The Fruit Pickers

Today we stopped by the home of one of my aunties, to visit and pick up some stuff for the kids. She very generously loaned us some car seats, toys, a booster seat, and other items she has collected for when my cousins visit with their children. She even loaned us their old SUV for the duration of our trip! What excited my children most, however, was that I had told them my auntie had fruit trees in her yard.

All day today, Tessie and Christian have been picking fruit. The idea of pulling a banana or an orange right off a tree, and them popping it in their mouths, was nothing short of amazing. Tessie even brought over her "fruit bag" to my aunts house, so she could add to her collection.

We walked into the backyard, and there to greet us was the most bountiful tangerine tree I have ever seen. The kids were overjoyed. Tes was a little hesitant about pulling down the fruit, but Christian, who was perched on Nick's shoulders, started picking with gusto. He reached as high as he could, and pulled with all his might. He finally got one, and before we realized it, he was chewing his way through the peel. We laughed as I pulled the bits of peel out of his mouth, and explained that the good part was inside the peel.

When the kids were sufficiently sticky, we packed up our loot, and said goodbye. I love it when my kids have a chance to see their food come from somewhere other than a store. Today they harvested it first hand, and got a real taste of Hawaii in the process. It may have been a fun experience for them, but it was wonderfully beautiful for me.