Fall Fun

I don't know what it is about a pile of leaves, but it brings us JOY!

Pumpkin Carving

We did our annual pumpkin carving. The kids help more and more each year, but still can't stay focused for the whole carving process. They really enjoyed gutting our pumpkin. Ellery was slow to start, but once she got her hands dirty she was having a great time. They really enjoyed picking out what to carve. I am going to give one of those "I remember whens" Brace yourself for it, because I remember when carving a normal jack o lantern was pretty darn cool, but noooo. It is not good enough for our children and considered boring. Mason chose the Superman symbol, Ellery chose Little Mermaid, and by default they chose an Angry Bird for Bryson because they both really wanted an angry bird, but wanted their first choices more. They were very convincing that Bryson would want this one! I tried to say Bryson would like a normal jack o lantern, but as you can see I lost! Thank goodness Rob has master carving skills!

Vala's Pumpkin Patch

Another year another visit to Vala's. This is our pumpkin patch on steroids.

Bryson loved the corn pit. We found corn in his diaper after we got home and of course he carried pieces in his hand during our visit! Doesn't eat them, but loves to hold them.

Mason won the pig races again this year. If your pig wins the pig races you get a pig nose! I don't think he realizes how lucky that is! Two years in a row his pig has won!

We also rented a fire pit and roasted hot dogs and smores. Bryson sacked out before he could finish his graham. Precious!

Pooley's Pumpkin Patch

We headed out to a smaller pumpkin patch for some fun!Despite the wind blowing we managed to have that fun! I have fond memories riding and playing on a tire swing as a kid. I thought our tiny tire was great, but I just learned my parents cheated us, because this giant tire swing brought a lot of fun. No surprise it was Ellery who wanted to swing and swing and swing and did I mention swing? The girl loves to swing!
Bryson was thrilled to attempt the bigger toys! As long as he is a part and can see the action, he is content with watching or playing in his own space.
Ponies are always a hit, but only for one go round. Maybe my kids just think you only get to go one time around on a pony ride?
I absolutely love sticking my head, the kids heads, and even Rob's big head in cutouts! This brings me joy!
We roasted some smores and called it a day at the patch, almost like a day at the farm. We ran through the corn maze, played on barrels of big hay bales, pretended to drive old tractors, petted the bunnies and baby chicks. Oh and the cats. The cats were so precious they get their own post!

Free Pumpkins

Who said nothing in life is free? Some things are still fee.

I found a hidden gem here with outrageous cheap pumpkin and gourd prices. I had an ecstatic time on my first visit with Ellery and Bryson, so much fun that we went back when Mason got out of school to get more. They give you all the tiny pumpkins which are actually gourds, all you want to take for FREE! Plus did I mention the insanely cheap prices?! Everyone loves a good deal, but you can't beat free!

Pumpkin Art

We have had a beautiful start of fall! We set up a table outside and let the kids paint some pumpkins along with making silly faces on them! I think Ellery would have painted every pumpkin in site if we would allow it.

Fall Fun

Fall fun in the leaves. The kids went out and raked some leaves with Rob. I think they raked them into one big pile and the raking was complete.

Whose going to pick up these leaves

November has been a nice month compared to October. October was very rainy and cold, but we are making up some of that time now in November. We have been raking leaves in our back yard and usually the kids like to help pick them up, but not today. When asked who is going to pick up all these leaves Mason was quick to reply "Not me".

Fire Pit at Vala's Pumpkin Patch

Our fun pumpkin patch has fire pits you can rent out of for the evening and have a cook out. We roasted hot dogs and smores. It was Mason and Ellery's first smore. The only remains of the smore is what was smeared on their face. Mason had to wait 3 years for one and wasn't going to waste any. Funny how the second born doesn't wait as long for things. Before we hit the cook out we toured the grounds. We met up with our friend Jill and her boys and having older siblings/friends around is a treat. Mason would run around with them and tried things he normally wouldn't do. Jill's boys, Conner (8) and Carson (5), talked Mason into going into a small haunted house. He came out crying of course, but said he liked looking at the pumpkins in time out aka jail! He also went into a tree house that had a large slide with them. Parents couldn't fit in. Mason went in with them but only her boys came out, so we had to send them back through to help him up a ladder and then he came out as well and did it again. He also enjoyed jumping on the large pumpkins with Carson and started doing flips with him off the edge. Carson is taking gymnastics and I think I might enroll Mason. It was a great night filled with fun for all!

Fall Fun in the Leaves

We were on a walk the other day and came across a jack pot of leaves across the sidewalk. I let the kids get out and we played for almost 30 min in the leaves. I am not sure they were done playing, but we had to leave and get dinner going. We threw them up, down, and all around and even threw some all the way to California where daddy is for a conference. Mason even tried to pile them up so he could step on top of them to help him climb the tree. A big high five for a plan of action even if it didn't work.

Fall Leaves

Mason had a great time playing in the leaves on Thanksgiving day with his cousins Colt and Cody. They were real good sports about letting him crash though the pile and building up another mound for him to plow through again.