It's the middle of October, so keeping with tradition, we made the trek to the famous pumpkin patch. Ok, it really isn't a trek, but it felt like it. Who knew it was going to be almost 80 degrees on October 14th?! Does it matter when your toddler is dressed in boots, tights, and a black long-sleeved shirt and it is 78 degrees outside? Or, that all of the kids have red faces from running
through the corn maze and playing on the tractors?
Nope, it doesn't make a difference what it is like. Just add in some cousins, dirt, wheel-barrels, corn, hay, a few pumpkins, and you get smiling, giggling little kids.
Did I mention the corn maze? It's free, it's short, it has one path to follow.
This way, none of the kids get lost when the mom's let them go through the maze all by themselves. At least that should be the case.
But then the 10year old boy is bored and feels like he needs to wander on and off the path. I know, shocking. This is where patience starts.
Annie discovered her own corn maze. It wasn't so much a maze as a field. Try and keep your one year old out of that!
It takes patience to go to the pumpkin patch.
Thank goodness for cousins. They are the perfect distraction. They play tag with you all through the corn maze climb up, over, around and under the tractors. Most importantly, they help you get enormous pumpkins into you wheel-barrow and when your wheel-barrow is too heavy to push because of the enormous pumpkin, they will help you shout, a lot, for your mom to come and help you.
Really, did I mention patience?
These would be the cousins, when did this gang of boys get so tough? Look at them, it's hard not to think about the 5 of them together in another 7 years.
I enticed the boys with a climb up a giant haystack in order to get a picture of the 2 of them together. It wasn't easy. To get them to smile, I told Luke and Cort that there dad would be seeing this. It worked. Sort of.
As crazy as the afternoon was, it was a great time. The sunshine made us all smile and feel grateful for our Indian Summer.
Did I mention patience? And of course, great sisters and my own cousins to help me get through the afternoon.
And this is when you know it is time to go home.
Set aside all that Halloween hoopla. Today is Sandie's 29th Birthday. The best thing about 29 yr olds' is that even though I get older, she is still 29. It is difficult to find a lot of pictures of her, as she would rather take the picture than be in the picture.
Sandie has a super-hero power, TAH, meaning the ability to "Tolerate Army Husband". It's an amazing power. He is always gone. I don't how she does it, but she makes it look easy. Our kids are excellently nurtured and raised by this remarkable woman. She may not agree but she has patience like no other.
Happy Birthday Sandie! I wish I was there to celebrate it with you!
