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.

Happy Halloween

I really should give my kids candy more or expand their knowledge of different types of candy. They are into suckers and M&M's. Next year I am going to train them to pick the Snickers bars for me! They started out with a bang, and didn't last as long as I thought. I jumped ship to hang with my friend Anne after a few houses and sent Rob out with another dad with the wagon stocked with children and beer. The kids came back with some candy, but not near as much as I thought. I was hoping for more snicker bars. I think it was more of a leisurely stroll with a few stops. They were more thrilled to come pick me up and play with their friends than they were over their buckets of candy. We have fire chief Mason pictured with his fellow fireman Parker. Superman Sam is out to save the world, maybe from the Ellery Monkey.

Carving

Our annual pumpkin carving was held today. A bit later than what I originally planned, but fun. If you haven't discovered the little LED candle tea lights I highly suggest them. You don't have to worry about lighting the candle and the wind blowing it out or tipping over yadda yadda yadda. It actually has a flicker to the light to resemble the candle light. Ooo la la!
Mason picked out the scary pumpkin template and he worked with Rob on carving it. He is posing with his Jack-O-Lantern and giving his scary face as well.
Ellery went with a more loving approach and chose a cat template. She was excited it matched her shirt, she was unable to give me a cat face when asked. She went with posing instead and showing off her shirt next to her jack-o-lantern.

Muuuaahhhhhhhhh
(I always think of my friend Kim when I give the scary laugh. She does it really well and inspired me to try and I need to keep practicing.)

Pumpin Patch Last Call

We hit the patch one last time today, it was a gorgeous day. We couldn't waste it by staying home because we would end up working and doing projects rather than being outside and enjoying a non windy day here in NE. We met Elon and her parents and went all over the patch. Fun was had by all! I love the fall, my favorite season! I also love kettle corn and get it at the patch, til next year sweet popped corn!

More Big Pumpkins

We are loving the big pumpkins, well maybe not Bryson.

Big-Bigger-Biggest Pumpkins

Cousin Cody came through for a visit and brought us some home grown pumpkins. Em R Sum Big Ens! He grew these up on the farm, and while he is rather proud he is a bit disappointed. He kept telling me these were planted 45 days late so you can only imagine how much bigger they could have gotten. We are proud of them and thankful he shared them with us! The kids really enjoyed playing on them!

Vala's Fire Pit

We rented a fire pit at our pumkin patch and invited friends out to roast hot dogs and smores. It was a perfect night and fun was had by all. *Note: Mason's first official "girl" friend, Brielle is sitting beside him.

We hit the pumpkin patch earlier this season, but didn't take the time to watch the pig races. Mason was devastated about it and even shed a tear. We made sure to watch the races this time. They pick kids to represent each pig and the winning pig's representer receives a pig nose. A friend of mine took the kids to the races a second time where Mason was picked and his pig one. We are now proud owners of a pig nose.

My little piggies from youngest to oldest.

Pumpkin Patch

We headed out to the pumpkin patch for the afternoon. Bryson slept through most of the festives, while Mason and Ellery enjoyed spending time with Rob. He doesn't always get to enjoy time with them at the pumpkin patch, but we had a great afternoon together. I am amazed at how much they have changed from the year before when I look at them posing in front of the height chart and climbing on the pumpkins. A friend of Rob's rented a fire pit so we ended our night roasting hot dogs and marsh mellows over the fire

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!

Vala's Pumpkin Patch

We went to the pumpkin patch yesterday. Vala's was amazing last year and yet they still added more fun items to do. It is so big you need a whole day to do everything so we had to pick and choose what we did for our afternoon visit. It was a beautiful day and rumor has it will be the last for awhile because we are calling for snow this weekend. The kids had a great time and I think Ellery really enjoyed herself and was a shadow to every where Mason went. We had mix feelings over the pig races this year. Ellery enjoyed them and so did Mason, but he kept covering his ears while they told the jokes, but would raise his hand to be picked to be a pig watcher. I am not sure what was going on with him during the pig raises, but he came home and I caught him saying sewwweeeee to his stuffed animals and that is what they have you say to call the pigs to start the race. They had a fabulous time crawling and playing on the pumpkins. I found myself having to say something I never dreamed I would ever have to say. I looked away for a few seconds and turn back to find Ellery licking the pumpkins and saying, "Ellery, we don't lick pumpkins, please stop licking them."
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