Up until today he really wasn't psyched about putting his hands in sand - heaven forbid his hands get dirty!

Could have stayed here all day, but I finally dragged him away to find...

A TRACTOR! So awesome.

Tractor driver

Petting the cute goats

Dex is pointing way up high at...

REALLY TALL goats!

Cute pig was trying to say hi to Dex but he was more interested in...

The balls in the pigs' pen.

Ah, this poor goat. Dex was turning the wheel, which makes these little steel cups go up the line and dump food on the platform. Which the goat obviously knew. Dex, however, was oblivious. There was no food in the cup. And he kept moving the cup back and forth. Back and forth. And goat just kept looking at the spot where food was supposed to fall, to no avail. Sorry, goat!

We found an airplane! So cute - Dex was signing "drive" then "airplane." He LOVES airplanes.

The end of a nice morning at Milburn. I took a tired tired boy home for lunch and a nap. And he slept not NEARLY long enough. Boooo.

Cow go pee-pee at the Fair

It's one of the most-often-pulled-out-and-used phrases from the "stupid things we said when we were kids" list. Cow go pee-pee at the Fair. Apparently one of us (I can't remember, but let's just say it's Jeanne. Cuz she STILL says weird stuff. And she got to do all the cool things when she was a kid) went to the local 4-H fair with Dad. Upon coming home, Mom asked what Jeanne saw at the Fair. And apparently this was a big deal to her. That she saw a cow, going pee-pee, at the Fair. A momentous occasion.

Anyway, Dex and John and I went to the happenin' Cecil County Fair this morning, to see if we could find any cows. Bonus points if we found cows going pee-pee. Notes: 1) If you go to the Cecil County Fair at 9AM sharp, the admission teenager chicks aren't manning the admission booth yet and you can get in scott free, instead of paying ten bucks. 2) We saw a wide assortment of animals, but Dex went RUNNING across the driveway to see a huge tractor. 3) Yes, yes. We saw a cow going pee-pee at the Fair. And also a pig. Who peed FOREVER. I mean, really. It was insane, the volume of pee that came out of this pig. 4) Goat shows are pretty entertaining to watch. 5) There's a lot of flags at the Fair. And Dex wants to stop to see EVERY ONE of them. 6) Cows going pee-pee at the Fair makes for one VERY VERY tired boy. We might have to do this all week...

For your viewing pleasure: The Cecil County Fair

Hold on, Daddy. I'm watching a cow back there...

Cow petting. MOOOOOOO.

Cows. Fascinating stuff. Also cool - the fans up in the corner of the stalls.

Still with the cows

COW WASH!

Petting a very patient pig

Neither boy seems very impressed with the curious pig who wants to say hi.

Also saw, and was not very impressed with, sheep

Goats, which we eventually got out to pet. And try to poke in the eye.

Went running across the driveway to see this monstrous thing

Tractors! Must. Go. See. Tractors!

The universal sign for "things with wheels"

An excellent morning at the Fair

Swing

Aunt Christy and Steven came to visit for the weekend, to babysit for us on Saturday night while we went to Longwood Gardens to celebrate Mother's Day. Late, I know, but John gave me a certificate for a symphony or a concert, and I chose fountains and fireworks at Longwood, with some Gershwin music thrown in for good measure. It was AWESOME. I don't even like fireworks much - I don't like the loudness - but these were great. Directly over our heads, set off like 100 yards away, 40 minutes long, fountains with lights changing colors depending on the music. Very very cool.

So, Aunt Christy and Steven had fun with the small child for the evening while we relaxed. Really, they deserved some relaxation as well, as we enlisted Steven's help in going to pick up a swing set for Dex (found on Craigslist. Seriously - what would I do without Craigslist?). And then, on the hottest afternoon of the summer, we decided it'd be fun to actually put UP the swing set. Which, on our un-level ground, involved some serious digging. And sweating. And sunburn. And more sweating. John made mud on his arms, from the mixture of dirt and sweat.

And then this morning, which wasn't a whole lot less hot that yesterday, Steven and John finished up the swing set while Dex climbed on it - he was too impatient to wait for it to be done. He wanted to climb that ladder NOW!

So, Christy and Steven, we owe ya one. Next time you want a swing set installed in your condo in New York, just give us a shout...

Swing set retrieval is way easier when you can borrow a trailer

Gotta do a little digging. Everyone pitches in.

Christy, Master Leveler

John wants to know why so many of the pictures I have are of his butt. Just getting your best side, babe. ;-)

Doesn't that shovel seem a little on the small side?

Seriously, hon, Why you gotta steal Dexter's shovel?

The fort has been moved in to the trenches. What do we think? Does it fit? Is it level?

Ladder installation

A new day, a new hole to be dug, more checking for level to be done

The finished product

With monkey bars, for some excellent falling and breaking of leg opportunities

Also includes a fun steering wheel - likely Dexter's favorite part of the swing set in the foreseeable future.

Heading toward the completed swing set for the first time. After a huge rain storm. We couldn't wait til it was dry.

SWING!

Will need some help getting up the ladder for a while but I think he'll catch on quick

Hooray steering wheel!