As I’ve mentioned a few times lately, it’s been crazy hot here. I know, you’re all getting out your tiny violins for us. A couple weekends ago we went to a birthday party at a local farm/pumpkin patch, and it was literally 100 degrees and everyone wanted to murder each other. After the party, we tried to venture into the festival area of the farm, but it was too miserable. Despite the fact that their faces were bright red and they were soaked with sweat, the kids protested our decision to leave. “WHYYYY WE LOVE IT HERE NOOOO.” I promised them we’d go to a pumpkin patch when the weather was cooler.
This is where I have to admit something. As much as I looooove me some pumpkins, I don’t love pumpkin patches. Partly because it’s always 100 degrees when we go to them, but also because the pumpkin patch always ends up being this ridiculously emotional experience for my kids. They either want all of the pumpkins, or none of the pumpkins, or the slide is too scary, or they are literally melting because, again, it’s 100 degrees.
But we went this weekend and I made everyone swear it would be a friggin magical time.
It helped that the weather was a “brisk” 79 degrees. Annabel even asked if she should wear a sweater.
The kids beelined for the bounce house and happily jumped around in there for about five minutes.
But, as soon as James spotted the “big big slide,” he wanted nothing to do with the bounce house. Mike went with him to make sure he didn’t slide down the wrong way.
Also, I’m pretty sure he just wanted to go down the slide, too.
This is where things started to go south for James, because he wanted to go on all of the other rides, but he wasn’t tall enough. And, of course, Annabel was tall enough, so she went on them.
We tried to distract James while his sister was on rides, but all he wanted to do was stare at her and scream, “ANNIE! BYE ANNIE! ANNNNNIIIIEEEEE!”
Smiling through his pain.
Annabel requested a visit to the petting zoo, so Mike took the kids inside. James was all about it at first, cracking up at two goats who kept ramming into each other.
Then one of the goats nudged James, and he shrieked, “MOM?! WHERE ARE YOU, MOM?!” and practically scaled the chain link fence to get to me.
Mike and Annabel stuck it out, feeding the goats. Annabel said, “IT IS TOTALLY LICKING ME!”
At that point, we’d been there long enough. I also had hay in my shoes. I told the kids to grab pumpkins and then we’d hit the road.
Annabel: “Mom, take a picture of us with our pumpkins!”
James: *throws pumpkin on the ground, screams*
Me: *click*
Only 365 days until we go to the pumpkin patch again!
Ann says:
I am literally laughing out loud sitting in my office right now – thank you for the laughs to start off my Monday morning. The last picture is my favorite – I have a 2 year old also, so I understand. Thanks again for the laughs.
Susan says:
Yah, I’m sorry, this was funny. We have much cooler weather thus making it a good start to cider mill I know it is the “thing” now for cider mills to have so many activities which is hard to not let your child play on…but how I miss the days of visiting a cider mill to enjoy the cider/donuts and take a nature walk and maybe pick out some pumpkins =)
Kay says:
I’ve never been to a pumpkin patch that had rides. That’s odd to me.if you’re ever in New York/New England during early October, I’d suggest visiting an orchard for a much more relaxed (and seasonable) apple picking/pumpkin patch day. The only issue would be figuring out how to get the pumpkins on the plane.
Katrina says:
Glad to hear I’m not the only one with a love/hate relationship with the pumpkin patch. I live where you do, and it’s MISERABLE to go to the pumpkin patch when it is 100 degrees out. My kids always want to ride the rides, while I’m just there to get some good fall photos taken of them. You know, “okay, sit here and hold this pumpkin. Now…smile!” but they are all about the rides. And each ride costs about $3…and if you multiply that by…oh, I don’t know…seven? Usually not all of my kids want to go, but at least seven of them do. So if they all ride, say, four rides….that adds up. For cheesy carnival rides? the kind I could set up myself? Shoot, for that money we might as well go to Disneyland (okay, not really…especially since the recent price hike with the annual passes) But still. It adds up. And then they all want to pick out a pumpkin? $$$$$ I think I’d save money if we did our fall photos at Wal-Mart.
Megan says:
At the risk of sounding old, in my day, the pumpkin patch just had…pumpkins. We were in and out in 10 minutes. But this was hilarious, especially the last photo!
Glenda says:
Lol as I read this. “There’s hay in my shoes”
Kris says:
No rides here in New England, either. We have pumpkins at some of our apple orchards. There might be a few farm animals and a tractor to pose with, or a corn maze, but that is it.
Amy D says:
THANK YOU for helping me realize I’m not alone with my maniacal two year old! My experience at the pumpkin patch this weekend was similarly emotional.
Bren says:
L-O-V-E the reality! If you’re ever in Iowa this year, I’ll set you up on a beautiful fall, COOL, day at the pumpkin patch.
Lisa says:
Yep-Phoenix is just like this. Been talking with some friends and they drive an hour away for a low key (meaning less people) visit. We are boycotting this year and going to the Botanical Gardens. Remind me to send you the picture I took of my daughter (about two months younger than James) from last year….crying on the hay (last year).
Annalisa says:
Gonna give you credit for bravery. We did the pumpkin patch thing when my daughter was almost 1. She loved feeding the horse that was on site on the farm. It ended there.
Pumpkins? Cried the heck out. Piglets area (you could cuddle pigglets! Awwww!)? Freaked the hell out. She was a sobbing mess by the time we left less than an hour later. It just was so bad, we’ve never tried again.
On the upside, we later learned she loves painting pumpkins for Halloween, so long as they are properly divorced from the rest of nature (i.e., last year we went to a Halloween Carnival, spent the whole two hours by the DYI pumpkin decorations table).
Cynthia Scott Pascual says:
James is so freakin’ adorbs, just like both of his big sisters & Miss Annie has grown so much! I remember when she was a little miss rollie-poly (did I spell that correctly, lol?)! Seriously, you and Mike make some darn cute offspring!
Meg says:
So funny! I was all excited to take our 6-month-old son to the pumpkin patch this year (I looooove fall), and he pouted — literally pouted — not once, but TWICE. We tried two Saturdays in a row to get a happy shot of this kid livin’ it up amongst the gourds, and he was sooooo not having it. Hoping for better luck next year!
Jordan says:
love annie’s shirt!
that last picture is golden.
Jackie says:
The last photo is awesome! Even the scarecrow has had enough!