Hunter Farms 2013

Visiting the pumpkin patch is hands-down my favorite photo opp of the year.  The weather is gorgeous, the colors vibrant, and everyone has a delightful time.  It's the stuff memories are made of. 

Prepare for A LOT of photos:

Hunter Farms is a tradition we share with my dad.  Happily, he was willing to take several pictures for us. 

Grandpa Allen took each of the boys into the new "scare room."  It was a small dark room with a strobe light and some Halloween props.  The boys were very brave. :)

The sling shot was another new attraction this year.  We never actually got a pumpkin far beyond the fence, but it was fun. :)

Last year we bought the children ice cream out at the farm.  They talked about this a lot as the anticipation built for the trip.  I didn't want them to have ice cream (we've been off dairy for a while) and yet I didn't want to spoil the memory.  So...I packed our own coconut milk ice cream (on ice) and gluten-free, vegan cones (that were amazing).  We saved money, stuck to our eating plan, and the children were happy.
I'm glad I found a remedy for this situation–for so many others there just aren't and I'm learning to be okay with that.  :)

On to the main attraction.

The boys were beyond excited for the tractor ride out to the patch.  They flagged down the driver and he kindly waved to them and played along.  :)

Brig almost knocked the camera out of my hands jumping up and down with excitement.

This picture makes me laugh!  Check out her chins!

You should have heard Bradley taunting me, "I'm touching her with a snaaaaake..." and me squealing behind the camera, "Don't touch my baby with that!"

He thinks he's soooo funny!
Okay, maybe he is.  Just a little.  :)

She found her special pumpkin...

...and she loved it.

We gathered a few pumpkins together for an impromptu photo shoot.
I had to–the light was gorgeous.

This is my favorite.
They're all looking and mostly smiling.

I just love Neva in this shot.

Allen's face kills me!  He'd been smiling too long.  Haha.

Once again, I'm thankful my dad took pictures for us.  It's nice to have photos of the 6 of us together. 

Esmé and Brig were totally done with pictures at this point.  :)

A random little boy ran up and gave Esmé this sweet little white pumpkin.  She loved it too...

Handsome Daddy!  Look at him haul that manly pumpkin!

I'm getting much better at handing the camera off so I can be in photographs too.
My camera doesn't have an "automatic" setting so I usually try to set the exposure before I give it to someone else to shoot.  Sometimes that works great and other times they come out over/under exposed but at least I'm in a few pictures.

I adore this little girl.

Esmé set this up and then asked me to take a picture of she and Allen.
I was more than happy to oblige.

Brig was off on his own, camouflaged in the patch most of the time.

The ride back with our loot.

Esmé insisted on pulling the cart herself.

This was a fun trip to the pumpkin patch.  I love raising our children with traditions.  It's fun to compare the pictures from years past.  (2012, 2011, 2010)

This also happens to be my favorite season.  I love fall.  I love the holidays that are approaching.  And most of all I love my sweet family (including all our extended families).