Auburn Gal Always

Great Pumpkin (copied from Wordpress)

Saturday, most of the parents from our church car-pooled to a local pumpkin patch. I’ve taken Stinkerbell to a pumpkin patch every October for the past couple of years. It’s always a lot of fun. Last year, it was just Stinkerbell and I at a small farm. We picked a couple of pumpkins and then bought a few that they’d already been picked.

We loaded up the Pimp Mama-mobile with 3 other kids from church and 2 other parents. Disney’s The Wild was in the dvd player. They watched it for a few minutes – until we got 7 miles up the road and stopped for lunch at McDonald’s. I had the pleasure of sitting across from Neighbor’s Son (7), Stinkerbell (5) and Stinkerbell’s best friend from church - BFFC (girl, 7). As soon as Neighbor’s Son was finished eating, the Hot Wheels began racing across the table toward me. Stinkerbell and BFFC had a dance competition with their Barbie ballerinas. Then we were joined by another boy (6) who wanted to race his Hot Wheels with Neighbor’s Son, while I tried to finish my Big ‘n Tasty with cheese and fries with excessive salt and ketchup.

The other parents finished eating a few minutes before I and began bringing their trays to the trash.

“How’s it going up here, Auburn Gal?”

“It’s great!” nervous twitch “I’m leaving. Who wants their kid?”

“Kids get your bags and put them in the trash and load up. Time for the pumpkin patch!”

So, we drove to the pumpkin patch. The kids had a great time.

Playing in the pit of shell corn was the high-light for all the kids. We parents wanted a turn, but the kids wouldn’t let us play.

The 5 ACRE corn maze was very well done and not really difficult. I don’t think I wandered the whole 5 ACRES, but considered making a short-cut to the parking lot when I saw the tops of the vehicles parked there!

Note to self: When wandering a 5 ACRE corn maze, it can be perfectly reasonable and surprisingly efficient to allow a 5 y-o and 7 y-o to lead the way. Stinkerbell and BFFC led us out, holding hands the whole way.

The hay ride to the pumpkin patch was good too. Later this month, this farm does night-time haunted hay-rides. The trails through their 2400 acre farm are very well maintained. The cotton-pickers were working and the bailer was just about to finish a bale of cotton as we rode past. The cotton bales are so big. It’s really interesting.

The pumpkin patch we picked from seemed pretty full still – even though there was a farm truck half-full with pumpkins the farm crew was picking for sale to stores. We wandered around and found 2 very nicely shaped pumpkins.

There was a petting zoo with Shetland ponies, very tame goats and a baby donkey. I didn’t even walk over there. But Stinkerbell and BFFC spent much time there – they’re both animal lovers.

Fun was had by all.

I’ve decided that I definitely want a large shed somewhere on my property. By “large shed” I mean, 18’ roof height minimum, no walls (or possibly enclose a portion with screens!), a gas bbq grill on one side, a little playground slide, porch swings, fluorescent lights, ceiling fans.

The Mighty Hunter observed the beginning of whitetail bow season here in Alabama. He drove his new truck to near Auburn where he is a member of a hunting club. He pulled his new trailer hauling his new Yamaha Rhino, with his new bow safely hidden away. He shot at a small buck Saturday morning but missed. Somehow, he cut a string on his bow, which will have to be fixed before next weekend. He somehow broke a tail-light on his new trailer too.

There was no damage to his truck though. Thank goodness!

Stinkerbell slept in the bed with me both Friday and Saturday night. She has the softest little feet and loves to rub them on my legs as she falls asleep.

I’ve made vegetable soup and Mexican cornbread and The Mighty Hunter’s plain cornbread today.

I have 8 days of work left before I go on maternity leave. wooHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!