The Pumpkin Patch

 J and I have come to love the pumpkin patches over near the coast. First off, they're huge. Second, several include veritable children's carnivals including bouncy houses, trains, petting zoos, etc, and lastly, its so nice and cool over there. Totally worth the ride, even if we did sit in traffic for nearly an hour (even though the official Pumpkin Festival isn't until the 15th). The traffic was confusing, but the kids were really great, and no one cried at all in the car.

Considering that it took an hour longer than promised, this was pretty great.

Our favorite patch from a few years ago seemed to be a farmer's field planted with flowers this year, so we continued down the road a mile or so and found another wonderful patch, with similar fields of pumpkins for the kids to wade through, and lots of piles of colored, warty, interestingly shaped pumpkins, gourds, etc. Being an artist, these are the ones that really get my blood pumping. This year I chose a gorgeous, enormous, squatty ancient looking blue for our dining table centerpiece, now through Thanksgiving. Come on by and check it out. I'm very proud of my selection. Its probably the only aesthetic choice beyond makeup and child dressing that I've made in months, and was a total pleasure.

The kids had a blast. We tried to resist choosing the entire patch. It is, after all, only the first day of the holiday month, and we have lots of other more local farms to hit before they all disappear in November. Anyone stay at home parent of small children knows how fun it is to take advantage of pumpkin patches as (sometimes) free and really fun seasonal children's wonderlands.

This morning, we were waffling about the trip while we still lay in bed. Muscle had to miss an afternoon soccer game. It was going to be a long car ride. Being the first, its still pretty early. But really, we hit it just right. And we made a dent in the garage before leaving at two, which turned out to be the right time for us, bc we had to let the babies get in a substantial morning nap to tank up enough energy to make it through to bedtime, which they did beautifully. J commented tonight once the kids were in bed what a relief the day trip had been, since the week was a particular crunch for him. I'm glad we went.

As a side note, did have to bring along a small potty for Muffin, who used it in two parking lots. Never done that before, although I've seen others do it (always mocking them mentally). But I have to admit that it worked really well, and I think we will be doing that again. I was pround of the Cease, who stayed totally dry the entire day, even with lots of driving. I think she was excited about using the little potty along the way, at stops. Thats what she told us in the car, at least. Good for her!

After the patch ended, we did succumb to a fast food dinner, followed by a trip down to the beach, which could have been a whole day unto itself.  But really, there was one tiny person who was getting tired, and so we only stayed a little while there. Even so, it was refreshing. For some reason that shift between wet and dry at the edge of a continent seems be that. Refreshing. Kind of like being done with childbirth. Maybe you know what I mean. We are lucky to live close to a beach, and a cold one. I like cold beaches best.


Also, one thing that made me happy for the day was that we ended up with a few friendly strangers taking family pictures for us. It was really nice. In the second one, way below, you can see the kids were pretty tired. But its just so nice for J and I, as parents, to see what we're building coming along, taking shape, as an entire reflection in some kind of looking glass. Looking at a family photo, for some reason, even if some people are scowling, as you'll see they are, is so strangely satisfying. Must be that burst of serotonin moms feel when they see the faces of their kids, and sweetheart all wrangled into one frame.