Pumpkin Patch FUN!!!

A HAPPY DAY IT WAS!

Yesterday was one of the greatest days, I've (Brooke) had in a really long time! It was so great to have a few hours with Brian, Jack and Maggie, out of the house, and off to somewhere fun for all of us. And, most importantly, for me - to be able to take a day, and not care/worry about what I need to get done at home, the laundry that needs to be done, the cleaning that should have already been done, the parties that need to be planned and projects that need to be worked on, etc. I was able to let go of all of that, and just ENJOY the day and my wonderful little family. This I thank all three of them for!

This is the first time in a very long time, that I have been able to or allowed myself to do this! I give huge credit, thanks and LOVE to Brian, as he has been helping around the house so much, works so hard to help me keep things running smoothly around here, and most importantly I know that he is always here for me no matter what. He is my ROCK, and I have really thought and reflected on that over the past few days. Without him, I'm not sure I could have made it through some difficult, stressful, overwhelming and just hard weeks, days, and moments.
I have had a difficult summer and fall, and I am hoping that I can begin to really start focusing solely on the important People and Things in my life. Rather, than the negative things/situations that I tend to allow consume me, at times.

When I think back, it feels as if I've been sitting at a RED light for months. I'm ready for the lights to be GREEN, and to hit all of them straight on without stopping! Stop signs I can handle - as they are brief, and then you move forward again, RED lights for too long, I can't. And, have decided (hope and pray, I can follow through with this decision) that I am going to try each and every day to avoid RED lights. (Of course, not literally - when really driving I promise to stop at red lights and stop signs for as long as needed :p). I do know there will be days that I hit every RED light all day, or have to decide to speed through a  YELLOW or stop at the RED, but there is always the reminder that GREEN is eventually coming. I know that I am capable of hitting all GREENS and that is what I strive for. Not only for myself, but for Brian, Jack and Maggie. They deserve that of me more than anything - they deserve me to be hitting all of the GREEN lights, and if a RED happens to hit, that I can patiently wait until it turns GREEN, and GO! Bare with me, of course this post, is not all about me; I did just want to share that with you - as most of you know that I have been struggling, but want you to know that I am doing all that I am capable of to be the MOST Positive Wife, Mother, Friend, and Relative that I can.

And, we're headed in for some FUN!!! The boys are ahead of us, as usual! ;)

Yesterday, we headed to the Pumpkin Patch, and I don't think Jack quite understood what it would all entale, other than possibly seeing a pumpkin, as this was his and Maggie's first "real" Pumpkin Patch Trip. We headed to Lee Farms in Tualatin, and it was GREAT!



SO MANY Pumpkins to chose from...

 Not only did they have a fantastic Pumpkin Patch, they had so many fun things for Jack & Maggie to enjoy! Lots of farm animals, all who Jack LOVED! Maggie showed us verbally and physically she is not a farm animal girl, and wants NOTHING to do with them or touching them. Looking from afar was ok, but that was IT! :)


BIG MAMA PIG... Jack was amazed at how BIG she was!!! Maggie, well... see next picture...



And her reaction to the Mama Pig and Piglets... somewhat disgusted and somewhat confused... :)

Jack, again, on the other hand was FEARLESS! He wanted to do EVERYTHING!!! It was so fun to see his big smile, running around, telling us everything he saw and about it, and just having a great time - and being the fun, sweet, happy boy that he is! He and Brian went down a super BIG slide more times than I can remember, and he LOVED it!!! He also ventured into the bouncy house, and bounced, bounced, bounced!



Running FREE, and enjoying every second!

 

The REALLY BIG Slide!





Let's go AGAIN, Daddy... and AGAIN, and AGAIN, and AGAIN!!!

Brian & Jack GOING FAST down the HUGE SLIDE! SO MUCH FUN!!!



Our VERY BRAVE boy, on the ferris wheel (yeppers, last in line, so, he's in the pink "cage")! How much he has grown in a 1/2 a year! 6 months ago, he wouldn't set foot in a bouncy house, let alone a ferris wheel, and all by himself!!! And, how much Mama has changed - saying she would never allow Jack in a bouncy house or this type of contraption due to safety - but I did, and I loved that he LOVED it! (and, that he stayed safe and unharmed!!!)

Fearless Ferris Wheel Rider! Way to go, JACK! We are so proud of you, BIG BOY!!!

Bouncy House Maniac! (Note: The camera being "fumbled", that would be Jack crashing into me as I was taping him through the mesh of the bouncy house... HA!). He LOVED it in there, and bounced to his hearts content!!! Now if our ceilings were only tall enough, and we had room for a bouncy house, it would be a PERFECT addition to the house this winter. Whenever Jack or Maggie need to burn off some energy, I could just send them to the Bouncy House! :)

Jack also fed some goats, was able and brave enough to pet some sweet little cows, was very gentle in petting a tiny baby chick that Brian held for him, LOVED the Hayride (sitting on my lap, and telling me all about everything he saw), ate a BIG hotdog while sitting on stacks of hay (in which, upon sitting, both he and Maggie immediately started cleaning (brushing) it off, until I explained it was a haystack where we would sit, and it was ok to get some hay on our clothes - I have no idea where they would have gotten that from :p), and finally Jack and I picked out a pumpkin for himself and one for Maggie. Of course, his was VERY VERY BIG, and Maggie's wasn't quite as big.


Checking out the Chickens... (we had to keep reminding him that some of the animals think that little fingers are food...)

The Bunny House - or Peter Rabbit and his friends home! :)

Some of the many bunnies, Jack tried to decide which one was Peter Rabbit, but it was a very difficult decision :)

(NOTE: Brian has been reading "Peter Rabbit" to Jack at night, and Jack is so into it. He loves every moment, and looks forward to it every night, so when he saw the bunnies, he instantly needed to find Peter!)

Petting the cows so gently. And he also fed some goats! We attempted to have Maggie pet the goats, and let's just say she didn't like it... AT ALL!!!



The "Goatel"... :) If you can't see, it say's "Goatel 6"
I thought it was so clever and cute... however, in our family, I think I was the only one with thoughts on this structure! :)



Driving a TRACTOR!



And another TRACTOR.... a JOHN DEERE!



Maggie even (sort of) got to try it out



However, the driver was a bit insistent upon being a DRIVER with NO Passengers

Patiently awaiting Lunch!

Ready to EAT!

And, it's time to find some pumpkins...


Is that a PUMPKIN in the wheelbarrow??? NO... it's Jack! And, looks like someone feeling a bit worn out, and a ride to find a spot to pumpkin pick is just what he needed!



Maggie says "this one", Jack says "no, it's too big for you, Maggie!"... & off we go to find a "not so BIG pumpkin" for Maggs.



This one? Nope, still TOO BIG!



Thinking this is about the size of Jack's... ;)
(I forgot to take pictures of them, which I could do now, but this post is getting quite loooong..)



And, this is Maggie... we do call her Pumpkin quite a bit... :)



The Weeks Pumpkin Patch Adventure, October 2010

We had such a wonderful day! The kids enjoyed just about every second of it, they were both so good, and Brian and I had so much fun watching them both enjoy a new experience, and will look forward to our Pumpkin Patch Trip next year!

Didn't take long on the way home, before we saw this...



And, we hadn't even gotten out of the parking lot before, we saw this... (and, yes, that is food on her lip!)

I hope you all have a great time finding your Pumpkins this year! We'll keep you updated on our Halloween plans... the Munchkins have some super fun & adorable costumes that we can't wait to show you!!!

xo,

Brooke & Team.