pumpkin patch.

we visited the pumpkin patch at tanaka family farms a couple of weeks ago.  i had grand plans to get nice, fallish pictures of each of the kids there.

turns out, kids don’t give a hoot about posing for nice, fallish pictures when there’s a corn maze involved.

what is it about corn mazes that prompt every little kid to take off running, leaving me in the dust?

well, every little kid except for this one.  she consented to be my corn maze buddy and was happy to stay put.  as long as she got to hold on to her baby pumpkin.

daddy handed it to her soon after we got there and it was love at first sight.  until we found an even smaller, babyer pumpkin an hour later.  then the first one was toast.  ah, young pumpkin love…  so fickle.

he finally paused long enough for one shot.  but only one before he was off again.

i also meant to get a shot of each of the kids here, too.  but i forgot.  it’s a common theme with me.

so yuuuuup, it was turning out to be an awesome picture taking day for me.  by golly, just awesome.

happily though, the tractor ride saved the day.  captive audience, ya know.

except i didn’t account for the face-making.  and the high sun was killing me.  i tried to get phil on board with the idea of coming later in the afternoon, but the thought of hauling around cranky kids who were missing their nap led to an emphatic no.

but every once in a while, even a tired, forgetful mom with all the elements working against her gets lucky.  love this one.

and just to prove i was there, too…

after the tractor ride, we finally made it into the pumpkin patch.  i told the kids if they could lift it, they could have it.  allie found hers early on stayed committed to it, unlike her fickle sister.

mikey tested out a few before deciding on one.

i was pretty surprised that he managed to get this one into the wheelbarrow.

he was pretty determined.

he thought maybe, just maybe, he could pick this one up.  maybe next year.

in the end though, he decided to go with this one his dad found.

all loaded up and ready to go!

happy fall, everyone!