Hayride 2012

As I mentioned, like half of the eastern seaboard, we went to the pumpkin patch over the weekend.

We almost didn't make it. Sometimes just leaving the house feels so daunting. The packing of the diaper bag, the changing of the clothes, the packing of the changes of clothes, to say nothing of beverages and snacks and and and...

We had what I'll call a moment in the mudroom, enroute to the car--did I mention Harry has mastered opening the mudroom door which means he is just feet from walking out the front door and down the steps? There I was, furiously gathering jackets and galoshes for the muddy fields, while balancing a 79-pound diaper bag on my shoulder. There was Erin, trying to stop Harry from making a break for the front door as well as Lucy, who is of course following Harry. Meanwhile Ellie is whining about not being able to find her wand! (an absolute must for the pumpkin patch!) and Leo is announcing that he has FOUND HIS DRAGON! Which of course makes the sting of the misplaced wand that much more painful.

Pure. Bedlam.

But once we get where we're going? It's almost always worth it.

And on Saturday afternoon, there was this:


A sun kissed, exquisite, absolutely perfect, golden fall day. In which all the whining and the fussing and the protesting falls away, in which all those insufferably hot and humid summer afternoons feel worth it, because you have this gorgeous autumn afternoon to behold.






We took our first hayride as a family of six.



Everyone was there, though we can't all fit in the same frame anymore.

Some preferred to stand.

Others brought friends.

And new friends were made.





New terrain was covered.

Sand! Who knew?



There were some technical difficulties with this model.

Leo preferred the full-size version. Can't blame him.

Everyone had a chance to explore, on their own terms.

But not for long!

These girls. Oh. My. Goodness.

Aaaand the boys.

Harry is so lucky to have Leo to show him the way.

The afternoon sun cast long shadows, naptime beckoned and it was time to choose the pumpkins.

It was truly a wonderful afternoon. But I think we could all agree that in the end,

everyone needed a beverage.

Or two.

Living the Hayride

As regular readers here know, Leo pretty much lives for Hayrides.

Well ladies and gentleman I give you:

The First Hayride of The Season.

Seriously, is he in his element or what?

Yesterday we spent part of the day here. This was merely a prelude to the serious picking that we’ll do when we go to my absolute favorite apple pumpkin picking spot in a few weeks when Grandma comes to visit.

Leo and friend.

Ellie was lukewarm about the whole hayride thing. She did enjoy picking apples.

After the hayride, Leo was very excited about the baby pigs. We talked about Wilbur and Charlotte's Web (he watched the old version aka the one I grew up with of course over summer break and fell in love with it).


He seemed to be fascinated by real, live oinking!

Ellie feigned interest in the animals briefly, but then informed us she was “just going to stand over here and eat her chips.”

Oh, Ellie.