Fall Festivals & Pumpkin Patch Traditions

 This weekend was chockfull of fun now that fall is in full swing and we can enjoy all the available activities (and the weather rocks too!)  We hit up the Foothills Fall Festival with our favorite Glovers & Salvaggios in Maryville.  It was packed and hectic but still a blast and definitely proof that these kids have ridiculously awesome childhoods.  Here are Lucy and Max in the toddler area.

And this giant gravel pit that all four kids wallowed in to embrace the dirt.

Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel was back this year.

The owner of Twiggy made the kids dance to bring him out.  Jack never fails to come through when dancing is involved.

He is pretty cute :) The squirrel too.

 Goose and I took the opportunity to take a selfie while Jack enjoyed the show.

All I kept thinking was that even though wrangling both kids was not easy, this was LIGHT YEARS easier than last year when Lucy couldn't walk or do any of the activities.  I love her becoming more and more of a person each year.

 We played some Laser Tag (with Sissa help of course.)

Petted a pony.

And played in many a bouncy house before going home.  The Foothills Fall Festival was pretty awesome and I'm sad this is the last year they are doing it.  But I'm also glad that we took the kids to the last one.  I know they had fun :)

The next day was even more fun since we made plans to do lunch and our annual pumpkin patch visit with Mimi and Granddaddy!  Jack and Lucy spent the morning running around the front yard.

And I was even able to talk Jack into riding his bike for a little bit.  He's not been too hot on it b/c it's a little hard to pedal (requires strength he's not used to using) but today he really got the hang of it and even tried crashing into his sister which is a sign that he's actually enjoying it. :)

We went to Mimi's Cafe for lunch which was delicious (especially since the kids got to have chocolate chip pancakes)

And then it was Pumpkin Patch time!!!  This is our 4th year coming to Deep Wells Farm for this and each year they add more new stuff for kids to do.  It's pretty awesome and not a bad way to spend 3 hours.  I love this picture of Lucy and Granddaddy.

Lucy loved the chickens and kept trying to climb into the cage.

There was a giant pig that kept cracking us up b/c he would wallow in the mud each time we got near him.  Just a gross but funny animal.

 Jack is trying to tell the donkey how he sometimes greets his Baba with a "HeeHaw!"

New playground area at the patch.

Lucy on the swings with Mimi.

This slide continues to be a favorite.  Especially since we can now race each other down the slide.  It gets pretty cutthroat (especially when you have a husband who cheats!)  And this was Lucy's first time on the slide since she was too little to do it last year.  She loved it of course :)


Some videos of all the slide fun are below.  As is the evidence of Andy being a cheater baby.

On our way to pick our pumpkins!

My three favorite people :)

And my failed attempt to get a cute kids pic.  Lucy became obsessed with picking the squash flowers on the ground everywhere.

Ridiculously photogenic Jack. :)

My tractor obsessed little girl.

Our best attempt at a family pic.  I love how we have one for each year.  It makes me so happy to have a tradition like this and family to share it with.

And it goes without saying that this fun on the farm required LOTS of soap after we got home...

This is Jack on his first visit and his most recent visit.  Can't believe how much this little guy has grown.

And because I'm completely addicted to the collage app on my phone, here is a quick look back at the last four years of Pumpkin Patch fun :)

 By far, one of our best visits to the patch.  Thanks for joining us Mimi and Granddaddy!! Yay tradition!