Pumpkin Patching... kinda, sorta.

This past Saturday we decided to head to the pumpkin patch with the kids. We invited my father in law and one of Scott's little sisters to come with us. Logan's preschool class went on a field trip to the pumpkin patch a week ago this past Monday but he had to miss it due to being sick. We usually go every year and this year we decided to try the farm that his preschool had gone to. It was a beautiful farm with lots of horses and green pastures. We were pleasantly surprised with how few people were there, and all of the employees were very friendly.

Logan and Madeline

My sweet father in law, Logan and Madeline

We loaded up on the hay ride as the farm requires that they drive you out to the pumpkin patch. They drop you off and then pick you back up once you've picked your pumpkin. I just have to say that I found this hilarious. They dump us off in what had to be the ugliest part of the farm with very few pumpkins to choose from. I guess I'm spoiled from our trips apple and strawberry picking and the plethora of fruit that are ACTUALLY on the tree/vine. As we are trying to find that perfect pumpkin and realizing the picking's are slim, we notice these guys driving on an ATV, towing a huge box of pumpkins behind them. We stood in disbelief as they quickly ran down the line unloading the boxes of pumpkins out in to the field. I just had to laugh. I know it's all about the experience, but part of me felt like we should have just cut out the middle man and purchased one of the pumpkins in the bins at the front of the farm.

Logan and Madeline had a ton of fun running around the patch which made it all worthwhile.

This little peanut enjoyed herself as well. I guess the kids were totally unaware!

Daddy and Raegan

I caught Raegan standing all on her own right before she fell. Yay Bwee Bwee!!

Logan "hiding". He and Madeline played hide and go seek all the while we were searching for our perfect pumpkins. She did such a fabulous job of acting like she couldn't see him.

What's better than a box full of corn?... NOTHING! They played a riveting game of "bury the sock and try to find it again."

Let the carving begin.

We chose a cat in front of a full moon. Reason: we have this hilarious black cat that roams the neighborhood and terrorizes the squirrels. With each passing year he gets more bold in his chase.

I got Logan out of bed to come see the Jack O' Lantern in the dark. He LOVED it! Not sure where his muscles come in to play, but still.

I've been thinking recently about how much our kids are getting to experience year after year that neither Scott or I got to experience as kids. Things like strawberry picking, annual summer vacations, apple picking, going to the pumpkin patch, going to the Children's Museum and more. I hope they will look forward to doing these activities and realize how special they are and that not all kids get to do them. Growing up, the closest thing for me to going to a pumpkin patch was heading to the local grocery store that happened to have their pumpkins on sale. My parents couldn't afford to do any activity outside of paying our bills, but my mom made up for it in making pumpkin-carving so much fun and super special. We would get in to the flannel nightgowns she made for us, bake special cookies with candy pieces in them and carefully plan and carve our Jack O' Lanterns. I look back on those times with such fond memories. I hope our kids will too.