Pumpkin Patch

On Monday we headed to

MacDonald Ranch Pumpkin Patch!

We went last year and loved it.

So we happily decided to become Repeat Offenders!
And we hauled the Mortensens with us!

We rode horses.
My kids nonstop told the workers about how they know all
about real horses from Papa Nolie's house!

We mined for gold!

We played games!

Then we dodged knocking each other's heads off accidentally with golf clubs.

We had our own horse races!

Anden took his own practice lap

(I love that he's so happily galloping that he's actually floating! lol)

Then the real race began!

  

We were cracking up laughing that Ashley's kids were galloping like normal horses.

But not my kids.

Once they realized this was competitive,

Taylee busted out running.

There's no way Anden could allow her to win.

So he sprinted to catch up.

The stick horse rather became an obstacle between their legs during the 20 yd dash!

So much for innocent stick horse races.

Next up: Petting Zoo

As usual, Anden petted every crack and crevice of each animal.

Taylee, who usually loves animals, walked around waving her hands in disgust.

"Ewwhh smells so gross in here!"

Haha that's my girl!

Finally she got over it and was right in there touching the animals too!

The kids were SO hyper to have their friends with them.

That they were having a hard time listening!

I almost asked the workers if I could release these animals

and borrow their timeout masks for my children!

After we were done harassing the animals and kicked out,

(literally...ahem...Anden)

we loaded up on the horse drawn hay ride to the pumpkin patch.

Of course the kids all climbed right up with the driver

instead of sitting nicely on the hay bails.

And luckily reincarnated Marlboro Man enjoyed their presence!

He thought they were all siblings.

And gasped, "Where did all those blue eyes come from?"

3 of the 4 kids just stared at him.

But not Taylee.

She put her hand on her hip and batted her eyes back at him, "From my mom!"

So the 5 of them "drove" the horses on out to the pumpkins.

"Hey Mommy! We measured it. It's only $12!"

 

Finally we loaded back up,
again in the driver seat,
and headed back to the Hay Maze!

And then were lucky enough to run into our other good friends from church!

The Jensens

And attempted a few last pics in the dark with all the kids!

We made use of  every spec of sunlight and were finally ushered out!
Such a fun time!