I never met a pumpkin I didn't like.

I wish I were laying by the pool... since that's not possible at this moment, I wish I were sleeping. Cloudy, warm Texas day- could I ask for better PJ weather? I don't think so. Feeling a little sad to go "home", but I have a lot to get done and it needs to be back to reality. I don't know that I'm ready to face the season change. How is it possible that it's "summer" here, and people at home are wearing jackets and turning on their heaters at night? I will be honest, I'm looking forward to slow cooker hot chocolate, jumping into piles of leaves and the pumpkin patch... Oh, and halloween with the kids. None of those things is as enjoyable without the person you love though. We at least get to keep our family tradition and go to Red Barn Farm all four of us! Possibly our last time for a few years. Not to dwell on any of that, because the end of this very long separation is almost over AND we get to keep our tradition. Just to recap:

2007

He was so mesmerized by all the colors. He kept wanting to drool all over the pumpkin stems. This is when I fell in love with fall for the first time. Keg's first trip to the pumpkin patch!

2008

Just a year later and we're a family of four. THIS time when we went it was blazing hot and I came home red as a lobster. Em's first trip to the pumpkin patch!

2009

This is one of my favorites of our family photos. We took the hayride out to the large pumpkin patch and the kids had their first pony rides.

2010

Another gorgeous day in October, perfect for a family photoshoot. This was the first year I think they understood what was going on... they road in wheelbarrows and got to pet animals and choose little pumpkins. This was the year I think THEY fell in love with the fall. I wish we'd gotten a better photo though... I HAD to shut my eyes!

So you can imagine how devastated I was thinking we might not get to do this. My amazing husband worked it out that we'll get to squeeze it in during our busy weekend. Even though none of us (especially K-man) want to go back to KS, we have something to look forward to. I fully intend to carry this tradition till the kiddos are grown, even though the pumpkin patch will inevitably change through the years.

Other great shots at the RBF:

Must find her outfit this week, but his is all picked out. These are the photos I wait for all year long. And some of the most irreplaceable memories!