My girl and I were in town today running some errands when we decided to make a quick trip to one of our Okanagan favourites – Davison Orchards!
Tag Archives: Vernon
An Evening at the Park
What summer vacation is all about…Gracen & Grandma Sue
Gracenbelle and Grandma Sue… Love these two!A Day at Davison’s
Today we spent another lovely day at our Okanagan favourite, Davison Orchards. If you know me well, you know that my love of Davison’s has been around since I moved to the Okanagan when I was 11 years old. It was a place I loved visiting as a kid, a place I took the kids I babysat and nannied during high school and university, and it’s now a place I love bringing my own daughter. Delicious produce, beautiful views, and endless family-fun aside, I love Davison Orchards because it’s constantly growing and improving while staying true to it’s family-run farm roots – not an easy feat.
Grandma Sue and Rorie joined us today and despite our {very} regular visits, we tried two completely new-to-Gracen things this time around. First off, we jumped aboard the hourly tractor train ride and took a tour of the orchard while learning about its history and different fruits and veggies that are grown there. It’s been a few years since I last took the tour, and I have to say that I love hearing how passionate Grandpa Davison is about his orchard, even after all of these years. While the sitting quietly during the chatting part wasn’t Grae’s favourite part, she did love the ride and hearing about each of the plants/trees as we passed by.
Afterwards, while playing in the Crazy Cow Kid’s Corral, Gracen got to experience her first ever duck race after Grandma Sue gave her a toonie to buy a little rubber duckie. She’d plunk him into the tube, start pumping water, and as soon as he started moving, race to the end of the track to retrieve him. Such fun!
After a good long play, a visit to the animals, and some lunch at Auntie May’s Deep Dish Cafe, we picked up a big jug of Davison’s famous apple juice and headed home with our happy and tired girl. Another great day at Davison Orchards!
Farmer’s Market Goodies
A new sparkly new bracelet and a couple bags of organic veggies, and she’s one very happy little lady.A Morning Egg Hunt
This morning we all gathered at Grandma Sue’s house for a big Sunday brunch and a backyard egg hunt with all of the cousins.
Now before I go on, I must admit I was totally clueless about the fact that the Easter Bunny is the one who hides eggs for kids to find. Seriously – what?! I knew he (or she) was in charge of leaving Easter baskets, but i guess I just thought parents hid eggs in the yard for kids… Is that crazy? Anyways, I’m glad I had this epiphany last night in the company of my brother and sister-in-law, because I totally would have been the terrible Auntie to ruin it all by saying something like, “Okay, guys. Your daddy and I need a minute to hide all of the eggs” after breakfast this morning.
Knowing what I now know, we asked all of the kids to go downstairs and play while we tidied up the breakfast dishes, and Gary and I snuck out to quickly stash the eggs around the yard. That Easter Bunny sure is a smart rabbit… He (or she) left a baker’s dozen of one colour of eggs for each child, thus allowing the slower ones enough time to uncover their treasures (and us to make sure Miss G got all of the eggs filled with Gracen-style treats).
The hunt went really well. The boys’ eggs were hidden well enough to keep them busy for almost the whole time, the kids were great about only collecting their colour of eggs, and everyone was excited about their goodies.
Grae’s eggs were filled some of her favourite snacks (trail mix, sunflower seeds, healthy banana chips, cashews, dried pineapple, and seedy crackers), my homemade healthy crispy rice treats formed into egg shapes, some fun glitter glue, stickers, and mystery capsules. She was pretty excited to say the least.
I know that there are a million perks to going and that we’ll be home for 3 months of summer each year, but mornings like this make me a little bit sad that we’ll be taking Gracen away from her cousins and grandparents come August…
♥
If you’re new to Mama.Papa.Bubba., welcome!
Stay on top of the fun by liking us on Facebook here and following us on Instagram here.
A Morning at the Park
Okanagan sunshine, my girl, my ma, my adorable niece, and my two sweet nephews… It all makes for a pretty great morning. Let’s Get the Party Started
As of 3 o’clock on Wednesday afternoon, my brother had officially told my mom that he and his clan would not be making it to the Okanagan this weekend. I had no idea, and when I spoke to him later that night I talked about a big Easter dinner with the whole crew, a big backyard egg hunt for the littles, and the amazing weather that was supposed to be in store for all of those in the Okanagan. The conversation started at 8:07 p.m. and by 8:15, he’d committed to packing up the entire crew and hitting the road by 10 a.m. on Friday. Now that’s the persuasion of a big sister. ☺
We all gathered at my mom’s place tonight and celebrated with a big dinner, the kids running around the backyard barefoot, and Gracen staying up way past her {usually very early} bedtime.
♥
For extra fun, like us on Facebook here and find us on Instagram here.
iPhoneography // Thanksgiving Saturday at Davison Orchards
When I told Gracen that we would be headed to the Okanagan for the weekend, she immediately exclaimed that she was excited and started listing off all of the things she wanted to do while there, one of which was “Old MacDonald’s Farm”. Confused, I asked her what she meant. Her response? “Old MacDonald’s Farm – apple treat drink!” Such a funny little thing. With that, I knew she actually meant Davison Orchards, home of the appleanche (a pure apple slushy drink we let her try this summer).
So this morning, after a little sleep in for Brad and I and a little play for Grae, Manmaw, and Poppop, my girl and I headed into Vernon for a Davison visit. The orchard was extra beautiful today… sunshiny, packed with pumpkins, and sprinkled with autumn displays. Gracen loved every minute as always, and thought the pumpkin people were especially funny.
“thankful” // first stop: animals
goat feeding
donkey love
greedy sheep // corn barn
farmer grae // climb
corn maze // pumpkin family
sunshine // hoedown
♥
Photos edited with Instagram. Find me under jkossowan.
Great Grandpa Leo
A photo I found on my camera after Gracen, Grandma Charlotte, and Bradley visited Grae’s Great Grandpa Leo while I ran errands this morning…
♥
Goats & Grandma
This afternoon we headed into town to visit with Manmaw Sue {and Rorie and my Aunt and Uncle}. We met at our favourite spot – Davison Orchards and Grae didn’t waste any time letting everyone know just what she wanted to do – feed the animals. Luckily, Grandma Sue and Rorie came armed with a pocket full of quarters because I think we fed every single animal on the farm. Twice. Grae was even brave enough to feed a few of the animals on her own.
Putting those quarters to use!
Lulu and Manmaw.
Hungry goat.
Brave girl!
Feeding the sheep.
Sending a cup full of treats up to the top.
Spreading the love to Salsa, the 26 year old donkey.
Snacks and stickers.
The afternoon ended with a sudden thunder storm so violent that it caused Grae to break into tears, which in turn led our very sweet cashier to retrieve a big white chocolate chunk cookie for her, which in turn led me to have to {very awkwardly} explain our choice to not feed Gracen refined sugar or junk food… But that’s another story…
♥
Roz Edge Photography
I know I shared a couple of photos taken by Gracen’s Auntie Roz a little while ago, but over the course of this past week, my inbox has received several new surprises and I just can’t help but share. They’re just so beautiful.
Love, love, love them. If you love Roz’s photography style too, you should head on over and like her Facebook page. She’s amidst a 365 days project where she shares a gorgeous new photo everyday (some of my favourites: this one, this one, this one, this one, and this one). You’ll be happy you visited, trust me.
♥
Gido & his Grandkids
As I mentioned before, my dad (a.k.a. ‘Gido), rode up to the Okanagan on his motorcycle this weekend to spend some time with us. This morning, we all met up at the Vernon Lodge for brunch before parting ways and heading home. After breakfast, we decided to try and get a shot of all of the kids with their Gido, which never proves to be an easy task. Kinslee did not enjoy our mini photo shoot whatsoever, and Chay wanted nothing to do with having his photo taken, but turned on his charm when bribed with a giant chocolate brownie. Grae just kind of sat there, and Korbin Jack hammed up the camera the entire time. Here’s what we ended up with:
♥
Canada Day
Despite the poor weather forecast, we woke up to a GORGEOUS, sunshiny Canada day. And thank goodness, because what would Canada Day be without picnics, playgrounds, and outdoor concerts? We spent our morning at Davison Orchards (again!) with friends and our afternoon at Polson Park with Gido, Grandma Charlotte, and a visit from “my Vernon kids” (a family I babysat for from the time I was 12 years old until I was 25!), and then finished the day off with a pizza party in Grandma Sue’s backyard. Could we have asked for a better day? I think not.
Gracen and Kinslee, ready to celebrate.
Very happy to be back at Davison Ochards’ Kiddie Corral.
Taking in the view.
Spish splash.
Wheeeee!
Kinslee and Uncle Gary inspecting the duck run.
‘I spy a donkey, Mama.’
Sheep feeding with ‘Auntie’ Hayley and Sloan.
Love.
Munchkins! Gracen, Sloan, Korbin, and Kins.
Although not thrilled about it, Chay joined us for a group shot too.
Polson water park fun!
Loving every minute.
Swinging in her swimsuit.
Cousins.
Happy Canada Day, everyone!
♥
Firsts
Two firsts occurred while visiting Gido up at Davison Orchards today – Gracen tried her first ever Appleanche (a delicious slushy drink made of Davison’s own fresh-pressed pure apple juice) and she sat on her first ever motorcycle (Gido’s). So much fun.
♥