A day at the pumpkin patch

"Hi, everybody! Know why I'm smiling? Well, for one thing, Papa is off to the side, honking his horn over and over and driving the neighbors nuts because it makes me laugh and Mommy gets good pictures. But also because I went to Rader's pumpkin patch today and had a blast!"

"Yes, I do know that I am cute. Mommy says some days it's all I have going for me when I have been just a bit ornery. She put me in this fall outfit and is making me take 10,000 pictures. I'm hoping if I cooperate, she'll forget about nap time."

"Do you like the pumpkins I picked out? I decorated the painted one all by myself...until my attention span ran out and I ran off to play and Mommy had to finish it for me. But I put all the paint on. I also did the window clings on the door. I love Halloween time!"

"But back to the pumpkin patch! Come on, I'll give you a tour of our day. "

"Rader's is right down the road from our house, and since it rained Saturday, we took Grammy and Papa with us after church on Sunday. Mommy kept going on and on about what a beautiful day it was and how blue the sky was. I just couldn't wait to explore! Mommy was extra proud of me because I befriended a real live scarecrow (bottom right picture) and am getting over my phobia of characters. Maybe I'll survive on Halloween."

"There was so much to see and do! I loved the caterpillar train made up of barrels, and playing in the corn box was a big hit just like last year. Mommy and I climbed way up high on some haystacks and I could see everything!"

"They had the coolest kid area with little buildings just my size! Here I am at the market."

"I spent a lot of time in the two little buildings, shopping, ringing up other kids' items, cooking, and peeking out the window at people."

"There were animals, too! I really liked the ducks, and really did NOT like the scary turkey! I am not a fan of turkeys ever since one gobbled at me at the fair this summer and I almost pooped my pants. The other animals were all nice."

"Papa and Grammy had fun watching me. If you asked me, they were missing out on all the action, but Mommy really likes this picture of the two of them sitting on the bench. (Grammy, Mommy says thank you for holding her purse so she could stalk me with the camera.)"

"I was all business digging in the corn box and the sandbox. It was hard work! Mommy loves how concentrated I look. At one point, the scarecrow girl played with us, too. She remembered my name and was really nice."

"Mommy and I had so much fun together! She calls me her buddy because I am her favorite little person to be around. Can you blame her?? I got to pick out a pumpkin to paint, and I picked it up all by myself even though it was really heavy! She also made me stick my head through something and then everyone laughed and talked about how cute it was. Give me a break!"

"Grammy, Papa, Mommy, and I rode the hay rack ride way out to the pumpkin patch to pick out some pumpkins. I loved waving at everyone! We got stuck twice in the mud but we made it. "

"Then I got out and walked all by myself like a big boy to pick out the best pumpkins for Mommy and me. The vines tripped me about 10 times but I kept getting back up and brushing it off, because I am so, so big this year!"

"Look how strong I am! I just marched out there and manhandled those pumpkins."

"It was a tough job, but somebody had to do it."

"I decided to let Papa pull me in the wagon on the way back to our van. All that walking was hard work, plus somebody had to look after the pumpkins."

"Then I helped Mommy pack the back of the van up with all of our loot. Happy fall, everybody!"

*Mommy says to tell you this was last weekend. Now she is only a week and a new weekend behind. And you know her, she's taken a million pictures since then. So stay tuned..."