Big, Happy, Crazy Fall Lovin' Family

We have this tradition in our family.  Every year in the Fall, we find time to travel North to a famous pumpkin patch near us.  We take the scenic route to Burt's Farm (I'm talking a real, deal pumpkin patch) through the also famous North Georgia Apple Orchards, then go back through and stop for apples on the way home.  Pumpkins and apples in one day.  Two for one!  It's like Fall on crack.

Hey, I'm a working Mom, and we have baseball every Saturday, so we have to work all this in on a Sunday when we can.  The kids are 7 and 3 and enjoy the heck out of this trip...and so do we.  

I usually can hardly wait to get home and go through the pictures and relive the day.

Each year, I get a little relaxed with the picture taking process.  I keep reminding myself to let the kids enjoy the moment.  I'm not trying to get a perfect pose.

Cause all those other crazy parents are trying way too hard.  They dress their kids like little pumpkins, with pumpkin hats and pumpkin booties.

And they are walking around with their big cameras, desperately trying to get the perfect shot for their facebook page.  Oh, and getting their big rears all in my pictures.

We're not like that.  No way.

I only have 500 pictures of the kids sitting around, on top of and carrying pumpkins.  Ahhh shoot, I'm totally guilty.

Oh no.  I just realized something.  My rear is certainly in the back of some sweet pumpkin baby's picture.  Oh no.  My rear is on someone's facebook page!  I'm so terribly sorry.

It's just part of it.  Most everyone is friendly and happy in the crazy picture making process.  We understand each other's craziness and accept it.  Like one big, happy, crazy Fall lovin' family.

My angels are just busy watching the happenings around them and picking out their pumpkins.



Every year, we have to get one of these "wart" pumpkins.



Jesse likes the white ones.



We like all of them really.



Orange is classic.

We did have a little unfortunate situation this year.  Jesse girl decided to throw rocks at a sweet pumpkin baby holding family waiting in line for tickets for the hay ride.  The Dad turned around and said, "What's goin' on?!"  Of course, he was playing around with her, but she puffed those cheeks up like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters.  Busted girlfriend.  Busted.

We quietly continued forward in the hay ride line after apologizing for the rock throwing incident.  Gosh, she's such an angel.  She never acts this way.

If you believe that, well, you are a sucker, but anyway...

Here we are waiting for the hay ride.  Jonah loves this part.

It was a special treat this year seeing pumpkins in the patch.  I was so excited, I wanted to jump out of the trailer and grab a blanket and spend the night and wait for the Great Pumpkin!

They had a front seat, just behind the tractor, with Aunt Kelly and the two of us just behind.



Ok, so I want a pumpkin patch of our own.  I really do.



Every year the ride pauses in front of a couple of talking pumpkins that welcome you to the patch and say things like "Glad y'all came."



I hear that these voices are the actual owners.  I wish I knew them.  I wish I could move in next to them and help out with the pumpkin harvest.



I wish I could make these cheeks stay forever.

I'm so glad that he doesn't mind this trip every year.  I know he wants to jump out and stay in the pumpkin patch over night.  I just know it.  He didn't say it, but I know he was thinking it.

I'll be.  A picture of the two of us.  Thanks Aunt Kelly.



I just sat and stared at them through the ride...anxiously watching every turn for what was in store.

And when the hay ride is over...that's when we get serious about our pumpkins.  We get the wheelbarrow and start picking out our favorites.  We don't get the $50 or $75 or $100 dollar prize winning pumpkins...just the simple ones.

Old Timey Great pie pumpkins.  I should have bought one and made a pie.  Has anyone ever made a pumpkin pie from a real pumpkin?  I should add that to my to do list.

And here's Aunt Kelly.  Gosh, they really look like her, don't you think?  Beautiful.



Hey there Jesse girl.  How many pumpkins did you get?



This looks perfect!  I love them all.



All the signs of Fall are here.  It's perfect.



They have this covered bridge that you walk through to get to the patch.  I've always wanted to try to get this shot.



Now, they never really fully cooperate, but...



isn't this soooo much better than the perfect pose?



Time to load the pumpkins and go have a picnic.



What is it about eating outside at Burt's Farm that is so dang exciting?  I don't know, it's just fun.



My love made steak sandwiches the night before that were perfect for our picnic on this day.



Can't have a picnic without a football too.



What is this face?  He totally hit me on the head with the football a few minutes after I took this picture.



And that was it.  That was Burt's Farm 2011.  As we left, I snapped a shot of these beautiful flowers lining the entrance.  I need some of these.



And look at these beauties on the way to the Apple Orchards.  Look at me!  I'm Pioneer Woman!



This was the first year we actually picked apples.  Rome Beauty.  What a beauty.



The kids were all into it.



Shaking their booty and all.  What is it about the booty?  My kids really like to shake it.  I do not know.  I do not know.



Maybe I need a pumpkin patch and an apple orchard?  Aunt Kelly recommended a vineyard.  Bingo.



Rome Beauty trees.



Me...tired of taking pictures and handing it over to my love.  I'd rather pick apples.



Me, so freakin' excited about a fried Apple Pie!  Hello!  Come to Mama!



And on the way home, we made a mess eating those apple pies in the Tahoe.  And we stopped at  a scenic view point on the way home.  I wish you could have seen how fast my love drove through there.  It was pretty funny.  Something about a Falcons game?  Anyway...

Fall is great.  It might be defeating Spring as my favorite season.

Later that evening, we carved our pumpkin.  It would be crazy, insane to post those pictures here.  Next post.  Next post.

Happy Fall.  Big, Happy, Crazy Fall.  Enjoy it.