Pumpkin Patch Adventure

Although we really liked the pumpkin patch we went to last year, we decided to try a new one this year - one that is actually out on a farm. My friend Michelle invited us girls out to a farm in Round Hill, VA this week and we had a total blast. It's amazing to me that when you drive just a bit further out from DC, you get into this rural rolling-hills countryside that is just beautiful. If the commute weren't so bad, we would definitely move out that way.

When we first got to the farm, it started to rain. Boo. We were worried our adventure might end quicker than it started, but luckily it was just a little shower.

The first thing we had to do was feed the horses. When you first walk into the farm, there is a lady selling crushed corn to feed to all of the animals. All of my kids said they didn't want to do it. But feeling foolishly optimistic, I bought a cup anyway. I didn't have very high hopes, but as you can see, it turned out to be a lot of fun! Eliza had a great time feeding the little ponies.

Eden tried it too. There was no way I could get far enough away to take a real picture while holding open those chubby little fingers, so this was the best I could do.

 Me: Stand by the pony and smile at me.

Out of about five takes, this was the best I got.

No one wanted to feed the baby cow because  he had a long creepy tongue. Eden liked to moo at him.

But the baby goats were oh-so-cute. Everyone wanted to feed them. Except Esther. She was content just to hang back and take it all in.

What farm adventure would be complete without a stick-your-face-in thingy? There were about ten different holes, but all the kids wanted to be the dog. Here is Eliza and her friend Jane trying to be the dog together.

Lots of fun little rides...

Including a huge double-barrel slide. Yep, that is Eliza going up with my friend Tiffany. I can't believe she did it! She must be growing up.

 

Remember this picture from last year?

I tried to recreate it - and after several tries, this was best I could get. I think it was harder to get everyone to smile at me this time than it was when they were smaller!

Our whole crew of kids! There were actually two more little babies with us too...

The last thing we did before we left was take a tractor ride out to the pumpkin patch. This was a favorite activity!

Here are some of those rolling hills I was mentioning earlier. It's hard to tell my picture, but all the colors are changing and the trees are so, so pretty.

Pumpkin patch spotted!

Where? I can't see it!

The quest for the perfect pumpkin begins...

Eden found lots that she liked.

Back to the farm. What a fun, fun day!

Need a laugh?

Because we live in a well-populated area, I often find myself wondering what people think as I run by. The other day I saw a friend post this on Facebook and it killed me. I still laugh every time I look at it. Happy weekend everyone!

Backin it up

Next week is Esther's birthday. Before it comes, I had to get Eliza's birthday up here. We had such a crazy summer that those posts somehow got lost in the fray, but hopefully someday I'll get them up for everyone to see. For now, let's head back to June...

Eliza turned four this year. She wanted a Snow White birthday. Here she comes to see her presents....

 She got what she wanted most of all....a Rapunzel scooter.

 

 I tried to make some candied apples. They turned out ok. Esther commandeered the Snow White dress that Grammie and Papa gave to Eliza right away. 

 Playing with some new toys.

And then we had a puppet show, brought to you by the birthday girl and her new puppets sent by G-Pa and Lynn.

 Snow White was probably a popular birthday theme half a century ago, but there's not too much out there anymore. This was the best I could come up with for the cake!

Eliza definitely loved it.

 Nana sent some balloons, and the girls had a ton of fun playing in them.

  

 Aunt Rachel came too, and brought Eliza her very first baseball mitt!

That Saturday Eliza had her very first birthday party. I made the girls some petticoats since we had rented a bounce house. If you ever want to be frustrated, try sewing one of these bad boys. Or three.

Esther liked to hang on to the side and see how high she could get.

 Magical flower cupcakes!

 Eden liked hanging with Grammie.

 Eliza loved bouncing with all her friends.

Opening presents. Can you see her in there?

 Eliza and her "best bestie" friend Anna. Anna's family had to move to Prague. So sad.

 After the party we had a little bounce time. I think I look like the dad from Fiddler on the Roof.

 Even Grammie got some bounces in,

 Rachel and I tried a bunch of times to get a good jump shot. This was our best one. Not too bad!

First birthday party ever: success!

More Fall Stuff

Here are a couple more fall-ish pictures. Esther got to start ballet class. She LOVES it. I was worried she would follow in the path of her older sister ("I want to but once we get there I'm too scared"), but she jumped right in and has a ball.

A benefit of living near Washington DC? When Erik works in Arlington, he brings these little babies home from Georgetown Cupcake. Ever see the show DC Cupcakes? It's that place.

Speaking of treats, last Sunday I made some pumpkin whoopie pies with cream cheese filling. They were AWESOME.

 

This week was Erik's 31st birthday. We had the traditional snickers cake...

 

and then took him to get some new running shoes. His old ones were quite trashed, and his marathon is in one month! (He's running so fast that he's blurry. :)

Then we went to dinner and walked around in our old hood, the Reston Town Center. Our kids are perfecting the picture wave. Did you hear we adopted Rudy from the Cosby show? This little girl wanted to be in our picture too.

 What up yo.

Sisters.

I made the girls some lightweight jackets out of sweatshirt material. Have you seen that stuff? I happened across it at Joanns the other day and I had to make something with it. I know what you are thinking - this woman is a sewing machine! Usually I don't sew this much. It just so happens these last two projects were really close together. This was my first attempt at making something up without a pattern to use. Not too shabby!

 Eden loves to make funny faces.

 And I finally made some of these super cute crayon rolls. They've been on my to-do list forever. I love them.

That's all for now!