The "Punky" Patch (and Apple Picking)

I like to call this one, What Happens When You Say "Let Me Take A Picture," to four small children. This one will definitely go in the scrapbook. Certainly the mantel. By the way, Lucy's back intentionally to me? That sums her up right there. That is Lucy to a T.

We waited until late in the season to go apple and pumpkin picking this year (yes, we were the crazy people who went to the pumpkin patch the weekend before Halloween but guess what? Turns out it's not so crowded at 9 a.m. on a Sunday).

We waited, partly because I like to go when it's cold(er)--(hot apple cider, hot cider donuts, are you sensing a theme?) and partly because I may have been procrastinating. But I KNEW the kids would have so much fun, it would be worth all the energy it takes to take all four of them to any wide open space. We just had to go.

And if there was ever any doubt on my part, I had to remember this: a few weekends ago Ellie and I were at Home Depot and she was all excited about the garden center's "pumpkin patch" (poor kid). When she asked to get a pumpkin and I mentioned we'd be going to an actual pumpkin patch in a few weeks, well, you'd have thought I just told her we were going to Disney World. You can say what you want about our kids but I just love the fact that they are really pretty easy to please.

So last weekend Erin and I drank about nineteen cups of coffee (each) and took the kids to our favorite Pumpkinpatchapplepickingfarm.

If, for no other reason than, Harry + hay ride? That was a sight I needed to see. As Leo says, "It will blow his brain!"

Harry, on said hayride. Safe to say, brain = blown = very happy guy.

(By the way, the last time we went to this farm, the twins looked like this):


September, 2011

I think Harry had more fun this year. I know I did (although breastfeeding infants in an apple orchard IS my idea of a good time--really missed that this year--said No One Ever).


Off and running, on the hunt for apples.






Another moment when I think I had the gall to suggest a picture. Lucy's all "See ya, Mommy."


It must be pretty weird to be two years old and to see something you eat almost every day, growing on a tree. Harry (and his eyelashes) seemed to think so.

Moving on to Paradise.

I mean, the pumpkin (or as Lucy calls it, the "punky") patch. Seriously, doesn't this look like something out of Grandma Moses?


Leo and Ellie had a fight over who got to show Harry the tractor.


These girls are excellent wagon haulers.

Clearly they need jobs.

The key to having a good time in the stage we're in is low expectations.

Mine were definitely surpassed this year on ye old punky patch/apple picking trip. Plus, we returned home with all four children. So I call that a win. And did I mention there were cider donuts? And they were hot? Mmmmm.

Pickin'

And now, the pictures.




They will actually pose together now (sporadically). Leo always wants to hold on to Ellie for far longer than she'd prefer though, and invariably, kissing is attempted.

Leo kept sticking out his tongue in the pictures. Hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.


My dad noted something quite interesting about this photo: "Leo is such a love bug even when he takes a bite out of an apple it is in the shape of a heart," my dad wrote to me in an email, after I sent him this photo. Well, would you look at that?

Silly geese.


Grandma Jerry (Erin's mom) showing Ellie the finer points of apple picking.

Moving on to the pumpkin patch.


I am captioning this one "Tote that barge, lift that bail. Get to WORK Ellie!"
She is, apparently, very serious about her pumpkin patch.

Epic Fail at 31 for 21: Will Pictures Suffice?

I have not been the best 31 for 21er this year.

Once again, I will use these people

as an excuse.

Speaking of those people, it's been a while since I posted any pictures of substance. That's because my camera died. I had to wait until my new one was ready.


I think it's fair to say

that I love my new camera.

Or maybe I'm just crazy about my subjects.


In case you couldn't tell

we went apple and pumpkin picking last weekend.

There was also a hayride. It was pretty much kid heaven.


The day with nature wouldn't be complete without a little junk food.

Neither Leo or Ellie had ever had anything like this before (still not sure what to call it--it's a chocolate dipped marshmellow thingy, I guess).

They obviously both had no problem figuring out what to do with it. But Ellie definitely took a beating with hers.

We came home and played in the backyard. Ellie had so much fun she didn't take a nap.

We ended the day with a game of "Red Rover."

This is my new favorite picture of Leo-this is quintessential, ecstatic, happy, stubborn and nearly omnipresent joie de vivre Leo. This just captures him, completely.