A Pumpkin Hunting We Will Go

On Saturday we took our third annual trip to Waterman's Farm to get our pumpkins.  It's fun to visit the same place at the same time each year because you see how much your kids have grown.  I told Ryan that it's crazy to think that next year our boys will be in first grade and pre-k and our baby will be in preschool.  Unbelievable! 

This year Grant had so much fun and was super active, racing to get a pedal kart and wanting to ride in the pumpkin ride that freaked him out so much last year.  (We skipped it, though--too many other things to do).  Caroline had fun walking around, and Jack was just like last year, racing from place to place and deciding what we should do next.  I don't think that will change next year!

The boys had to fight for these!  I hate to judge or think badly of other parents, but if your children have been hogging the rides and other kids are waiting, shouldn't you pull your darling child aside and say, "It's someone else's turn now, honey."  Just a thought...

Grant would have spent much longer climbing up onto the combine and sliding down if we'd let him.  However, it was a little chilly just standing and waiting for him, so we shuffled him on to the next place.

Jack the farmer

On our way to the pumpkin patch, I told Ryan that this would be our last time to get a fall picture.  We took around 8 or so, and this is maybe the best one.  Oh well.  We thought it was kind of funny (though I loved the one where Grant was chewing on a piece of hay, too), but don't look for it to be our Christmas card!

This maze freaked Ryan out last year because he kept thinking it would go up in flames and trap everyone inside if there was a fire.  Cheery thought, right?  I finally went in there this year, and there was this little boy in front of me who was maybe three and was totally freaked out.  He refused to move, and I was literally pushing him through the maze, sliding his little tush on the boards covering the hay.  What killed me was when we got to the end and his mom and aunt were standing there, pushing Grant out of the way so they could get a picture of this poor frightened little boy emerging from this pitch-black maze.  I told them he had been freaked out and hadn't wanted to move, but they seemed too distracted to care.  Poor kid.  Hopefully they didn't make him go back in later.

gotta love old-fashioned tractors!

Grant enjoyed hunting for the perfect pumpkin, both for him and for me.  So sweet.

He chose this one, but I told him he had to be able to lift it.  We left that one on the field. :)

Jack also enjoyed picking out a pumpkin, and I think this was the third perfect specimen.  I'm not even sure this is the one we brought home.  It's hard to choose.

Caroline loved the pumpkins and walking in the field.  It was so precious to see my little pumpkin among the pumpkins.  (Yes, cheesy, I know!)

love this picture of my little boy

We chose a bumpy pumpkin for our family pumpkin this year.  I'm not sure we will do it again this year as this thing was super expensive, but it was something novel.  It's definitely fun to touch!

So there you go--fun times!  I used to think fall was my least favorite season, but I feel like, since having kids, fall is maybe my favorite season because of all the fun activities--the pumpkin patch, trick-or-treating, zoo boo, the Children's Museum haunted house...plus all the candy!  If only we could bypass winter and go straight to spring...