pumpkins, ponies, petting, and peeps

As someone who truly loves traditions, I really get bummed when we aren't able to carry them out and that was sorta the case with the pumpkin patch this year.  We always go to the pumpkin patch with the Leonards and Scheers and since we didn't get to go to an actual pumpkin patch last year due to the torrential downpours we had, I was so looking forward to going to a "real" pumpkin patch with our peeps this year.  Well, as the kids get older and the more activities they are involved in, it gets extremely difficult to find a day that works for everyone-October is crazy busy and there just don't seem to be enough days or weekends.  I was totally bummed....but we were able to make it work out even if it wasn't exactly how I had envisioned it in my head.

We had it worked out that we could at least get together for dinner and a little carving. We were able to go to the pumpkin patch tent with some bonuses before we all met for dinner.  We decided that since we were going to be at Gina's for dinner, we would go to this place that was close to her house and we had heard great things about.  Well, it wasn't actually what I had envisioned  again, but it served its purpose ... the kids had a blast and we were able to get pumpkins, so you could say it was a success.

The pictures aren't the best quality... the big red tent made everything an awful orange color so just ignore the orangey-ness in the pictures.

While BB and BL checked things out and found out what were supposed to do and how to do it, the girls had a fun time riding the hay bales.

I have to say that I think Landry and Carly had the most fun on the hay bale saddles out of the four, even though Macy is giving us quite the animated expression! The girl is funny with all her personality!!

After we got all checked in and set, the girls headed out through the hay maze on their way to experiencing a very exciting FIRST for all the girls. 

Landry tried her hardest to keep up with the Big Girls in the maze.

One of the most exciting parts of the whole afternoon was the PONY RIDES! It was something that none of the girls had ever done before and they were beyond excited. Each of the girls rode their pony around twice and Landry wasn't too sure about the whole thing and only wanted to ride once. The pure joy and excitement on their faces is totally priceless!

This girl could not stop beaming once she got on!

Macy's smile says it all for her...she was in LOVE with the pony ride!

And Little Carly LOVED it just as much as the big girls!

Landry wasn't so sure, she needed me to walk with her.

Up next on the agenda was the "small" little barnyard petting zoo. The girls had a ball petting the animals, but Landry has this new love for furry little animals and tried to hug each and every one.

Moving right along to the PUMPKINS...

I seriously cannot even believe I was able to get a picture of the girls where they are both sitting and smiling...I can work on the "both looking at the camera" part later....I will gladly take this one!!

Ashton was happy to show off the big pumkin she chose...Landry could have cared less about choosing a big pumpkin, she was more interested in riding the hay bale horse...in fact I think Daddy had to pick her pumpkin and just got her approval!

Macy and Carly chose two perfect pumpkins and were so proud of their selections!

Miss Jodi was trying to get the settings right on her camera and the girls helped her test out the lighing. I love this picture of the two oldest girls...squinting and all!

Miss Jodi seriously tried to get a good picture of her girls together...I think she might have taken about 10 different ones in different places and finally came out with this one.

These 3 Leonards totally cracked me up with these faces...I knew as soon as I saw these pictures from Jodi's camera, I had to use them! {click the pictures to see the bigger!}

Family picture time...

Landry and Daddy with her pumpkin...and Daddy had to come to her since she wasn't getting off the saddle.

Ashton and Daddy with her perfect pumpkin

Momma and her girls

The best picture we could get....Landry was literally trying to squirm her way out of my lap!

Ride 'Em Girls...they look super cute in their matching outfits and matching poses!

The Leonard 4

As part of the admission price, the girls each got to choose a small pumpkin to take home

This is probably my favorite picture of the two Little Sisters together...I am glad Miss Jodi got it!

And this one cracks me up...they were having a good ole time chatting in their own little world while we waited for the Daddies to get back from loading the pumpkins into the cars.

We saved the Bouncey Slide for last....we knew the kids would get all sweaty and funky from playing on there and we wanted them to be "fresh" for pictures, plus we knew they could stay there all day so we didn't want to run out of time to do all the other bonus stuff.

Even though we didn't go to a real pumpkin patch, the kids still had a blast and that is what is really important anyway. We still got to go with part of our peeps, and we got pumpkins to carve so it all worked out in the end.  We are getting really good at improvising and being flexible which is what parenting and life is most of the time. So we made the best of it, and we didn't get rained on.