Our annual pumpkin patch trip occurred Friday October 21. I look forward to this every year, even though the kids, in theory, are getting a little too big for some of it. Evenso, from the 16 year old down to the nine year old, everyone shares smiles and laughs.
We got there just after two o'clock. I had pulled out some $1 off coupons so we would have to pay seven dollars less. When I got to the ticket booth, our friend Crystal Dobson was there. As I'm counting out my cash, she tells me not to worry about it because we're family and family and friend get in free. That was totally unexpected but very much appreciated! I told her thank you, but I don't know that she understood how grateful. Little tender mercies!
We, as is tradition, had to get our
Sadly, they didn't have the big wheels/tractors that they have had for so many years. Instead, they had these bumper balls. The younger kids each brought money with them, which I discouraged and continued to discourage their spending it once we got there, but after watching some other kids play in these, I relented. So funny to watch them! And we got some good laughs as well.
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| Waiting in line |
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| Ro taking a picture of all the Fun |
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| Aurora's boots |
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| Nate walking to the next bump |
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"Help! I can't get up!"
This was probably the funniest part;
Seeing them get rolled over
and stuck on their heads. |
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| Xela is the legs you see trying to right herself. |
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It's all fun & games especially
when you're rolling around on your head. |
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| Graigry's ready to bounce them both |
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| Over Nate goes! |
They had to do it more than once, and I couldn't blame them. :)
In years past there has been this "Beast" and I've never wanted to pay to go in (my scrooge shining through). Well, with the kids' money burning a hole in their pocket, we went in. The guy at the entrance let us all in for $10, when it was supposed to be $5/person I think, We were a group of six.
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| Aurora videoing the internal adventure |
Rather dumb thing. You see the "inside" of this animal, it's organs, hear it's heart beating and then come out by the tail, as if he's eaten you. The kids agreed that it was a waste of money. I wonder if it's more fun at night, with the interior lights. We won't ever find out because the kids are not going to pay for it again.
Quick stop to feed the goats.
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| Aurora - the Goat Whisperer |
We then went to the giant hay bail. I had to get the traditional pictures.
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| Scott Zoo Crew 2016 |
This year Xela recommended that we do a few other poses.
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| My little farmer girl |
From the hay bale, we usually go into
THE MAZE
The kids usually take turns deciding which way to turn as we wander around. That was our intent as we headed in, but within a few steps, we realized it was WAY TOO MUDDY to go too far without loosing a shoe, although we each grew half an inch, at least. Even in the few steps in, we'd redecorated our shoes with mud splotches.
I had to get our annual picture of kids hiding in the corn, which was a little harder this time because no one really wanted to go much further than necessary. I told them this was necessary for posterity's sake, so in they went. Some further than others. :)
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They are all in there, I promise.
Aurora is the hardest one to find, so look really hard. |
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Random picture of Aurora
(I think it's just Ro)
in the muddy maze. |
I had to take another picture, as evidence, of how muddy things were, so here you go.
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| "Don't bring those into my house!" |
They have this pumpkin merry-go-round, kind of like the tea cups at Disney World, where you spin yourselves around in an effort to revisit anything you've eaten in the last two hours. Eric has been the one to get on that and spin with the kids. He wasn't feeling up to it this year so, against my better judgment, I went in with the kids.
Never again! I did not vomit, thankfully, but man! I was naucious for over an hour after that spin of doom. Even thinking about it now makes my tummy turn as if to tell me, next time, it will not keep its items contained.
Our last item of tradition is to visit the pumpkin patch and pick a pumpkin. The general rule has been you can only take it if you can carry it from it's spot to the wagon, then from the wagon drop off spot to the the car, because parents are carrying anything. This year, I asked them to either combine forces on a big one or pick out a small one. That was dumb. Some of the "not small" pumpkins would have been cheaper per pound than the small ones the kids got. Lesson learned.
PUMPKIN PICKING
We take the wagon out to the patch where the pumpkins are laid. We used to have to watch out for vines, but they pretty much take those out before anyone can trip on them and so there are just pumpkins laying randomly everywhere. It's fun for me to watch the kids decide which one to pick. They find one, think it's the one they want, until they walk a few more feet and then find another one with less of a dent, or a better placed dent or a better circle, or whatever else it is that they are looking for. Rarely, if ever, have they taken home the first pumpkin picked.
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Neta (pink pants), Nate (blue shirt) and
Graigry (yellow/black jacket) searching for "the one" |
My phone ran out of juice, so Xela has more pictures. Getting those off her camera, may take some doing, mostly remembering. I may come back and edit, if I remember. Anyway, the kids and I have fun and I end up with pumpkin flesh for bread, cookies and pie. Win-win.
Another year, another trip to the pumpkin patch. Yes, the kids are getting bigger, but as long as they enjoy going, we'll be there (which I think means we have another nine years)!
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