Early Crop...For Us Anyway

{We vs U}

When you go to get berries at a U-pick field in Oregon you bring your own bucket.  They weight it {and you;)} and send you out into the fields to pick to your hearts content.  When you're finished picking, they weight your bucket again, you pay, and you're on your merry way.

While in Carlsbad last month Ethan and I were giddy to see that there was a U-pick sign just down the hill from Legoland!  So the next day boys and I headed out for one our favorite...and usually summertime...activities...

It didn't take long for us to realize that we weren't in Oregon.  Usually its cheaper to pick your own berries than buy them in the store, but not here.  Does anyone else just smell "rip off" while visiting the great state of Cali?  Maybe its just the way it is around theme parks.  Darn it.

We definitely paid for the experience. 

In fact, it was $1 less to just buy them at the stand than to pick them ourselves...and the ones at the stand were alot prettier than the ones we picked! Check them out {below}!

Here's game for ya...guess how much it cost to pick our round container full of berries?   Watch for the answer during the post.:)

But this was our adventure... so we went for it.

{Limits}
See that yellow caution tape?  We weren't suppose to pick on the other side of it.  Ethan stayed on the right side of the field, but Aidan?

We could play "Where's Waldo Aidan?"

After a "time out" or two I thought he was actually going to stay with us.

He walked down the row next to the one I was on and sat down.  I thought he was eating berries, but no.

He had found a mud puddle of who-knows-what, taken off his shoes, and decided it would be great time to poop.   Really? Really Aidan?!  I think the only thing that could make it worse was if he started to throw up.

Normally I try to hand this dirty, poopy kid off to daddy, but since Bob wasn't with us I went over by the portipotty {how in the heck to you spell that anyway?} layed him on one of those awesome changing pads I made, and got down to business.  Its a good thing I love that kid so much!!

And Ethan?  Well, he is the best sport I know, and filled that container to the brim.

But despite our mishaps...the berries were huge, it was sunny, and we had a great time. 

Answer: $17 for that bucket.  CRAZY.  And I'm crazy for paying it.

So there you have it. 

Next time we do a u-pick we'll be in Oregon...for sure.   Oh, and I'll be sure that Bob is with us.:)

Have a great weekend!  We're heading out to brave camping in this unpredictable weather...should be quite an adventure.  Whatever you do...be safe & try not to get ripped off.;)

XOXO-Emily