Pumpkin patch

Took the kids to a pumpkin patch today. This is the first time we've made it a big event for them, and they both loved it to death. I had gone to this one last year, just to grab a pumpkin (or so I thought) and couldn't resist coming back this year. The owner loves to grow all sorts of varieties of pumpkins, which greatly appeals to my kids' senses of creativity.

This is HALF of the varieties that he grows. The other half was down the other side of this 'lane.' The kids spent a good 20 minutes just looking at all the varieties...


and picking them up... and reading about them...

before they started settling on actual pumpkins to bring home. The prices were good, too. We got three HUGE pumpkins (this one plus a 'regular' pumpkin and one of the bright orange ones that M1 is standing in front of in the first photo), two 'baby' pumpkins, and a butternut squash for slightly less than $20. The kids helped haul it all around and kept an eye on their pumpkins while I made trips back and forth to haul everything into the back of the van. I'm sure the sight of me hauling pumpkins around amused some people. It amused me.

I try to see the funny side of things.

After the important details were taken care of, the kids wanted to see what else there was. M2 found the fireplace inside the store and perched near that to warm up for a while; M1 asked the cashier for directions to the hay maze. I sniffed the hot cocoa in the air and decided to make myself wait till later because I didn't feel like cleaning up the girl who inevitably spills things all over herself. I honestly think she and liquids have some sort of magnetic attraction.

They also found the 'petting' area. Now... what cracks me up is that they're standing here trying to pet this goat inside the pen, when there were no fewer than three goats roaming around the pumpkin patch doing a bit of late-season mowing.

Kids... really... there are goats OUTSIDE the cage... you can pet them... they're nice... kids??

Nevermind.

Let's get on the hay ride, shall we? Okay then.


They also did find their way to and through the hay maze. They didn't want to leave. They discovered that if they ran around the maze just right or hid in the right position, I couldn't find them very easily *giggle giggle giggle*. And if Mama can't find them, Mama can't make them leave *snicker snort giggle*.

I finally got the gigglebutts to come home, but I do believe we'll be back. They have a Christmas tree farm on site, too, and even though I typically do the good ol'-fashioned plastic tree thing, one of these years I sense a request for a real tree. Doubt it'll be this year, though. Something about kittens and trees. Kind of like oil and water. Let's not push the luck.

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Pleasant Valley Farms: 22350 W. 71st. Street S., Sand Springs, OK 74063. Phone: 918-248-5647. Fax: 918-248-5647. Email: pleasantvalleyfarms@earthlink.net.