Pumpkin Patch - take 2

If you've been reading this blog awhile you may remember that when it comes to fall ...I'm all in.

So you can bet that every weekend between now and Halloween we are doing something outside (weather permitting), and amongst the pumpkins (always). If there happens to be tractors (Max's new favorite...from a distance) and the best pumpkin donuts ever...well now that just makes everyone happy.  This past weekend we were able to hit up two of my favorite fall places - the first stop - Oakland Nursery. 

 

 

You know what else I love?  Signs that you can put your face through.  You know who else loves those?  Max.  He is never shy about shoving his curly mop right through.  I don't think I will ever tire of these pics. Hilarious.

 

 

Turns out everyone was game for some fun!  Auntie Stacy, Grandmim, and Grandpa Tim all came with us for the Pumpkin Palooza festivities at Oakland. Some of the highlights included the free tractor ride around the parking lot.  This went so much better than the haunted hayride from hades of the previous weekend.  This time instead of full on crying, Max was doing this weird fake crying.  He would pucker his lips and let out this "ooooo" side while not a real tear was shed.  It was making us all crack up.  He also got a pumpkin tattoo!  If you ask him, "where is your tattoo" he will pull up his sleeve and proudly point to it. (Don't worry Grandpa Jim - we would NEVER in one million years let him get a real one! ha!). 

 

Another cool thing that Oakland does is the National Pumpkin Weigh Off.  You can kind of see all the enormous pumpkins in the background of the above pictures. These pumpkins are on another level of huge. Most of them were taller than Max and they were predicting the winner would weigh about 1,700 pounds.  How do you even grow a pumpkin that large?  And then, what do you do with it?  So many questions.  We did not stick around to see the winner ....but we did stick around long enough to make Papa Rob prove his dad strength. 

 

 

Basically, its all the pumpkins you can carry for $20.  This is kind of great deal if your man can carry four pumpkins...which is exactly what Papa Rob did. You have to balance/carry them all and then take four steps.  Papa Rob obviously did amazing and we have four great pumpkins on our porch now!  Oh yeah!

 

 

While we were picking the perfect pumpkins and figuring out how to balance them all on Papa Rob's huge arm muscles - we corralled Max by putting him in the pumpkin bins.  I thought he would hate it but turns out he really liked it.  He stomped around and attempted to pick up a few of the larger ones 

 

 

It was such a fun morning and we had big plans for the afternoon so we ate lunch and then took Max home for his afternoon nap!

 

After nap - we headed over to Jacquemin Farms.  I love this place because they are one of the only ones left where you can visit an actual pumpkin patch.  Like, they told us to take a knife because the pumpkins were still on the vine.  Proof below.

 

 

The first order of business was to actually visit said patch.  We thought we knew what we were doing (because we went last year) so we hiked it on out to the patch....only to find what looked to be remnants of the previous year.  Later, we figured out they planted in a new area.

 

 

Max says "that way" to the patch.  Really he did. 

It's like his favorite thing to say (after "you sit there). 

 

More signs to put your face through?  Don't mind if we do! We rolled a nearby pumpkin over to act as a step stool for Max...and then he was just tall enough! haha!

 

 

After trekking out to the patch...eating the MOST DELICOUS pumpkin donuts ever....and slurping on the BEST raspberry apple cider slushies in the history of ever (Max literally sucked down all of our first one) - we found a trailer bed full of pumpkins and Max settled himself right in.

Adorable side note: Max calls pumpkins bubbles.  I have no idea what but it's pretty cute!

 

 

Fall is absolutely my favorite. 

(If it weren't...seeing Max in his little overalls and flannel would certainly convince me otherwise). 

I just love all the family fun we are having....and can't wait for more!

XOxo