York, Maine

Last Tuesday while we were visiting my mom in NH we took a day trip to York, Maine.

It was a trying car ride as an accident detour added an extra 45 minutes to our trip, but once we were there, MiniM.E. had a blast.

We started out at York Animal Kingdom, which is a really cute zoo.  (It's also an amusement park but fortunately since it was off season and a weekday it wasn't open so no distraction there!)

We did get distracted by the camel at the entrance.  So distracted, in fact, that we had to shell out $10 to take a camel ride.  It was so worth it.  MiniM.E. is still talking about riding the camel.

doesn't s/he look fuzzy?

We fed the goats.  And hoped to see a pregnant goat have a kid... but it didn't happen.  There were a bazillion baby goats though- they were really cute.

In the petting zoo:

In the deer petting zoo:

Watching the fennec foxes and the lions:

Then, even though it was already past MiniM.E.'s nap time and because we promised her on the way, we went to the beach.  (A plus for us, we got salt water taffy!)  It was too windy and cold for swimming, but we got our toes wet.

We wore her out!

Heritage Farms

The weather for our NH Saturday didn't look great... but we still wanted to try to enjoy the fall as much as possible.

With some savvy web-searching, we found a cute farm with a petting zoo about a half-hour from my parents house.  It was the perfect Saturday activity.  Especially because they also had a restaurant specializing in pancake breakfasts.  Animals and pancakes?  What more could MiniM.E. (or me) possibly want?

MiniM.E. riding the calf.  (before we saw the sign that said not to)

The calf.  I want one.

on the crazy exer-swing

chickens

were fascinating

goat 

and more goats

collecting leaves

practicing swinging

sliding

bouncing

playing in the sand

not sure about that truck...

visiting the ponies

I loved Heritage Farms and can't wait to go back next year.  The animals were awesome- they just roamed around the farm and even played on the playground.  MiniM.E. loved it.  AND the pancakes were fantastic.  Get the pumpkin ones.

More Orchard Fun

I've noticed that having a baby toddler means finding something your child likes to do and repeating it multiple times.  Not that I don't love feeding the ducks at the pond, riding the carousel, and going for wagon rides.  I do those things are awesome to do with MiniM.E.  Things I don't love quite as much include standing in the spider-infested-shed pointing at and naming things, reading my least favorite children's books hundreds of times, continuously making my cell phone "play music", and climbing up and down the stairs searching for invisible pieces of dirt.

In the case of things fall-related, I'm in repetitive-toddler-activity-heaven.  Never would have I convinced myself it was necessary to visit an apple orchard (the same apple orchard) twice in less than a week just because it's a cool place and happens to have apple cider and donuts.

But NOW, I have an excuse.  MiniM.E. really likes the playground and the animals and the pumpkin patch.  (And really, without a toddler, it might be just a bit strange for me to be hanging out feeding the goats.)

Yesterday we went back to Bowman Orchards with one of our playgroup friends T. and her daughter, H. and our other friend, M.  They hadn't been yet... so what a great excuse for us to go again- we had to show them how awesome it was!

We decided against apple picking (because when there's a playground and animals, who has time for that?) and headed straight for the playground.

MiniM.E. loved it just as much the second time.  In fact, I think this time was even better because unlike last week when the playground was full of school groups on field trips, we were the ONLY ones there.

We had the playground all to ourselves.

And since there were no kids lining up to feed them, the animals were extra friendly (and extra hungry!).

We spent some time playing in the pumpkins.

And I may have given in to my love of obsession with all-things-fall-flavored obsession with some cider and donuts.