Buckelew Farm!

Me: We need to get our pictures by the measuring pumpkin.
Gabriel: I don't want to!
Stephen: Do you want to do it now and get it over with or do it later and have to think about it?
Gabriel: (through gritted teeth) Do. It. Now.

Ahhh, didn't it turn out so cute?!?

Garrett had a stroke of cooperation wash over him...which I was grateful for.

Lincoln needed some help staying by the actual measuring stick. He wasn't very interested in staying there, but we'll know that's the side of his blond noggin'.

All loaded for the wagon ride out to the pumpkin patch.
Can you tell how much Stephen was into pictures? He's sure a good humored fellow...most of the time.
As we were walking to the wagon Stephen ran into the wife of someone that was in the academy with him. She's connected to the farm and was actually working. She was a cute girl. As their conversation was ending she asked, "Hey, do you want some pumpkin tickets?" She then gave each of us a coupon for a free pumpkin up to 15 lbs. Not even 10 minutes earlier I was thinking I need to track a way to get coupons so we can stretch cash for next year. What a blessing. Stephen and I never get pumpkins for ourselves and have a hard and fast rule that you can only pick pumpkins you can carry by yourself. This keeps the cost way down. This year we each got one and Stephen helped Gabriel pick a slightly bigger one to actually carve. Garrett got to pick the design for the pumpkin Stephen picked.

Garrett's first pumpkin choice. He ended up changing his mind and actually getting a striped "tiger" pumpkin. But, of course, I didn't get a picture of that.

Lincoln's choice. The poor kid could hardly walk around in the field, but he was not about to give that little pumpkin up either.

Stephen took pity on him and carried him for awhile. Lincoln welcomed the break from tripping and falling every 3 seconds.

All my boys!

In the corn maze.
The sweet girl that gave us the pumpkin coupons also gave us some free admission tickets for the corn maze. We hadn't planned on doing the maze because they're expensive and I was SOOO pregnant.
With the tickets in hand off we went.
It was the first time any of us had ever done a corn maze, including Stephen and me.

We did the half maze. It had a F.S.I. (Field Scene Investigation) game set up. Each kid got a little card with animals, weapons, and scenes to find out who got the farmer. It was set up like the game clue. As we went through the maze there were little stations with a picture of an animal, weapon and scene. The kids would get to punch out what they saw till the mystery was solved. They were very dedicated to their games. I'd tell ya who done it but then I'd have to...just kidding.
We spent a lot of time in the maze. There were little maps posted around, but I can tell ya it didn't help me much. After an hour I found out Stephen was able to decipher it. Grrr. I told him to start reading that thing and let's get done. My body was about to give out.
The kids loved it!

Waiting for Dad to bring the van up closer.


We went to Buckelew Farm this year because it was much closer to town and I was so very pregnant. We figured if I did go into labor we'd be able to get to the hospital within an hour or so and all would be well.

After 5 hours at the pumpkin patch I thought for sure I'd go into labor. Well, I didn't go into labor and our little jack-o-lantern just stayed right where she was.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!