Quest for the Perfect Pumpkin

This year, we experienced Schnepf Farms for some "Farm Fresh Fun".

We expected some rides, a maze, and a cute little pumpkin patch where Dom could find the perfect pumpkin. This place was HUGE. Much bigger than we expected, and much harder to find... it turns out. After getting lost for 1/2 an hour, (probably just because Rich and I can't talk and drive at the same time) we finally reached our destination. This is what they had to offer...

...hay rides, miniature golf, a 4 acre maze, country road rally, honey bee adventure ride, carousel rides, petting farm, Hillbilly Bob's Pig Races, Swing Ride, mini-roller coaster, pumpkin launch, Witch Mountain giant slide, straw bale maze, rock climbing wall, live entertainment, bon fires, marshmellow roasting, lil' farmer's play yard and town, the Schnepf Family Museum, the Sweet Shop, and a fireworks display. Whew!

Needless to say, we didn't hit a fraction of it. We arrived, waited patiently (or not so) in line for 1/2 an hour to go on the Honey Bee adventure Ride...

...finally it was our turn. Dom rode with Daddy and Dame rode with me. Pardon the poor pictures. It was dark, and I was trying to hold the camera still while Damon energetically yanked the bar in our bee back and forth, making the bee rise suddenly up and down, up and down, while holding him and simultaneously trying to not to fall out of the thing. This is the best I got...

I thought Dom would burst into tears when it started moving. But to our surprise, he LOVED it... you can tell by his not-so-eager-to-get-off-faces here:

After determining that Dominic wasn't big enough for the mini-coaster or the swings, we headed to the straw bale maze. About 6 steps into the maze Dominic had a panic-attack and we had to carry him out. Maybe next year... straw/hay makes me sneeze anyway ;)

Then we headed to the petting barn. This made him happy. I think his favorites were the chickens...

Or maybe it was the donkey...

There were little goats too...

...and sheep, cows, horses, turkeys, etc.

Next we wandered over the the corn maze, but it was too hard to navigate the stroller over the rows, so we opted for the hayride instead.

(Damon is strapped into the stroller in this photo... I wasn't about to get him out while he sat there happily, you just don't push your luck... but now I feel kinda bad he's not pictured.)

The boys loved the hayride. Although in this shot, Dominic appears to be so bored he's picking his nose. Really... they liked it. And again... it's not drool on Dame, it's the blasted sippy.

Dom even got to sit on the tractor driver's lap. He was so excited.

(Dominic, not the driver... actually, I think this guy felt a little awkward because I pretty much just sat Dom on his lap before I even asked if we could take a picture. 'Cause I'm a crazy camera-lady like that.)

Dame scored a glowstick/whistle from one of the grandmas on the hayride who was taken with the boys... it kept him occupied.

After the hayride, Dame made it clear he was ready to go, so we made one last stop... the Pumpkin Patch.

This (and the bee ride) was the highlight of Dom's night. He was soooo excited. He ran through the patch as fast as his little legs could carry him. Crawling on all the pumpkins, pointing here, pointing there, gasping "Whoa Mum! Whoooaa Mum!" and picking up (or trying to) pumpkins and then dropping them and running for the next one.

Here's our excited little guy, living it up in the pumpkin patch...

The quest for the perfect pumpkin began.

There were great big round ones...

Some too heavy to lift...

Others were too dirty for his liking...

Some weren't round enough...

...and then we stumbled across the "baby pumpkin" field...

...and with Daddy's coaching...

...Dominic found a winner!

At the end of the night, we were all exhausted, really dirty, and we smelled like bon-fire smoke (my car still does) but it was great together-time.

A new tradition we'll keep for years to come.

Happy Harvest!

Pitter-Patter

Today, I was on the phone with my Mom while Rich played on the kitchen floor with Damon. Dame was leaning against the fridge and he turned toward Rich, hesitated, and then took a couple of steps toward him. I ran to my bedroom to grab the camera and was back out in 2.76 seconds. Here's what I captured...

... in the space of 20 minutes, 1-2 steps turned into 6 or 7... and when he falls forward, he can stand back up again on his own! Woowoo!

Way to go Dame... 10 months, 3 weeks, 5 days.

Here's some fancy-first-step-footwork taken especially for the viewing pleasure of Poppies, Mamies, Nanas, Papas, Aunties, and Uncles. :)

P.S. I find it just rude that both my boys decided to take their momentous first steps to their Daddy and not me.

P.P.S. Check out my cute hubby's face in the first video... I love this boy, and the fact that he's so excited about Dame's first steps.

P.S. x's 3... that's water covering Damon's romper, not drool. Learning how to drink from a sippy is not one of Dame's strong points.

P.S. x's 4... Yes, "Yaaaay!" is our favorite word. So what?

Cheap Entertainment

My boys love the bath.


I remember when I was a little girl... I used to take 2 or 3 baths a day.
My mama can attest to this.


I still remember making motor-boat sounds with my mouth in the water and sliding down the back of the tub to make a splash. Oh... and opening and closing my legs really fast so that the water sloshes in and out and in and out and eventually causes a huge splash that reaches my face. And... pushing off the faucet-side with my feet and the opposite side with my hands until the water made waves so high on both sides that I could just lay there and it would move me back and forth.

Looks like the apples don't fall far from the tree.

Dom loves to make the water go "All done!" because of the shhhllllurrrrp sound the drain makes when the last little bit empties. It makes him squeal with delight and he tenses his whole little body up in anticipation. Then, he likes to open the drain, stick his little face down there, and try to see where it went.

Damon recently figured out the faucet...

while Dominic discovered how to "float" on his back.

These faces would be happy for hours if their Mama would just let them live in the tub. Alas... nobody has that luxury. And thank your lucky stars you don't have to witness the wailing and gnashing of teeth that accompanies the exodus. It's not a pretty thing.