Raspberries, Swimming and Haircut adventures

I really wanted to go strawberry picking this year, but it just never worked out and the season passed. So instead, we headed out for raspberries. To be honest I grew up with raspberry plants and have a love/hate relationship with them. For years, I wanted nothing to do with them since I associated them with standing in our garden getting eaten alive by mosquitoes, and poked by the plants while birds fought me for the goods. In the height of the raspberry picking season I was expected to get a gallon ice cream bucket full each day and if I didn't I was likely sent back out because I obviously didn't do my job. 

As time went on (read: years after I moved out and didn't have to pick berries anymore) I learned to appreciate this fine fruit. I could do without the seeds and sometimes find them a little bitter, but my favorite jam is raspberry and I even have a few plants of my own now. 

On Saturday, we decided to check out a raspberry picking farm.It seemed little silly going to a farm to pay for raspberries since I can still go to my dad's to get eaten alive pick them there, but this was more about the experience.

I searched for raspberry farms here and found one I wanted to go to. They had pick your own raspberries, but other fun things like goats, chickens, eggs, mushrooms, and motocross. Yup, motocross. Anyhoo, I'm glad I called before we left because they had to unexpectedly close that day so we went to Berry Hill Farm instead. Berry Hill was actually a little closer, but it didn't have any of the extra fun things that the other place did (apparently Berry Hill has pony rides and the such around pumpkin picking time, though). It was incredibly peaceful here and would be the perfect place for a wedding. It was very calming and I didn't get attacked by bugs or birds. If there was one thing I would change it would be to make sure the porta potty was on leveled ground - let's just say it's a struggle to go to the bathroom at that angle. TMI? Perhaps.

On Sunday, we planned on two things to accomplish: go swimming with Riley and get her haircut. We belong to a gym that has a pool so it seemed to make sense to take advantage of that. We called our local gym, but their hours were limited. So we called another location not to far away and found out they opened at 10 am. They have an indoor and outdoor pool with zero entry and it's just better all around. 

Our kid hasn't been very confident around water and is more likely to freak out than enjoy it. A couple weeks prior, my husband took her to the pool and after about 20 minutes of hanging out he was able to get her in the water and "swimming" around while he held her. She loved it. He had some challenges with finding the pool hours at both of the above gyms online and when he called they told him one thing only to show up and find he wasn't given the correct times (after already changing into bathing suits).

So again this time we called, got the hours, and headed out to the gym... only to find out they gave me the wrong time. Grrr. Nothing like having to really work your kid up to be ready for something to have to turn around and say it wasn't going to happen. We weren't ready to totally give up so we ran some errands and got Riley's hair cut before heading back to the pool.

I was going to cut Riley's hair myself this time, but we have family pictures next week and I didn't want to be responsible for screwing up her hair (although, now that I paid a stupid amount to get her hair cut I am sure it is crooked - whatever). I have too many horror stories of when my dad cut my hair as a kid. You'll probably never see me with bangs since I had to live few years with severely crooked bangs as a child and am scarred by it. Thanks dad.

This was Riley's third haircut and the only one she seemed a little nervous about. I had to hold her hand pretty much the entire time. She didn't cry, but certainly seemed to need some assurance.

You can't see it here, but along with the braid she got glitter in her hair. She looooved that. I was a little scared to chop off her hair so short, but I love it even though it makes her look so much older. Seriously, when did she stop being my baby?

We went back to the pool (where I didn't get any pictures because I was in the water, you know) and hung out for awhile. About 10 minutes after we got there the life guards took a break. There were about six 16 year old life guards hanging out playing jump rope while we sat on the sidelines trying to explain why we had to stay out of the water to Riley. I understand they get breaks, but since there were only two posts and 6 lifeguards you think they could rotate. I don't know. Perhaps someone can explain it to me. I found it strange.

And I thought the jump roping seemed unprofessional. Or maybe I've just become an old curmudgeon. Yeah, that's probably it, isn't it?

All in all, another great summer weekend. If only summer could last forever...