Pumpkin Patches 2009 - 2012

We started visiting Pumpkin Patches in the fall of 2009 -- the year Jack turned one year old. My intention was to make it an annual tradition. Surprisingly enough, given my total lack of follow through on 99% of my brilliant ideas, we have managed to go each October. Now that we are settled in Eugene, I hope we can do our pumpkin hunting at the same farm every year so the kids will remember it as a childhood tradition.

My dad used to take us to Detering Orchards, a farm in Harrisburg. I don't remember if we got pumpkins there, but I know we got boxes of apples each year from their produce stands. I've been meaning to head out there ever since we moved back, but haven't seemed to get around to it. We finally went this week, and it was exactly as I remembered.

Jackson wanted to pick out a pumpkin for 'Jack' and one for 'Hope' and one for 'Mom' and one for 'Dad' to make "A Pumpkin Family". We started with the bin of little pumpkins and he got started on finding one that most resembled his own features:

He wanted to make sure he got just the right ones for him and Hope.

Big brother pumpkin & baby sister pumpkin.

Hope approved. (Except she was looking at apples and had no idea what we were talking about.)

Grandma and Aunt Letha were waaayyyy more interesting than
Jack and I's 'Family Pumpkin' project.

Then we were off to browse all those apples that Hope was so fascinated by.

Jack got distracted by watermelons.

I got distracted by cool looking popcorn. We totally bought it. I mean, c'mon, that's some pretty awesome looking microwave popcorn.

Then it was time to find the "Mommy & Daddy Pumpkins".

Jack thought this one looked like dad.

Sitting on Mom & Dad Pumpkins

No pumpkin patch experience is complete without posing in a Giant-Pumpkin-Carve-Out next to a Scary Scare Crow.

Fun, fun, fun.

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One thing we have not been good at (here's that follow through issue again) is actually CARVING THE PUMPKINS. Unfortunately, they've just sat in our front yard each year, forgotten the moment we get home and left to rot until they get their guts frozen out in December. I know, I know: WE ARE BAD PEOPLE. This year we are totally carving the pumpkins.

We also have two full grown pumpkins in our own garden. I didn't notice them until we got home from the Pumpkin Patch.

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Here's some golden-oldie pics from years past:

2011 

Pumpkin Patch in Oregon City. They had a Fire Truck and free Fireman hats. Serious fun-ness.

And caramel corn. That's even better than antique-looking microwave popcorn bags.

Hats off to you, Mr Pumpkins

Hands off. That's my fireman.

Hay Rides are the bees knees.

* * * 

2010 

 ...and that t-shirt would be saying: Cow Tipper In Training. Totally against our values. But catchy!

Jack is not impressed with this pumpkin.

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2009

Our First Year, Pumpkin Patching.

We followed the instructions and 'got lost' in the maze.

Really, really lost.

Scary lost.

But Jackson led us to safety.

Thank God somebody knew what was going on.

Little feet. Where did those little feet go?

Old Baby-Man.

 

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What is that saying? The days are long but the years are quick.