The Pumpkin Patch Can Have Challenges

We did it... our annual Fall Pumpkin Patch visit! {there is an exclamation point behind this for a reason} 'How did it go?', you may be wondering.  Well, it went.  For fear of sounding too disappointed, let's just say it had some challenging moments.

Basically, every Saturday in October this year is booked either with t-ball games, the school festival {already done and gone, but a weekend in October, none the less}, and birthday parties.  This was it!--the only Saturday of the month to make this happen.  And sure enough...Clay had a tennis match.  Thinking this will be "no problem", I mean seriously I have the two of them by myself all the time, I loaded the kids and the car up and off we went.

What I did not take into account was the fact that Maggie is v..e..r..y slow to warm up to new places {unless she is in my arms or at least eye level with me} and it is nearly impossible to get two kids {one very clingy one} situated for a picture in the patch and then run backwards over pumpkins, {without tripping}, and get that golden pumpkin patch shot.  So again, another photo op failed.

The other logistic I did not take into consideration...carrying that very clingy, {but also precious child}, and a pre-schooler's GIANT pumpkin pick.  I must have looked a fool with Maggie on one hip and a pumpkin on the other because people came out of the wood works offering to carry one of them to my car.  So generous, but we all know that Maggie was having none of that.  My sweet Jack, trying to be such a 'gentleman' helped carry the pumpkin as far as his little muscles would let him...that really brought people to our rescue {and a smile to my face}.

And then I could probably list the other issues we had along our visit...poor Jack got elbowed in the face by another child {total accident}.  He was such a trooper though.  Maggie tripped excessively over pumpkins {more reason to want Mommy to carry her}.  And both kids were blinded by God's beautiful sunshine on a gorgeous Fall day.

So, yes we did it! {with an exclamation point}  Maybe it wasn't as smooth as years in the past.  But, we can officially check Pumpkin Patch off our 'Fall Things To Do' list.  Jack is happy {as he was the entire visit minus the little injury}.  He has one pumpkin to carve into something spooky and one bumpy pumpkin that he thinks is already spooky.  And Maggie thinks she had a good time.  She has repeatedly asked to "look" at the pumpkin pictures on my camera.  I tried to explain, there wasn't much to see, but she insists.

Okay, so maybe one year during Fall I will look back at this giggle.  But for now, I only take one very valuable lesson with me...Pumpkin Patch visits must include the entire family from here on out.

Initially all was well with Maggie and her 2nd Pumpkin Patch visit ever.

All too quickly she realized that she couldn't pick up a pumpkin by herself.  This was the start of a downward spiral.  {we are still good here though}

Meanwhile, Jack was having a blast, like any kid should at the Pumpkin Patch on a beautiful day.

This was the GIANT pumpkin that he really wanted.  I realized, as Maggie had earlier, that Mommy can't pick up every pumpkin by herself either.

This was my failed attempt at a picture of my favorite pumpkins.  Well, I guess not totally failed, you can see both of their faces and there are actual pumpkins in the picture.  Just a little too much sunshine and one clingy Magpie with an extended arm, basically saying, "hold me and NEVER put me down".

And then...all in her little world was okay.  Maggie found Maggie-sized pumpkins.  And she could even carry them all by herself!

Counting pumpkins.  It goes something like this...fee, figh, wun, foe.  Maybe her numbers aren't in the right order, but she does have one to one correspondence.  No to mention, I adore watching my little pumpkin trying to count..yummy!

I'm pretty sure she spotted Jack's wagon here.  Yay!  Somewhere to put all those little pumpkins she adored.

I can not brag on my Jack enough.  He was so incredibly helpful.  He grabbed the wagon, he helped us fill it, he carried the money {I didn't have pockets}, he payed for the pumpkins, he tried to help carry them to the car, and he smiled at his sister when she got a little less than desirable to be around.  And he even told her, "Pumpkin patches sure do you make you grumpy".  Ha!  Love his perspective!

Who knew?  All we needed was a wagon and some itty bitty pumpkins to keep Mags content.  And if it had been up to her, we would have bought an entire wagon full.

This is the "spooky" pumpkin that we don't have to carve, according to Jack.  And check out those muscles...that's my good eater.