Pumpkins: From Patch to Porch 2010

I liked the title for last year's pumpkin patch post so much that I decided to repeat it! It's tradition to go to the pumpkin patch for our pumpkins, but this was the first year we didn't go to Lone Pine and I was a little bummed. We asked around and though there were a couple farms in the general Portland area I wanted to try, but time restraints led us to Bi-Zi Farms. Of course, we {unknowingly} go on opening day and it was packed with people! They do things a little differently there. It's a flat admission to get in and it includes a hayride, pumpkin of any size, free hot chocolate, corn maze and all sorts of activities for kids. I had mixed feelings about it, though it was fun to do the hay ride since we had always opted out at Lone Pine.

Here's what we did do:

* Explored the fire truck that was there. {The sun was right in Ethan's eyes!}



* Hay bale maze for Ethan.



* Hay bale pyramid for Ethan. He loved this and made it all the way to the top {which nearly gave this mama a heart attack as my over-active imagination envisioned the whole thing collapsing or him tumbling from the top}!



* Mini tractor ride for Ethan.



* Corn maze w/ the Colemans {unplanned, but we met up with them just after we got there}.



* Played on the vintage tractor with the Coleman kiddos.



* Corn bin for Ethan. Think ball pit/sandbox but with corn kernels!



* Petting zoo/feeding the goats.

Is it bad when I look at the turkeys and start craving Thanksgiving dinner w/ all the trimmings?!

Love this picture of Ethan. Look at that smile!

* Hay ride to and from the pumpkin patch. {Good thing it was pulled by a tractor and not a horse [since I'm allergic to horses]!}

He was so excited for the hay ride and wanted to be right on the edge {thus giving me more heart palpitations}!

* And, of course, the pumpkin patch!

The search for the "perfect pumpkin" was on!

Much to big for this little guy!

A little better....

Almost....

Better search some more, with eager help from the Coleman boys.

Could this be the one?!

Found it!!

Our pumpkin patch loot {though the medium orange one belonged to a Coleman boy}.

Unfortunately, Sean's pumpkin {the biggest orange one} proved to be a dud and had to be replaced at the last minute with a $2 Walmart special. We carved them all up the Monday before Halloween. Ethan was insistent that "Daddy help him make an alien pumpkin".

I went with a Frankenstein's monster take on the classic jack-o-lantern.

And Sean went with a 3-eyed monster.

Here they all are, pre-lighting.

Ta-da!!

Stay tuned... the Halloween post is coming up next!