what is there to do

I have found myself trying to find thingd to keep myself and my children occupied. I am not the one to walk around the mall or to allow my children to watch television or play video games all day. I have been searching for things to do the stimulate my girls, make them think outiside the box, or that just occupies their minds for more than five minutes at a time. A few weeks back we went to the Apple Orchard on a saturday morning. It was fun but quite busy as it is probably the most "commercial" orchard in the area. They learned a little about bees and honey, there was no one around to help us so I did my best at explaining why the bees were behind glass and why the Queen had red paint on her butt. Interesting to say the least. The girls picked apples, rode on the tractor and were tired after about an hour. Is it weird to anyone else, that now as a mom I get weirded out about my kids touching the animals? They are just smelly and dirty...but ahhhh, yes they are adorable and kids are drawn to them like the sounds of the ice cream truck on a hot summer day. My girls had fun but once home, the muddy shoes stayed at the door,I stripped them down and put them in the tub. Hey, there's nothing wrong like smelling like Irish Spring, instead of smelling like a Billy Goat. They slept like babies. Always on the lookout for more to do.....