Field trip.

Sonja had her very first field trip with her preschool today and Haven and I were able to go along. We joined her beloved Teacher Tara and the rest of her classmates at Oldfield Orchard, where we had a complete tour of the farm. 

We saw donkeys, goats, sheep and ducks, and we also saw a whole flock of chickens in a unique chicken run underneath the expansive canopy of several hundred kiwi vines. Those were some of the happiest chickens I have ever seen and some of the biggest kiwis I've ever seen. I'll definitely be buying some of those kiwis when the fruit is ready for picking next month.

All the kids had a fantastic time picking apples, feeding sheep, drinking real pressed-apple cider and going on two separate rides on large wagons pulled by a tractor. The tour ended with each child picking out their very own small pumpkin.

It was a super enjoyable time and it was so great to see Sonja with all her new friends. It was also pretty fun to watch Haven hold her own with kids twice her age; she simply doesn't see herself as being smaller than any of them. Haven is also completely in love with Teacher Tara and kept waving goodbye to her long after we had left the group and were back at the car. I'm pretty sure that when the time comes for her to attend preschool, she'll be ready.

Trying to reach the dangling ornamental pumpkins with Patrick.

Communing with the happy chickens.

Picking apples. Haven actually said "apple," but then wouldn't say it again.

Waiting for the tractor to start.

Haven finds a pencil crayon. Random, but typical.

Everyone had a great time playing with the old-fashioned water pumps.

Sitting on hay bales, waiting for apple cider.

Pay dirt.