Goebbert's Pumpkin Farm

Visiting the pumpkin patch is probably my favorite part about Halloween.  Going to the field in search of the perfect pumpkin.  And now seeing the kids' excitement makes it that much better.  

This year, we picked our pumpkins at Goebbert's - seems to be the place to go if you live around here.  I didn't think we'd be able to pick pumpkins from a farm this year because we've been so busy on the weekends (and when we did have a free weekend, it rained the entire time) but Dan took off work a few hours early on a Monday so we could go together.  I very much appreciated him carving out time to go with us so we didn't have to pick them from the grocery store.  

A bench right when we get there
immediately won Nora over.  

And a school bus?!  Can things get any better?

Yes.  Yes, they can.

"Windy-wella"

Goebbert's also has pig races throughout the day.
Here's Nora looking at all the piglets and lovin' it.

Myles kept his eyes on the mama pig... most of the time.
When he started looking at the piglets the mama pig moved
and went right in front of him -- within inches -- and gave
him a ROYAL scare.  A deep scream came out of him and
he ran to me almost in tears but all was quickly forgotten
when he turned around and watched from further away.
Within 10 seconds, he was back at the fence.  

We played for a few short minutes on the tractor-gym.
We had to make sure we had enough time to get through
everything before they closed at 6 o'clock.

The chair for Paul Bunyan.

This is a dinosaur that eats pumpkins. 

They were very interested.

She wanted to watch again, but this time from Dad's arms.
I think the sound of the pumpkin exploding the first time
took her off guard.

On the very bumpy tractor wagon ride out
to the pumpkin field.

Let the search begin!

Mom!  I found my pumpkin!
I want this one!

 And this was when it happened.  "Change Battery Pack" appears on my camera.  Really?  When I'm out doing something I actually want pictures of and not when I'm at home messing around??  Of course.  Good thing my phone had enough battery left to get us through the rest of our time at the farm.

Walking through all the vines
was tough for Myles so I ended
up carrying him most of the way.

Nora found her pumpkin!

It's a keeper.

Walking back to the wagon.

The view as we drove away.

I know this one is blurry but it's one
of my favorites from the afternoon.  He
looked so cute just chillin' out by Dad.  

Self-portrait of me and the Miss.

We had a little time to look around
the rest of the place before we checked
out but unfortunately missed the chance
to feed the giraffe.  Maybe next year.

This will be a great picture from year to year.

Once we got home, Myles had
his first taste of caramel apples...mmmmm.

He's saying "CHEESE!" in this picture
which is  now what he says as soon as
he sees I have the camera out.

MP Fall Festival

It was one of those days.  The kids were border-line sick with colds.  They were whiny.  It was raining.  Again.  And Dan and I were both getting crabby and going stir crazy.  We needed to get out for a while.  Luckily, the rain was letting up and Mt. Prospect was having their annual fall festival with business trick-or-treating, kids activities, and German food and beverages, so we put jackets and hats on the kids and off we went.

The trick-or-treating wasn't anything you
needed a costume for.  It was a tent with
tables set up by local businesses who
also gave out candy.  Nora gladly took
a piece from almost every table.  

We saw they had a little pumpkin patch set
up for kids to pick and decorate a pumpkin.
Because we came towards the end of the
kids parts we got two pumpkins for $1.
Score! 

And because I wasn't sure if we were going to be able
to fit in to the pumpkin patch this year I thought this
would count if we didn't get there.
Each child picked their own (can you tell Myles was a
little dazed from his cold?) We took ours home
to decorate later.

After the "pumpkin patch" we let Myles out
of the stroller and it seemed we unstrapped
his usual self.  He started running from place
to place starting with ripping pieces off the
corn stalks. 

He literally had to be dragged away from
the ponies.  

Then it was off to watch the pumpkin jumper get inflated.

with his pal, Lenny.

Testing out the hula hoops.

It started raining again just as we were
heading under the tent for dinner and
dancing with the polka DJ.
Nora met a girl named Nicolette.  They played
together the entire time we were there.
They played chase, hide-and-seek, danced,
and other things little kids do. The only thing
Nora came back by us for was a bite of hot
dog.  It was great to see her playing SO
independently.

What's under the stage??

By the time we got home it was bath time to warm their bodies, then pjs and bed after that.  Fall fest was exactly the right cure at the right time for our day.  It cheered every one up and filled the rest of our day with good memories.

The next day was perfect for using our glittery Halloween stickers to decorate the pumpkins

they picked out from the fall fest.  

September Came and Went

September went by like that.  We had a lot keeping us busy, like...

a crafty project using paint swatches and clothes pins
to match colors. 

She doesn't get them in the right order but right now
it's just about the fun of squeezing the clothes pins
and getting them on the paper.  

Play dates with this girly, Claire.

Decorating the driveway with chalk...

... and having a snack.
This kid cannot touch chalk without eating it.  I'm
talking chunks off, not just licking it.

A first conversation with Gram.

And trying to reach really high to help Daddy.