Staycation Day 1

Our initial vacation plans for the summer (and then the backup plans, too) were canceled due to Scott's training and promotion. But finally, on attempt #4, we are on vacation. Granted, it's more like a staycation (and Scott's worked overtime twice in the evening), but no matter: it's a chance for us to spend some quality time together as a family, while also getting some projects (small ones) done around the house.

Our first planned activity was a visit to the pumpkin patch. Due to appointments and work, this was the default first activity (the other two involve a farther drive). Go figure that it fell on a holiday, which meant we had to pay holiday rates at the pumpkin patch (outrageous! Is it really necessary to charge the same admission for children and adults? Really? But I digress.).

Thankfully, there were plenty of activities to keep the kids satisfied and interested. First stop? The hay tunnel/ maze. Leah tackled it with gusto, racing to the top and then disappearing in the tunnels below. Hunter took a little more coaxing; I carried him to the top, and then he followed Leah below. Once down there, he methodically crawled through a tunnel, taking his time (and making me wonder, "Where IS he?").

Next stop, the animals: Leah LOVES pigs (next to cats, it's her favorite animal) so she was delighted to see a large sow and her piglets. Actually, large doesn't do it justice. Gigantic is more like it. Seriously, she was about the length of Leah's full-size bed!

From there, the kids explored various slides and picture cut-outs, with a few more animal visits in-between. Before long, it was time to say good-bye to the pumpkin patch and head home. All in all, the kids enjoyed themselves tremendously, which made the trip worthwhile.

That's my girl: sweet like candy.

Exploring the wooden train.

Leah bounced from one activity to the next. It's as if she had to see how many she could complete in a matter of seconds.

Queen of the hay bales!

Hunter showed no fear going down the slide by himself. 

Leah, on the other hand, kept her legs wide in an effort to slide as slowly as possible. 

Prince Charming

Connor the Calf took an instant liking to Leah...

he tried eating her shirt! Leah got a good laugh out of it, though.

Momma's little chicks

Time to decorate pumpkins: paint, glue, pompoms, and sequins.

Leah artfully creates her cat pumpkin.

While Hunter pulls the pompoms off his and dunks them in his water.

"Look, Mommy! I'm a mouse!"