Charlotte

We are home safe and sound from our latest trip. This time, the three of us went to ... {drum-roll please}

Charlotte, North Carolina to visit Rachel.

We drove up on Thursday morning and got back around noon today. Ryan was PERFECT in the car, once again! He makes such a good little travel partner :)

We had a very nice time, and enjoyed spending time with Rachel and seeing where she lives!


Rachel's roommate is an awesome photographer, and inspired me to play around with my fancy camera {which I got last Christmas} a little while we were there. Thus, on Friday morning we went to NoDa {an artsy district near uptown} for a little photo shoot. It was fun! I have LOTS more to learn though.

Later that afternoon, we headed over to a great little neighborhood park that was right around the corner from Rachel's apartment so that Ryan could play for a bit.

Then, we enjoyed a yummy dinner at Carrabba's Italian Grill before heading back to the apartment to call it a night.

Thanks for hosting us, Rachel! See you again in a few weeks :)

Day Trip to North Georgia

We spent the day yesterday in the the North Georgia mountains ...

Our first stop was Ellijay for the Georgia Apple Festival. Nestled in the mighty Appalachian Mountains, Ellijay is the heart of Georgia's apple country, and the tree-ripened mountain apples available at the festival were DELICIOUS and less expensive! I wish I had bought more than 1/2 a peck of apples {5 -6 pounds} to bring home!


We had fun walking around the festival and viewing all the vendors handmade, hand-crafted items, and Ryan went on his first pony ride. He was so excited although he hung onto my arm for dear life during the ride. We also enjoyed some apple treats before we left -- homemade apple dumplings {which we watched them make} and a caramel apple.

Homemade Apple Dumpling -- Yummy!

Ryan LOVES apples and calls them "balls."

{He thinks anything that's round and resembles a ball is a ball :) I guess it's good that he can associate apples, pumpkins, and balls being the same shape, right?}

Then we headed east to Dawsonville and stopped by Burt's Farm to get some pumpkins. This place is amazing and has some of the biggest pumpkins I have ever seen! We have gone there every October since 2007 {when David and I first discovered the place}, and it is always a highlight of the month for us!

Ryan had lots of fun running around the pumpkins {and kicking them, throwing them, and beating on them -- he is all boy!}, and observing all the other children -- he gravitates toward them!

Ryan is helping himself to the "baby" pumpkins.

"I got one!"

And, we enjoyed the wonderful pumpkin pie aroma that permeates throughout the farm thanks to the homemade pumpkin pies cooking, and being sold! It is hard to resist buying one because they smell SO darn good! We did though.

Our final stop was Amicalola Falls, which is right around the corner from Burt's Farm. Ryan isn't quite big enough yet to hike up to the Falls so we drove to the top, and then took in the beautiful view!

Ryan wants the fruit snacks Daddy has :)

Looking at the waterfall!

Not so sure about being on the rock mound by himself.

Warmed up and loving it now :)

Hiking back to the car.

It was a gorgeous fall Saturday, and we had so much fun together on our day trip up to North Georgia!!

Berry Patch Farms

Yesterday morning, the little guy and I went to Berry Patch Farms with our MOM-A (Moms of Milton-Alpharetta) group. It was tons of fun!

We took a hayride out to the pumpkin patch where Ryan got to pick out his own little pumpkin. {Actually, he really had no interest in the little pumpkins and preferred to throw them as if they were balls, and run around the big open field like a wild man! He did like the big pumpkins though, and the scarecrows.}

After our hayride back, we enjoyed some apple cider {which Ryan devoured}, playing on the playground, visiting the baby farm animals, and playing on an old farm tractor.

Now we are looking forward to our family trip to another pumpkin patch with Daddy next week :)

Scarecrows and Corn Mazes

What better way to kick-off the season than with scarecrows and corn mazes!?

Last Saturday, we ventured over to the 5th Annual Scarecrow Harvest in Downtown Alpharetta {after having a fun breakfast at Dunkin Donuts}.

For a little background, the City of Alpharetta invites teachers and students from local elementary schools to celebrate the spirit of the fall season by creating scarecrows. The scarecrows are then on display on Main Street in Historic Downtown Alpharetta beginning in October. It is so much fun to drive down the street {one we travel on multiple times a day}, and see all the creations! Awards are given out at the Scarecrow Harvest for the Most Creative, Best Constructed, Best Personality, “ Go Green” Crow, and SchCOOLEST (school with the most participating classrooms) Scarecrows. The Scarecrow Harvest also features hayrides, face painting, storytelling, bounce houses, children’s fall crafts, and live folk music. What a great community event!

Ryan enjoyed admiring all the scarecrows! His favorite scarecrow was the one of Buzz and Woody. He LOVES Toy Story {and if you cannot tell, he is holding his Buzz and Woody toys in both hands}.

He also enjoyed the hayride, playing with chalk, and seeing all the dogs! This will definitely be a yearly October tradition for our family, as long as we live near Alpharetta :)

Now onto the corn maze ... yesterday {Daddy was off for Columbus Day ... Yay!}, we went to Uncle Shuck's Corn Maze in Dawsonville with our next door neighbors.

It was great fun, and will also be added to our yearly tradition list! In addition to the 12 acre field of corn that has approximately 4 miles of trails, there was a little soy bean corn maze for the kiddos as well as goats to feed {which Ryan loved}, a Corn Cannon, and some pumpkins!

On a side note -- Ryan adores Ellie, the little girl next door, as she does him. They have so much fun together! At one point, they ventured off through the corn maze holding hands {and looking like a cute old married couple}. Is this not the sweetest thing ever?!?!

Until our next Fall adventure {which will be to a Pumpkin Patch on Tuesday with our playgroup so you don't have to wait long!} ...