The Manner of Happiness

The Pumpkin Patch

The highlight of our week was going to the Elgin Christmas Tree Farm for their pumpkin patch that they do every year. We had heard great things about this place from our friends and decided we wanted to go check it out. Eliza was excited all day to go and see the animals. They had all sorts of fun things for kids to do there. We looked at the animals they had. Eliza saw the donkey and the goats and also the alpacas that they had there. She was happy about that. We didn’t get to pet them because apparently the donkey bites. We also got to go on a hay ride around the farm. They had some fun halloween decorations set up in their little river bottoms area and we drove through them on the ride. James and Eliza had a good time on the ride. It was a “little bumpy” as Eliza kept telling us. After the hay ride we got some pictures of our kids and of the family by the pumpkins. We met a nice family there that we swapped photos ops with. We also got to ride on a little tractor-drawn train that Eliza loved! We let Eliza paint a little white pumpkin and let her play on the playground that they had there. We finished off our little trip with a snow cone and a powerade. It was a fun little family outing.

Eliza wanted to look the goat in the eye.
Eliza wanted to look the goat in the eye.
The donkey came right over to say hi to the kids.
The donkey came right over to say hi to the kids.

02 Eliza and James are buddies 03 Arnesens at the pumpkin patch

Eliza is so happy.
Eliza is so happy.
Stopping to smell the flowers.
Stopping to smell the flowers.
She tried to hit the one on the far left . . . we need to work on the throwing skills.
She tried to hit the one on the far left . . . we need to work on the throwing skills.
Eliza painting her pumpkin.
Eliza painting her pumpkin.
Family selfie on the train.
Family selfie on the train.
On the train Eliza kept on saying "choo choo!"
On the train Eliza kept on saying “choo choo!”
Eliza manning the pump for the rubber duck race.
Eliza manning the pump for the rubber duck race.
Eliza jumping to daddy.
Eliza jumping to daddy.
Eliza and Daddy swinging
Eliza and Daddy swinging

After our little trip there we went out farther into the country to Lost Pines Scout Ranch so I could see if I could find some life jackets that we accidentally left there a few weeks back when we were camping. We only found one of the two. On the way home we stopped for dinner and let the kids fall asleep in the car on the way home. We had a fun weekend.

James may like music class more than Eliza.
James may like music class more than Eliza.

We’ve also had a little sickness going around the family this week. We’re on the upswing now but it was a rough week especially for James. Poor guy has been a bit constipated and has had trouble sleeping the last few nights. We’ve been up with him a lot. We’re hoping that after some success on this front today that he’ll sleep through the night.

Adam

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