We celebrated Fall and the arrival of cooler weather by visiting our local pumpkin patch. Meaning the local farm that ships in hundreds of pumpkins and then charges at least 4 times more than you would pay in a store. It's fun nonetheless.

We checked out the corn maze.

Matthew loved being our leader. He decided each twist and turn we would make. James was the reliable sidekick that would reiterate whatever his big brother said.

Jacob loved the pumpkins. He sat down on one and bounced up and down. I think he thought it was a big bouncy ball. Cute boy.

We always let our boys pick out a little pumpkin and then we buy the big ones from the store.

Jacob picked out his own props for the picture.

We headed over to the pig races. Pigs are smelly. Really smelly. But also very cute, in a disgusting, stinky barnyard animal way.

We enjoyed a chili dinner afterwards. Jacob couldn't get enough of the cornbread or apple pie. However, only the chili left any evidence. Look at those big blue eyes!

There was a band that set up to play and as soon as they started, Jacob was mesmerized. He wanted to join the band. I also think that he thought walking in circles was dancing.

The guy on the keyboard was in our Greenway ward. Woohoo, Bro. Curtis!

I have no idea who this kid was, but these two were breakin' down.

We got home with very sleepy, very dusty, and very cute kids. Success.

Tubular!

In the Fall my Grandma Levinthal throws a pumpkin picking party.  This year, we got to attend.  It was so much fun!  We ate witch fingers, mummy dogs, spiced wassail, and yummy pizza.  The kids got to go into her garden and each pick out a pumpkin.  

Well, that's a surprise!  Matthew picked a small, green pumpkin.  Huh, I would have never guessed that.

James wasn't all that interested in picking a pumpkin.  He was just looking for a good one to throw.  

I just thought this picture was so Tessa.  The little princess among a bunch of boys.

This was one of at least 100 pictures we tried to take of all the little kids.  We're missing Tessa.  I think she may have had an accident and was being changed inside.  

James sat here for a good 10 minutes after our failed groups shots.  He repeatedly said, "Cheeeeeeeeeeese!"

I hadn't finished my boys' costumes yet, so my mom bought Matthew a Ninja Turtle costume so he could be like Cooper and Peyton.  Matthew and Cooper had lots of fun battling it out.  I though Ninja Turtles were on the same team, but whatever.

I think Jace is more of a loner or maybe he just doesn't care for James.  But James didn't care, he loved following Jace around.

And to top off a successful night of spooky fun, the kids all circled round the fire and roasted s'mores.  There you are, Grandma! (in the back row)

Mmm...perfect.

The Great Pumpkin

We made our annual trip to the pumpkin patch last weekend.  This time the Justman family came along for the fun.  We had a great time.

James was a little shy at the beginning.

Tim and Rob took the kids on all the rides.  What great guys.  Jill and I sat back and enjoyed the action from afar.  Cute little Charlotte kept us company.

My handsome men...

These two are like two peas in a pod.  They are so similar and have such a great time together.  They get along so well, they don't even have to talk.  I can hear Alison Krauss now...

Matthew says he loved the roller coaster, Tim said otherwise.  Check them out in the back row.  Even Elaine went along for the ride.

Matthew found his favorite pumpkin, unfortunately the farm didn't have any green ones.  But it was small.

James didn't want a good carving pumpkin, he wanted to find the best one for throwing.  He just walked around and threw pumpkins.

And finally, our traditional pumpkin patch photo.  And they actually cooperated!

Thanks Justman family for a great trip!

Old MacDonald had a farm...

Yesterday we went to the pumpkin patch at Schnepf's Farm. It was so much fun. We went with our friends Tyler and Kristen and their two kids, Cooper and Ella. First we went on the giant bumble bee ride. And I think if that was the only thing we did, the kids would have been fine. It was the one thing that they all talked about over and over. In this picture, if you look really close, you can see Tim and James in another bee.
Matthew and Cooper loved the airplane rides. They went on it a few times. I think they really thought they were flying the plane.
Tim and Tyler raced in the road rally. Tim won!
Then the whole fam got to go on the carts. I kept forgetting to help Tim pedal. I was too busy making sure our kids wouldn't fall out or that Tim wouldn't get us too close to the low branches.
They also had pig races at the farm. It was so funny. This isn't a great picture, but you get the idea.
Matthew was handpicked as a Junior Pig Leader. He was paid in plastic cow (he thinks it's a pig, which would make more sense, if you think about it).
Matthew loves riding horses.

Here are the handsome boys in the petting zoo.

You can't really see in this picture, but just moments before, Matthew clocked Tim just below his eyebrow with his club. It was gushing blood. Poor Tim. I wasn't any help to Tim at all. I just laughed at him. And he still loves me. Amazing.

Matthew and Cooper had a lot of fun together. Look at all those dust particles in the air. We are sure feeling all the dust inhalation today.

Here's the cute Blood family. Look at all that dust. We were covered in it.

Here is the one casualty from the pumpkin patch. Matthew's checking it out like it was the first time he had seen it. It really disturbed him.

I might be a little biased, but I think those are the cutest boys ever.

And by the end of the night, the kids were done. They didn't want to walk anymore, so they all piled into the stroller and minutes later were sound asleep in their cars.

We had so much fun. When you live in Arizona, you have to do activities that remind you it's Fall, like going to the pumpkin patch. Even then it can be hard, especially when it's 95 out.