10.14.2014

The Pumpkin Patch // Fall Bucket List

With a convenient three-day weekend built right in to this past weekend I figured we would take full advantage of our free Monday and head to the only legit pumpkin patch in the area. I thought the place would be pretty quiet, considering Columbus Day isn't the most widely celebrated holiday. Totally wrong. We were dodging different school groups all morning. So that was fun…

Our first must-do was a wagon ride around the farm. Marcus, in his stoic little ways, sat perfectly still, refused to crack a smile, but when asked if he was having fun would reply, "Uh-huh." 
Our wagon ride dropped us off at a small petting zoo, where I refused to pay to touch goats and sheep. I'm from Iowa. We don't pay to touch animals. Where I'm from, if you don't live on a farm, but want the experience, you go to a friend's farm and they'll let you touch all the animals you want. They'll probably even ask you to do chores if you stick around long enough. Plus, Marcus had no idea that he could actually get inside the pen, so it was a win-win for everyone.

Next up was the corn maze, otherwise known as a walking path to the coveted red flag, which means you've completed said maze. 
Marcus' favorite part of the maze was trying to run away from us (refer to far left photo above), giving me the "stop taking photos" pose (see center photo above), and breaking the leaves off the stalks and dragging them in the dirt (see far right photo above).
Conqueror of the maze!
Then it was time for the grand event: picking out our pumpkins!
Marcus thought EVERY pumpkin was the perfect pumpkin. He picked up no fewer than 20 pumpkins, and wanted to keep them all. Naturally. 

Marcus climbed a mountain of pumpkins, and was very proud of this accomplishment.

We captured a few Daddy/Marcus, Mommy/Marcus photos.
And, some poor soul was even willing to take my "good" camera and snap a family photo for us.

We managed to capture some decent smiles from Marcus. But don't let that fool you. It was hot, Marcus wanted nothing to do with the camera, and we were battling throngs school aged children whom I'm certain were all hopped up on sugar, and all acting like crazed monkeys.

As much as I want to LOVE pumpkin patches, because the idea of them is awesome, I have to be totally honest… It's not my favorite fall activity. We'll repeat the experience until Marcus tells us he's not in to it, because who am I to deny him the chance to pick his very own perfect pumpkin? But, I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be content with just grabbing our pumpkins from the local grocery store and calling it a day. Sorry to all my pumpkin patch loving peeps, don't hate me, unfriend me, unfollow me for my confessions!
Even though Marcus didn't want to listen to a single thing we instructed, I'm pretty sure my little man had a good time, and we were able to successfully check another item off our Fall Bucket List.

Just for fun, here's our obligatory pumpkin patch photo comparison from the past three falls.
Apparently wearing yellow is my thing for pumpkin patches…
Now tell me, am I the only one in the world who isn't over-the-moon in love with pumpkin patches?
While we're in the sharing mood, what have you been checking off your Fall Bucket List? Be sure to link up below and let my co-hosts and me know what fun you've been having!

19 comments:

  1. I bought 2 pumpkins at Trader Joe's the other day and a few others at a small nursery near my house where they were sitting out in the parking lot, ha! So much easier. I'm sure for Marcus, it's soo fun though :) I love that you're wearing yellow each year!

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  2. Love the comparison pics!!

    I just added my link like six times I think lol.

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  3. And.....I sort of do love the pumpkin patch. The one we went to this year anyway :))

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  4. I can't believe you don't like pumpkin patches!! haha But I promise I won't "unfollow" you for this one reason =) Hehe I like them, but I think it all depends on the type of pumpkin patch you go to. Yours sounded crazy busy! But you got some really cute pictures =)

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  5. Fun! Wish we were wearing shorts at the pumpkin patch haha! It was freezing when we stopped on Sunday!

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  6. I am not one who has to run to the pumpkin patch. I never went as a child so I wanted to do it for my kids. They seem to have fun when we go so I guess we will continue doing it.

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  7. ugh you are totally off my fave people list now. =) jk. We have never been to a pumpkin patch, ours is a pumpkin parking lot with some hay and pallets. It is tiny. We grab pumpkins take some pics and leave. It is fun! No animals to pet or rides to hay on. p.s. love that he would not smile but said he was having fun. That is too funny. And I love the rant on petting animals and not paying to do it. That is bogus, I thought so when I read Elizabeth's post earlier. I didn't realize you two were so close! Aria is all about giving animals hugs from behind so I'm scared she will get kicked in the tum, so petting places aren't my absolutely fave. Makes me way too nervous.
    I love your outfit though! So sunshiney! Sucks about having all the people from ever at the patch at the same time. I hate crowds.

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  8. You know... I'm not really into them either. We go every year because I feel like a failure of a parent if we don't.. but I'm sure Emma would not mind in the least if we didn't partake in pumpkin patch activities. The one closest to our house is always completely packed with kids running in every direction anyway. Not feelin it.

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  9. I am not over the moon about them. They are EXPENSIVE, comparatively. I paid 2.69 for a pumpkin at the store... wanna guess what the same pumpkin would cost at the patch?! Having said that we still go, we usually buy a few baby pumpkins do the obligatory walk around, pictures, hay ride and go home. But I agree I won't be sad when we out grow this activity.

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  10. Oh so cute! He's looking so big these days!!! More preschooler than toddler. :(

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  11. Haha, I actually like pumpkin patches because I was never around them growing up. But I could do without. They do make for great photo ops!

    Beautiful pictures. That person did a great job using your camera to take that family photo!

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  12. Hate pumpkin patches. There is one down the country road from is and they have a pumpkin patch, some wild animals that so part of their actual farm, and a barrel train. That's it. All within an acre of land. We go, pick our pumpkins, ride the train, and see the animals. All within a half hour!!

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  13. Haha! Oh man. We had such similar experiences! Maybe it was the pumpkin patch... I'm blaming it on that. Next year we go to Irvine Regional Park's patch together and we get smiling boy pictures :)

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  14. Oh gotta love blog reading on your phone my comment from this am never went through! Anyway even without smiles it looks like you had fun! I wouldn't have paid for the petting farm either!!! I was kinda bummed the place we went didn't have any animals....we might make another trip next week to a bigger farm that has animals. I love going to the pumpkin patch for an activity. To get pumpkins? No way too much to carry around. I'll buy one little one for my kid and maybe a few decorations. The big ones? I'll buy at the store with my cart to push them to my car thank you! haha! I love your comparison family photos! That's awesome. Maybe another reason to go to another pumpkin patch is to get a family photo. And yellow is a perfect fall color!

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  15. Ha! "I'm from Iowa ... we don't pay to touch animals." Love it. Isn't it crazy how some of those pumpkin patches create such a racket for the simplest of things? My favorite pumpkin patch is near our lake cabin in the country and they practically give away cookies, apple cider, wagon rides, etc. We WANT to pay for those things because they're so nice and accommodating. Anyway, still looks like you had a great family day together. Thanks for sharing!

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  16. Looks like such a fun time! I'm excited to take our son to the pumpkin patch this weekend to see his reaction since he was too young last year to get it. I like going to the pumpkin patch but I totally understand why you don't love it! I mostly like the pictures & other fall activities that come along with pumpkin patches but could do without the mud & such!

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  17. I love that you have all three pictures to compare! That is so fun! I know what you mean about it not being the greatest. The first one we went to (the one I blogged about) was really fun for us. But we went to one last weekend and it was pretty miserable. It was so hot and no shade. So I just couldn't enjoy myself. Luckily Myles still had a great time, but we only last like an 1 1/5 in the heat. At least it seemed like Marcus enjoyed himself. Maybe you could go to a smaller one just for pumpkins next year. That way he still gets to pick out his pumpkin but you don't have to deal with all the people and kids.

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  18. When I come to visit, you wanna go to the zoo and pumpkin patch? BAHAHA!

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