Pumpkin Patch

Every year we head out to The Grand Ole Pumpkin Patch in Clanton, AL sometime during the month of October. Except for last year when we just had too much going on every weekend to make it a priority. We decided to take a family picture upon arriving before we got too hot, tired and cranky. So the very first stop we made when we got there was this wagon filled with hay, pumpkins and scarecrows.

The kids' favorite slide and they talk about it for weeks before we actually go. Ella was even excited about it. She went down it last year with Cole at the tender age of 2 and didn't remember it. The picture doesn't do it's size justice. This thing is HUGE!
Ella got to the top and didn't want to go down, but a man working up there talked her into and down she came. She didn't attempt it again. Now she may be forever traumatized.

Cole and Kelsey went down repeatedly. They love this thing.

Once I finally got Ella calmed down enough...trust me it took a good while to get her calmed down...she and Kelsey headed over to the inflatables for some jumping fun. This was more up her alley.

After the fun park, we headed to the barn to buy our tickets for the hayride out to the patch and to cool off a little. For it being October, it was summer heat. I think it reached 93 degrees that afternoon. Ella just had to try on the Einstein wig.

Checking out the toys.

I couldn't resist a picture in this small little gazebo. Look how sweet they all look.

See how wet Cole's hair is? It really was that hot and I couldn't get the boy talked into wearing shorts. Crazy kid!

Hayride out to the patch.

Ella posing with her pumpkin. Our rule is they have to pick a pumpkin that they can carry all the way back to the car. Jason and I have been stuck way too many times carrying their very large and heavy pumpkins back to the car for them so we have implemented this rule. Ella was very proud of her cute little pumpkin.

Summer Birthdays

As if our Summers weren't busy enough, we have 4 birthdays to throw in there, too. In May, Ella celebrated her 3rd birthday which I posted about back in the early part of Summer. In July, I have a birthday and Jason and I went to California during that time. Kelsey and Cole both share the month of August for birthdays. We always have a private celebration and then let them have their parties separately. Kelsey turned 8 and decided to have a sleepover and only one of her friends could come but she was ecstatic about it since it was her first slumber party. I took the girls to the movies and then we came home and did makeovers and then they went to bed around 10pm or so. They had a really good time together.Cole turned 11 and did the same thing. He's been doing sleepovers for the past 3 or 4 years now and it's very economical to say the least. This is what my house looked like w/o the sound effects for several hours. Jason took the boys to see Karate Kid and when they returned home they decided to try out the moves. One of the boys had to leave at 10pm because he had an early morning scout event and then a church event to go to. One of the boys left at midnight because he had a football game the next morning, and one of the boys had to be in bed by midnight because his Dad was picking him up at 6:45am for the same early scouting event that the other boy had to go home early for. By the end of it all, we had Cole and two of his buddies through the next morning. They were up late as usual, but had a great time together.
Cole blowing out the candles on his cake during his private celebration.

And then in September, Jason celebrated his birthday. I tell you, we pack them all in within a few months of each other. Makes the holiday times a little easier on the wallet. Cole fixed Jason breakfast for his birthday. He made a giant pancake and decorated it into a smiley face with strawberries and whipped cream. He also made bacon in the microwave and crescent rolls.

Jason blowing out his candles later in the evening.