Windy Hill Orchard & Cider Mill

The kids and I took an extremely fun field trip today with the HINTS homeschool group to Windy Hill Orchard & Cider Mill in York, SC. The kids were excited to get a chance to have an apple donut, cider & take home their own pumpkin. (Since apple season is at it's end, they had pumpkins for the kids to take home, but the focus of the presentation was still on making apple cider & Johnny Appleseed).

We got there a little early to make sure we had plenty of time to get down there. When we arrived, the kids had fun looking at the baby pigs, hens and roosters that were freely roaming around the entire place.

I was SO disappointed that I forgot my camera at home, but thankful at the same time that at least I have a decent camera on my phone.  

I was so glad they got the chance to walk around without a large group crowding around, because right around the time I took this picture, a few buses arrived with kids from several different schools.  I had no clue that our group would be tacked onto another school group, which was a little disappointment because with all of the kids that were around it was harder to keep track of where my kids were.  However, our group of homeschool moms stuck together and made it through our tour without getting separated :)  I didn't get as many pictures as I had hoped due to the commotion of keeping up with everybody, but I got a few good shots of the hayride.

Our tour guide was "Johnny Appleseed", and BOY, was this guy impressive!  He had his whole presentation (which was rhymed and very metric/rhythmic) memorized and had a great way of speaking with children.  He started off our tour telling us how apple cider is made and by telling the story of Johnny Appleseed.  I was EXTRA impressed when he gave a gospel presentation at the end of the story!  He spoke of the truths of the Bible Johnny portrayed and that Jesus was the only way to heaven.  I was SO glad that all these school children were getting the gospel presented to them on a field trip!  I learned later from the mom who organized our group trip that the family that owns the orchard is a homeschool family, which made sense why they would have such a great presentation of this degree.  

I wanted to get a picture of the kids with Johnny Appleseed, but he was busy, busy and was off on another tour after ours was over.  The kids were MOST interested in the next part of our tour--where they got to pick out their pumpkin, then go eat an apple donut and drink cider.

Lilly picked her pumpkin out rather quickly...

However, Sean went up and down every row of pumpkins looking for "the biggest, best pumpkin ever!"

 I'm not sure he was satisfied with his pumpkin (since he had seen a HUGE pumpkin at the entrance to the orchard, but once I told him, "Yours is the biggest one I've seen out here for the kids to choose from!" he was proud that he had chosen a keeper.

The kids thoroughly enjoyed their cider and donut.  They each got a cute little "apple sipper" in the shape of an apple with a lid that flips open and shut.  The cider was ice cold and very yummy!  So much so that I bought a gallon to bring home to share with daddy...oh, and along with a dozen donuts.  ;)  We couldn't let him miss out on the yummy treats they enjoyed!

We enjoyed our picnic lunches with the other families then headed home.  Since it was 1:15 by that point, Brilee fell promptly asleep about 30 seconds after we pulled out of the orchard.  Sean and Lilly weren't too far behind.  They all enjoyed a nice nap home in the car--so, I took the long way home avoiding the major highways which would have been quicker.  I enjoyed the nice scenic route instead :)

 I love limp baby heads when they are fast asleep.

 Sean had to keep his pumpkin right next to him in the car.  He wanted to make sure his didn't get mixed up with the girls' pumpkins!

I just love how Lilly wants Woody buckled right up with her in her seatbelt.  Such a safe little mommy :)

OH, and notice how the girls are wearing matching shirts?  (The only matching outfits they have due to the fact that I shop by consignment only and happened to find the same one for them both).  Anyway, we went to Target later, and a lady stopped us and said, "How cute!  Are they twins?  Um, lady...one is over a foot taller than the other and has obviously much longer hair.  Do matching outfits really equate to twins?  Please, people, inform me on this one!