Grandma's Pumpkin Patch

With unexpected circumstances occurring a couple weeks ago, coupled with general busyness and the speed with which these days seem to be passing, I was doubtful that our annual trip to the pumpkin patch would happen this year.  But put together a last minute "yes!" to a formal invitation from a friend to enjoy the fall festivities at a local farm, and my distaste for missing out on any kind of self-initiated family tradition ---waa-lah! --- we got our great pumpkin on once again!

Our friend and realtor invited us to a fall client appreciation event hosted by her realty company this last Wednesday.  We didn't think we'd have the opportunity to go simply because of the timing, but being as we like to live on the edge (insert throat gruntle here) we decided that morning that this would probably be our only opportunity to make a visit to the patch.  But here were the catches...we would have to head out there directly from picking up Drew at school, and we could only stay about 45 minutes as we needed to come back into town for our regular Wednesday night church activities.  So being as impromptu as it was, there was no coordinating of cute fall outfits, and any attempt at cute pumpkin photos was rushed and totally forced.  Although, the "forced" part is pretty standard these days. 

Fail

Fail

Fail

Fail

"Can you guys just sit still for two seconds and then we'll go down the slide?!?"

Good enough.

There were a couple large inflatables that were the highlight for the boys....

...but we really kind of rushed them through so we could see everything before we had to go.

They did the obligatory stick-your-head-in-a-funny-picture pose

climbed some hay

rode a tractor train

and spotted a goat.

Then spotted a runaway goat

found Tom (and whoa was he big and ugly)

and had just enough time to spare to pick out a few pumpkins to bring home.

So, although rushed and uncoordinated, we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful October day to visit Grandma's Pumpkin Patch.  It was a wonderful 75 degrees outside, which provided the perfect backdrop for another fun family trip to the patch.

Unfortunately, some really stupid and mean people decided to trash our stoop on Sunday morning while we were at church...

and our carefully picked pumpkins were either smashed or snatched.

But alas, Kroger is right up the street and they have pumpkins buy one get one free this week.

:)