Our Fun Fall Memories

I love Fall for many reasons. I love how the weather cools down after the inevitable humid Tennessee Summer. I love how all the green turns to hues of yellows, oranges, reds, and browns. I love digging out the clothing saved for cooler weather.

Since I have had my kids, I now look forward to kid-friendly activities, including visiting the pumpkin patch. We went to Bottom View Farm one October weekend last year, but this year, Cohen and I went with Emberlynn and other kids, parents, and teachers from her preschool to the farm. Emberlynn was very much looking forward to going to the pumpkin patch. On the morning of the field trip, I went into her room and asked her if she remembered where we were going, and she excitedly replied, "The pumpkin patch!"

Although Cohen was not in his best spirits during our time there, Emberlynn did not let that stop her from having a fantastic time. She loved riding on the tractor-pulled hay ride that took us to the pumpkin patch. She browsed the patch and picked a pumpkin and also helped her brother find one for himself. After the hay ride, we went on the train ride the farm provides. Emberlynn wanted to ride in the green box car because green has apparently become her favorite color. Both kids really enjoyed this part; the train goes around the farm, and we got to see the various fields of different fruits and vegetables. The farm also has a corn maze, a tricycle track, animals, a "corn crib" (which is like a ball pit but with corn kernels!), and a giant slide. I was sure Emberlynn wouldn't want to go down the slide by herself, if at all, but she climbed the steps up and went down alone! I was so amazed! She went down 2 more times after that, and then we had to go because her brother was being quite uncooperative (to put it nicely).

We put our 3 little pumpkins on our front porch, and every time the kids have seen them, Cohen yells, "Punkins!" with great enthusiasm, and Emberlynn will start talking about when we went to the pumpkin patch. I hope this is something they will look forward to and enjoy for years to come; I know I'll never grow tired of it.