Punkin' Patch 2011

First off, let me just say how much I love fall!  Gorgeous "football weather", changing leaves, apple cider, pumpkins...isn't it all so great?  So, to celebrate fall, we took advantage of my unexpected day off today (since I worked a double last Monday) to check out a pumpkin patch (and so much more!) with friends!

This place has it all!  You have to go!  It's only a short ways down the road in Durham, stuck between some new home developments, but they've got everything you'd want for a Fall activity day.

First we checked out this giant slide.  It was really long and steep and FAST so I held on to Arlo for dear life with one hand and tried to slow us down with the other one.  So glad I didn't fall on my bum at the bottom. 

Then we checked out the little kids' hay maze.  Arlo loved practicing his walking through the maze,  

and smiling at Daddy on the other side of the hay bales.

Caroline, Matt, and Miss Gigi were our playmates for the day.  Here we are on the hayride! 

The kids loved looking around at everything during the ride.

Halfway through the hay ride, we stopped and walked through the corn maze.  So cool!  (Not a difficult corn maze, but fun nonetheless!)

Back on the hayride with my fresh-picked corn.

"Hey, can this thing go any faster?"

Back at the pumpkin patch (still got my corn!). 

Mommy kept putting Arlo RIGHT in the sun for pictures so I got a lot of them with his eyes closed.

Arlo picked this perfect pumpkin which is now sitting on our front porch.

We had to get a few pics with Gigi's super cute pumpkin hat. 

Gigi picked this awesome pumpkin to take home.

Here is all the loot from the day.  See Arlo eyeing Gigi's BIGGER pumpkin? 

And then trying to claim it?

We loaded the pumpkins in the strollers, got the kids a snack, and then went to see the....drumroll please....

GOATS! 

Arlo couldn't get enough of these big, funny-looking dogs ("goggie"). 

Seconds after this picture, that white one totally nibbled on his fingers. 

(He is used to that from Roscoe and didn't mind.)

You can feed the goats the corn that you pick in the corn maze (or let them nibble your fingers).

  

The goats were obviously a HUGE hit, but really, the whole place was just great.  They also had bunnies, cows, a corn crib that the older kids could play in and even slide into, cotton-picking, picnic tables, and tons of other kids and adults to watch and play with.  What fun!  A big thanks to Caroline for the idea and invite!  We're planning to make it an annual family tradition.  Who's coming with us next year?

-Katie