Punkin' Pickin' I

Saturday, I thought it would be really awesome for us to go to a pumpkin patch. The kids and I already had plans to go to another pumpkin patch with my mom later, but this was one of the few days that Stephan would be able to go. So...we went. Can we say "over-packed schedule"? We were two very tired parents by the end of it. It wasn't a total loss, and we did actually enjoy our day for the most part. However, it was overkill. Totally and completely. Of course, I decided that we neeeeeded to check out a new to us pumpkin patch. It was only way over an hour away (problem #1). Then to top it off, unbeknownst to us, they were having a festival over the weekend (problem #2). We drove up to cars as far as the eye could see. Stephan's first words upon arrival, "We are never coming here again."
The kids did have a blast, though, and once the two grownups came to terms with being in such a crowded place, we were able to enjoy things a lot more. And, hey, a few closely cropped photos make it very nearly look like we had the place to ourselves! Oh. my. how deceiving looks can be.

Levi and Sophia were so excited to find another wooden cow to milk. Actually when we walked up and Sophia saw all the vendors and play equipment, she gasped and said, "We're at the fair!" I'm pretty sure the wooden cow sealed the deal and convinced her that she was right.

If you're ever trying to get my kids to smile, saying "smile" is not the way to do it. That just elicits this response...

After lots of playing and train rides and milling about we headed for the line to get on the wagon tour. To their credit Mitchell Farms has things neatly organized and laid out so that despite the crowds there really weren't any super lengthy waits.

Unfortunately, this is where the photos end. About halfway through the wagon tour the bottom fell out (of the sky). When the tour was over and it was time to pick out our pumpkins the rain had lightened up a bit. We grabbed our pumpkins and ran to the van....wet and tired. Poor Levi. We warned the kids that they would have to carry their own pumpkins, so they should choose wisely and pick something they could carry. Levi insisted on the largest pumpkin he could find. He carried that pumpkin all the way to the car. There were tears involved. There were even moments when I wanted to rescue him (not that I had enough hands to do that), but after a few meltdowns along the way he persevered and made it to the car with his giant pumpkin. Oh the lessons of childhood! They are hard on both kiddo and parent sometimes.

Because of Stephan's work schedule it's almost always difficult to plan pumpkin patch trips so that he can come with us, so every year I say the solution is that we're going to plant our own pumpkins. Somehow that never happens. So Stephan came up with a new plan for next year. We're going to buy a bunch of pumpkins, stick them out in our own pasture, hook up the trailer and tractor, and go to our own personal "pumpkin farm". Or maybe next year will be the year that I finally get my act together and plant pumpkins.