The most expensive bushel of apples ever (Atlanta trip in one day) Oct 30-31, 2010

So Friday morning hubby called me with my wake up call and since we didn't have plans that weekend (it was supposed to be our first quiet weekend for months) we should take a little drive as we had said we wanted to let the kids see the leaves change... We seriously can't stay at the house and do nothing (ever!). We had 2 extra kids spending the night Friday night after the fall festival at Glencoe Baptist, and we had already promised the parent of one, as she had made plans, so we were still on. But they had to pick up their children at 7am Saturday morning :) They loved that one. We packed up the little car and headed North for a road trip to Atlanta in a Nissan Versa with a broken AC. How fun!!!

Since my parents were visiting my sister anyway, we would stay at the same hotel in Kennessaw to get some family time with my sister, brother in law and my precious niece. We got up there at 3pm, checked in and immediately headed to the mountains (an hour away) to go to a U-Pick apple orchard my sister had heard about. They closed at 5:30, so we had to book it! It was a blast.

They had all sorts of activities for the kids at the orchard/park. Pig racing, non electric go carts, a Hay ride, slides, tractors to climb on, lots of fun for kids that had been in a car for 9 hours that day!! We ended up with a half a bushel of apples for a discount price of $12.00 (plus gas, hotel, meals on the road $250) for a total of $262 for a 1/2 bushel of the freshest apples ever!!! After breakfast, and a quick visit with my sister, we hit the road, so we could be home by 7pm to start the week ahead of us activities..... Plus get in a little trick or treating...

Anastasia State Park, St Augustine, FL 11/5-11/7/10, site 53

Absolutely beautiful state park on the Ocean. We got here after dark, so that was challenge #1, but hubby did a great job backing into the pitch black, heavily wooded, branch lined site

 :) It was about 50 degrees outside, while I tried helping steer him in the right direction, with the flashlight on my EVO phone, but was pretty much not so helpful... 

Got up in the morning to check in, as the office was closed Friday night, and too a drive around the 120 site park. It is set up very nicely and is very quiet, wooded, and nature trail filled. We got on the bikes and ventured through one of the trails. This took us to the back entrance of the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, while the kids got a lesson on how it was designed and how no microphones were needed. They put this to the test :) As did my 5th child :)

We strolled through the farmers marked, which was at the amphitheatre.

In the afternoon, we took a drive to downtown St. Augustine, to look at the fort and walked around the shops to end up with Kilwin's icecream!!! Highlight of the day :)

Another highlight was the kids enjoying rolling down the hill :)

There was some sort of pirate event in town, as there were costumed actors coming up and down the bridge while we waited for the drawbridge.  It was movie night Saturday night as again it was downright cold for Florida. We had hot cocoa by the fire, while they watched Huck Finn, and then called a night as we had a busy day ahead. After a ride to the beach (how awesome is camping on the ocean), we strolled to collect sea shells.

The commute on the way home, was challenge number #2 as the wind was over 40 miles an hour, while hubby navigated to not go off the road with a 34 foot trailer tailing behind the Armada. Another great camping adventure :) Worth the wait of the campsite for nearly 3 months!!! I would book it again. http://www.reserveamerica.com/