The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

October begins a very special time in our family - it’s the beginning of a sequence of events and holidays that leaves us all a bit breathless by New Year’s Day. October means several traditions in our family - pumpkin picking, neighborhood and zoo trick or treating, fall festivals…all leading up to TWO birthdays in November, Thanksgiving and, finally, Christmas. 

And, so it begins.

Today, was the first pumpkin picking of the Season. Gallrein Farms with Daddy. Lyla will actually attend the patch three times this year - once with Daddy, once with her school and, finally with her cousins later this month. 

We began the day with some pony riding - Lyla climbed atop the animal as if she was an old pro. She loved it: 

Cade, who had just awakened from a much-needed car nap enroute to the patch, wasn’t interested in pony riding. He kept saying he wanted to “eat lunch”…this, despite the fact that he ate lunch at home just an hour prior to our arrival. This boy has a mind of his own. 

Cade is also coming off the first round of sickness we’ve had around here in awhile - a week long bout of fever that left us all exhausted. He’s now on antibiotics and feeling much better - he’ll return to school next week. 

Lyla at the market: 

…and Cade E. Bugg. Unfortunately, we were unable to try many foods there. Actually, we didn’t eat anything after I saw a sign that everything available there may be contaminated by nuts. It’s still so annoying to me that there is no regard for kids who may be struggling with food allergies at places like this - ignorance really is bliss. This attitude leaves me apprehensive about our trip to the Farm later in October with Lance’s family - I’ll have to come well prepared with treats for Cade as he won’t be able to eat anything there for fear of a reaction. Grrrr….

Cade experienced a crazy energy burst just prior to riding out to the pumpkin patch - he loves to do these spontaneous little dances from time to time: 

We were so glad that Daddy was off today and could go with us - 

Here, the kids are searching for the “perfect pumpkin” - especially Lyla. She wanted to find one that was “just right” for her dolls: 

She ultimately found just the right pumpkin, but unfortunately, it rolled off the hay wagon just prior to departing the patch. She was so gracious about the crack in her beloved pumpkin, even after spending such a long time searching for it. We vowed to look for a perfect one at the store back at the farm, and if we were unable to find one, we would bring her back to the patch. 

She’s such an amazing little girl. 

Cade was pretty interested in kicking pumpkins and exploring rotten ones…just like last year - I think he was pointing out the perfect one here: 

This may have been the first pumpkin that Lyla ultimately lost: 

Cade said this was his “car” pumpkin and was pretending to drive it. We offered to take it home, but he wasn’t interested in that:

Daddy tried to get a pic of me with both kids - Cade wasn’t so into that. 

This is as close as we got to a picture of all 3 of us. Classic. 

We ultimately found a pumpkin at the store that was even more perfect than the little pumpkin that cracked at the patch. Lyla was so happy about it, and so were we!

Here, Lyla & Cade took a little ride on the tractor cars:

This was Cade’s favorite activity. Afterward, he told me he was pretending to be a farmer in his tractor: 

Here, Cade climbed to the top of the hay pyramid. He was so happy and proud of himself to make it to the top: 

It was a fantastic fall day. The weather was Kentucky fall perfection - 60 degrees - just a little chilly, but not freezing. 

Fall is officially here. Our mums are on the front porch and so are our pumpkins. 

In our family, the most wonderful time of the year is here.