Shortly before Sweetness was born, we joined a group called Program for Early Parent Support (PEPS) at the recommendation of my close high school friend. This amazing group matches up couples with children born around the same time into groups of 10-12 couples, typically. We’d meet with a facilitator (a volunteer who went through the program as a new parent) once a week for 12 weeks for opportunities to share and learn. The support and friendships are priceless (our group still meets three years later with no intention of ending).
During one of those first 12 facilitated meetings we all talked about family holiday traditions – what we loved as kids, what we do now, and what we’d like to do with our new kids. One thing I was really excited about starting was an annual trip to the pumpkin patch.
Sure, it’s easy to just grab the pumpkins at the grocery store, but where is the fun in that? Where are the memories? The pumpkin patch was something I never did as a kid and throughout my early adult life I watched the families head out and have a great time. I put that on my list of things I’ll do with kids.
Two years ago we found Jubilee Farm in Carnation. It’s a working organic farm, doesn’t charge people to visit, and offers hay rides to the fields, fresh pressed apple cider, pony rides, a hay maze for the little ones, a real live trebuchet for pitching pumpkins, live music, tasty food, and a great atmosphere. I especially like that at the end of the free rides out to the pumpkin fields they hand you clippers so you can cut your own pumpkin from the vine. Talk about fresh!
This weekend we made our third trip. It was a gorgeous day once the fog burned off (fog made for great pumpkin hunting atmosphere) and the kids seemed to really enjoy themselves. In fact, Mr. Man had just started experimenting with walking assisted this week so we put his first pair of real shoes on (courtesy of a hand me down from one of my PEPS friends as a matter of fact) and he walked his little legs off, even holding just one hand.
Also, this year I decided to let Sweetness take the pony ride ($5 a person). It was her very first one and she loved it. She talked about it all the way home, almost as much as the “tractor ride,” which is what she called the hay ride to the patch.
My only regret is the camera suddenly decided to stop working. We’ve no clue what it’s deal was. It stopped focusing. So we shot our hearts out with our iPhones, hoping some of the shots turned out. Luckily, they did, sort of. It’s hard to focus the camera in the sun with everything moving, but at least these great milestones didn’t pass without some kind of photographic evidence.
{ 2 comments }
The punkin patch is one of my favorite traditions to do with the kids also. I’ve never been to a place where you cut your own pumpkins from the vine, though. How cool is that?
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October 27, 2010 at 1:23 pm
It was really cool! And the pumpkins are mighty fresh! We had so much fun and it cost us all of $20 with pumpkins and a pony ride.