Hedge Maze, Pumpkins and Patriots

This year Jason and I did not feel like picking apples.  It is expensive and it takes all of ten minutes to pick the amount of apples we want.  The kids don't want to leave after ten minutes so the "fun" times quickly can turn into whining.  We decided we would still go to the orchard and enjoy the fall activities but instead of picking apples we went to an orchard that also had a hedge maze.  The maze was1.5 miles in length, consist of 3,000 arborvitae, 6 bridges and a lookout gazebo.  It was fun to walk around the maze.  At first we tried it without using the map but as you can imagine we didn't get very far without ending back at where we started.  Once we did that I started to lead the way by using the map.  I then gave the map over to Sofia so she could figure out where we should go.  It was nice little map reading skill session and she didn't even know it!  Ali really wasn't interested in reading the map.  She wanted to lead the way with me telling her which direction to go in.  That was fine with me.  It was suppose to be fun after all.  After finding all six bridges we worked our way out of the maze.  The orchard also sold pumpkins so the girls took their time deciding on the perfect pumpkin.  We bought two big pumpkins and a small pumpkin that Ali has to take to school.  After eating all six apple cider donuts we had purchased before entering the maze the girls wanted more donuts.  We decided against that but did go back to the farm store for some delicious cider and we bought a bag of apples.  Nice fresh picked apples without the whining. :) 



It was a beautiful fall afternoon so once we were finished at the orchard we wanted to sit outside for lunch.  Since it was the middle of the Patriots game and they were playing at the Jets we decided to head over to Patriot Place.  We sat outside at CBS Scene and had lunch while watching the game on the big screen.  It was a lot of fun except, of course, the game was not a good game.  We headed home and listened to the game on the radio and then caught the end of the game on TV at home. 

Once the game was over it was pumpkin carving time.  Jason got everything prepped for carving and cut the tops off the pumpkins and then let the girls have at it.  This was the first year they really did not require our assistance.  The designed their pumpkins themselves and then cut them out with little pumpkin carving saws.  They did a great job!