Pumpkin Time

Notice her missing front tooth.... 
oh so cute and adorable!

 

For the third year in a row we went with Homeschool friends to a local pumpkin patch, Schilter's Family Farms.  Its south of us, near Olympia.  We always have so much fun there; it's more than just  a pumpkin patch, its a destination! You can go there and just get a pumpkin, but that would be just half the fun.  Nope, Schilter's is FUN.  I highly recommend that if you are in the South Puget Sound area that you check them out. 

The kids toured the animal section, jumped in the hay, played in the water area with hand pumps (here we remembered our lessons about priming the pump!), ran through the hay bale maze, rode in a wagon pulled by a tractor, and more!  Its always so much fun for Bear. 

Picking out the pumpkin is the highlight of the trip though..... I think.  We discussed the outing in some depth for days beforehand.  She had a plan.  The biggest and BEST pumpkin in all the land was going to land in her bag.  Only one rule is ever given by Farmer Jeff, you can't get a pumpkin bigger than you can carry. 

Bear and her little friend Maggie scoured through the field.  Not this one, its too orange.  Not this one, its too small.  Not this one, its to big.  Not this one, its too dirty....  and the search continued.  I had a serious doubt we would ever find the perfect pumpkin. 

At last, one pumpkin stood out.  Not too big, or too small.  Not too orange or too dirty.  Nope, this one was JUST RIGHT.  And so we picked it up.  As I looked around I noticed we were one of the last ones left in the field.   The task was done though, we found the PERFECT PUMPKIN and anyone that has ever went on the great pumpkin hunt understands just how hard that can be.  Its about the same as the great Christmas tree hunt. 

As the pumpkin sits on the counter behind me in the kitchen, I know soon we will be carving it and deciding how best to display it for all to see.  This has been a year of change for our family, and this new chapter is still being written.  Next year I wonder what pumpkin picking time will bring...  One thing is for certain, it will bring another fun trip to a field where the quest for the BESTEST PUMPKIN IN THE WORLD will resume. 

For this, I am very thankful!