Remlinger Farm

I've been in Chicago managing a conference since Tuesday and am SO HAPPY to be home.

There are work trips that time themselves nicely with my need for a "Mom Break" and then there are trips like this one - where I felt weepy dropping her at daycare the morning I left. I didn't need or want a  break because she has been 99% hilarious and sweet these last few months. And boy does it help that she's sleeping like a champ. I forget how lovely summers without coughs and ear infections are and how much happier we are as a family when we get a full night's sleep every night. And the cherry on top of all this is that Edie has been sleeping in lately. We frequently aren't woken until 8am these days and it's amazing and awesome.

I flew home yesterday morning after having lived the entire week in a hotel ballroom and we immediately picked Edie up from my parents', where she'd been staying for most of my trip. After having slept 11 hours last night to make up for lost sleep and jet lag from my trip, I was eager to take the day off today and spend it with Edie. Based on recommendations from friends, we headed to Remlinger Farms near Carnation.

It was a fabulous and funny day. Here are the photos:

First we took advantage of the U-Pick raspberries and picked 10 pounds of the best raspberries ever. I'm hoping to make jam tomorrow. Edie was VERY into this and we probably could have picked 50 pounds of berries before tiring. We will definitely return for blueberries soon.

And yes, she's dressed like a raspberry on purpose so that the stains wouldn't show as much.

After picking, we ate our pb&js in the shade with raspberries for dessert.

Edie INSISTED on bringing this basket from our bathroom for picking. She said it was "the most beautiful raspberry basket ever made".

Then we headed to the amusement park and this picture really hits my funny bone:

She enjoyed a canoe ride,

A train ride. This picture would imply that she didn't enjoy it, but I promise she loved it.

A carousel type ride:

A weird toddler sized Ferris wheel:

Hamming it up in line for the roller coaster:

Just before the coaster started. I don't know why it looks like I'm wearing white lipstick.

We went on the roller coaster twice before I told her no more. This kid would marry a roller coaster if she could.

And now. Drumroll please.....
I've saved the best for last. Because there is nothing like Mother-Guilt from having missed 5 days of your child's life to motivate you to let her ride a pony. Especially when you pretty much HATE horses. And by "hate" I mostly mean "am totally afraid of". Edie of course was beyond thrilled and said something like, "Mom, this is like a dream that I dreamed and now it's happening." I, of course, tried to stay as far from the horse as possible while trying to get a good photo.