Fall Beauty

Belated Pumpkin Picking Post

Between the new job and juggling the kids activities and such I'm late on my pumpkin picking post but I wasn't going to be deterred so here it is!

Every year we go to a local farm during the fall to enjoy a day of outdoor fun.  Most of the time we go twice.  Once we do apple picking (mid to late September) and then we go pumpkin picking (early October).  This year we went apple picking early because I knew it was just knew it was going to be a crazy month full of rain....and I was right.  We ended up going pumpkin picking late for the same reason.  The important thing is we continued our family tradition and had fun doing it!

First we went to the animal area.  There were pigs, cows, chickens, roosters, turkeys and more. 

Then we headed over the the petting zoo area.  We got some food to feed the goats, lamas and piggies.  This was a big area the kids could walk around in.  The first area was just 5 or 6 pens of animals to look at but not really touch.

My daughter really like the three little pigs.  She was rubbing them and cooing at them.  She made the mistake of getting to close and they actually knocked her down and started nibbling on her fingers.  I called them the three devil pigs.  My daughter loved them though. 

 
We also enjoyed a hay maze and a corn maze.  The corn maze was huge and we had a lot of fun weaving through the various paths.  My kids made friends with two of the farm dogs and one followed us around for a good half hour as we meandered around the corn stalks.  The kids wanted to take him home.

Because of all the rain there weren't many pumpkins to choose from but we had a fun time looking for the perfect ones.

The "road" leading back to the pumpkin fields were more mud holes than anything.  I'm amazed the tractor didn't get stuck.  Here's a picture of the tractor tire in the deep mud.

We had a wonderful day out.  My daughter also enjoyed the bounce house and face painting.  Goalieboy (now 9) claims he is too old for that kind of stuff.  It makes me a little sad and nostalgic.

However, he did have fun playing with the pumpkins after we got home. 

We let our kids decide on their own lack-o-lantern design.  My son drew his out and cut it all by himself this year.  I think he did a great job working by himself.  I cut the top and helped scoop the guts.  Daddy helps Little Bee and she likes to do things totally freestyle.  He just helped guide her hand.  She wanted to put extra holes (for ears & stuff) but he convinced her otherwise. 

The finished product.  Little Bee's is the smaller pumpkin and Goalieboy's is the bigger more menacing one.

***Fall is my favorite time of year!  Here are some pasts posts about fall...Fall....the Best Season of All and Perfect Cool Fall Day.

Fall....the Best Season of All

As I've gotten older I find my seasonal preferences shifting from fun in the sun to crisp fall days.

My favorite season when I was younger was summer by far.   I craved hot summer days.  I would lather up with Hawaiian Tropic Oil ,lay out back on a lounger and bask in the golden sun. 

Nowadays that same sun causes me to cringe in fear.  Somehow in the last few years the sun has become my enemy.  The heat and humidity effect my body in ways I still don't understand.  It dehydrates me, makes my body weak and shaky and blackness closes in.  So now I'm extremely careful going out to enjoy a summer's day.

However, fall is cool and filled with beautiful ever changing colors.  I love experiencing these changes with my family.

We enjoy walking and taking in the breathtaking reds, oranges and yellows surrounding us.

I love the smell of leaves burning.  I love staring into the dancing flames.  It's invigorating.

We have our fall traditions.  We start with apple pucking in late September.  Then we decorate the house inside and out for fall.  Finally we head to a local farm to pick out pumpkins.  We drink hot apple cider and eat dense apple cider donuts.  We trail through hay and corn mazes.  We take hayrides into the pumpkin fields.

After all the pumpkin field fun we take our pumpkins home to carve.  Carving is so much fun.  The kids deliberate on how to proceed.  Will they go free style?  Use a stencil?  Or use the plastic cut out pieces to pierce the pumpkin skin, trace and then cut the shapes out?

Then Halloween arrives.  The kids dress up and excitedly run door to door for Halloween goodies before hitting the wall of exhaustion.  We finish the night off at our local ice cream stand.  Halloween night is their final hoorah before shutting down for the season.  Free ice cream for all!

Before I know it October is over and Thanksgiving is on its way.  Before long it'll be winter.

Winter...please hold off as long as you can.  I want to enjoy the crisp fall days before they turn brutally cold.

Perfect Cool Fall Day

It’s finally Friday!  Woohoo!  It’s a perfect crisp fall day in the mid 50’s.  The overnight low was 38 degrees.  Holy cow!  I like it a bit warmer (70’s) but I’m not complaining!

I’ve been looking forward to the weather cooling off.  Thank you Mother Nature.  I’m done with the heat and humidity.  I’m also done with the rain.  I pray it stays away.  The ground is so oversaturated that there is flooding whenever it rains.  In the past, flooding has been rare here but not since Irene hit three weeks ago.
I’m celebrating today by wearing my favorite jeans and pullover with sandals.  Perfect combo.  I’m still not quite ready for socks and shoes but I’ll get there soon if the temperatures stay this low.

Another way I celebrated the return of cool weather was a nice hot breakfast for the kids.  Sunnyside up eggs, whole wheat toast and two pieces of bacon.  They were in heaven!  Perfect way to start a Fall Friday.  I, on the other hand, was naughty for breakfast.  After taking the kids to school I popped a chocolate chip waffle into the toaster and then spread peanut butter and  Nutella over it.  Add a banana on the side.  Perfect to die for breakfast!

Now I’m in the mood to decorate for fall.  I have to get up into our attic and see what I can pull out to create that perfect cozy, Fall feeling.  I’m so excited.



Tonight will be the perfect evening to have a fire and roast marshmallows.  I’m looking forward to it.  First though, I have to buy the boy a new coat since he is growing faster than I can clothe him.  He’s not going to be happy with me one bit.  I made him wear the only light jacket he fits and he doesn’t like it or the fact I wouldn’t allow him to walk to school with just a short sleeve shirt.   I’m such a mean mom.

I’m excited to hear the rustling of leaves, feel the cool breezes and go for long strolls. 



Fall is full of traditions in our house.   Apple and pumpkin picking are a must.  We love to wander around the fields choosing from the different varieties and picking the perfect apples. I do lots of baking…apple and pumpkin pie, apple crisp, apple dumplings, baked apples, apple sauce and so much more.  We go to the local farm every year.  We go on hayrides, drink apple cider, eat apple cider donuts and caramel apples, run through hay mazes and more.  Fall is the perfect time to just immerse yourself into your family.  It’s not too hot or too cold.  It’s perfect.

Oh Fall, how I’ve missed you.  You're my favorite season of all.  Welcome back!

Happy Fantabulous Friday everyone!  Is it starting to feel like Fall where you live?  How do you celebrate Fall?