I have shared my love/hate relationship with the pumpkin patch before. You can read my account from a trip we took two years ago here. When my children were still babies.

I have got nothing but love for the idea of the pumpkin patch. Trouble is, here in Southern California our Fall is not all crisp and cool and fancy and pretty with fluttery golden leafs floating about on gusts of fresh crisp air like yours might be. Not at all.  Try hot and d r y and dusty and d r y and sneezy and hot and d r y. I feel like Spongebob upon entering Sandy’s Tree Dome. Have you seen the Tea at the Tree Dome episode? When he realizes he has to breathe air and not water? At about 6:50 in, that is me during Fall. Watch the video. It is worth it. Or maybe not, if you aren’t of the Spongebob variety.

So you can understand that the practical application of the pumpkin patch is never exactly my cup of tea. It would be if the temperature dropped about 15 degrees. But anything over 85 and I just prefer to stay indoors. Over 85, dry, dusty, middle of the day heat….yea….I normally avoid that kind of thing. Note to reader: This is one of the ways in which I am a total whiny baby.

In fact, as we walked into the entrance of Tanaka Farms, I looked over at my sister in law Summer and said, “My prediction is that, by the end of this, I am going to be really cranky.”

Now that I have been properly truthful, I can move on to sharing the photos. In which, you will see, not many outbreaks of crankiness will be exposed. Some, but not many. And none were mine. I actually stayed ahead of the crowd this time. Took one for the team, you might say. My head and mind and spirit remained almost completely UN-cranky the whole time.

This time we hit up the patch with Jeff’s mom, his stepdad, his sister, and his sister’s two children. (Patty, Ron, Summer, Kailey, and Samantha.) This was taken just before the entrance. Note: no crankiness. There was a little crankiness during ticket purchasing on the part of the cashier though.

Still no crankiness. I love this shot of all of them looking for vegetables to pick.

Then we hit up the wagon ride for a trip over to the petting zoo. This is where I got a little bit cranky. Mckenna freaked out about her petting zoo food, dropped it, threw herself on the ground (in the petting zoo), and then decided she didn’t want any part of the unpredictable petting of the unpredictable animals. So I had to use my prison warden voice to get her out of there. And then we both went and sat in the shade on a hay bale until everyone was finished.

I love these flowers-does anyone know what they are?

Then it was back to the patch so we could choose our own pumpkins. At this point 3 out of 6 Whitney’s really wanted a drink of water, to wash their hands, and to take off their shoes. Some crankiness commenced.

But once again, not for long. A slight breeze from the wagon ride perked everyone up again.

And I saw Mckenna’s hand resting gently on Drew’s knee.

The pumpkins were pretty picked over, but everyone found one that they loved.

A tiny bit more crankiness when I asked them to do this. “Oh, come on.” “Are you serious?” “ON OUR HEADS?”

And then Papa Ron swooped in with a wheelbarrow and the real smiles came back.

It was worth it.

xo

Tara

PS: All this heat and dust really makes me want some water. ;)

I love that I captured how she looks at me. (Taken while camera was hanging around my neck.) In both of these shots, there is the Anna smile that almost seems to be exploding out of her, and it’s all she can do to contain it inside. There is some kind of oreo cookie moustache going on here too, it looks like. Oh, I remember, we stopped for ice cream cones before going to the beach. That is definitely an oreo cookie moustache.

A game that every child plays at one time or another with the waves.

Jeff stays out there for hours, pushing the boogie board over and over and over and over for anyone who wants a ride. What you can’t see is the kermit smile hidden behind the board and her reaction when the ride comes to a stop. “YES! I DID IT! I SURF LIKE DADDY!!” Complete with a Mckenna donkey kick and fist pump.

Not loving the orange cast from the board. (Will remember to pack the white one next time.) They love when the tide comes in, and they can float around like this in between sets.

He can only pull off acting remote, cool, and uninterested for so long. He reminds me of a golden retriever. He also just turned twelve. My goodness. Ocean hair at its finest.

I could take a million photos of her hair like this. This is getting framed.

We couldn’t find any matching bathing suit pieces. I don’t care about that. I like this better. It’s very punky brewster. It’s very her.

This sucker is getting framed too. Little bugger never relaxes for the camera anymore. He is in that stage. So I don’t bug him with the camera much right now. I was ever so lucky to get this. This look is also very him.

Now that daylight savings is fast approaching (Nov. 1), our after school beach trips are numbered. So sad. But nice to go to the beach on other times and not have to fight crowds in the parking lot. This time of year is actually my favorite for our beaches. I love the cold. I love bundling up in sweatshirts and mexican blankets at a bonfire. I love the marine layer. But most of all, I love the peace and quiet.

xo

Tara