Field Trip Double Dip

Since the weather report indicated that our good weather spell was on its last legs, we invited Kayleigh and Kennon to play at the pumpkin patch with us on Tuesday. They had not been to our funky little pumpkin patch before so they were happy to come along. I usually feel like I am still a recent transplant, but lately I am starting to feel like I have been here a long time because people are always asking me where to go for this, that or the other thing. I am getting a little bit of Wisconsin street cred.

Anyway, you have seen this patch a billion times now...the one where they paint the pumpkins to look like characters, but here it is one more time. Chloe was fussy that day and while she usually loves to pose she was much happier once I put my camera away, but we did get a few shots.

The Smurfs were a new addition this year.

When Alex came home on Tuesday he was sad to see that he missed this fun tradition. Since we had a half day on Wednesday and I needed a field trip idea, I decided to go back. But after thinking about it I changed my mind and decided to check out another pumpkin patch, called Land of the Giants. We have driven past several times but never visited because it looked a bit small and uneventful. We figured if it was a bust, we could head over to trusty old Jerry Smiths.

It was a smaller patch, but there was plenty to keep us entertained. Alex said it was the "funnest" day ever. Alyssa started out crabby because she likes to pretend she is too cool to field trip with us anymore, but even she had a blast once we arrived.

This time all the kids were in a take a picture of me mood, but my camera is still giving me fits. Everything comes out fuzzy or overexposed if I leave it on auto. If I mess with the settings the ones that should work for the scene do not, and then something weird will work but there is no consistency. If anyone has any suggestions, please help. So many potentially cute pics went to the scrap pile. Even though the pics were disappointing I am still posting lots of them, because they remind me of a great day.

Alyssa quickly found her place with the animals.

I lured Hansel and Gretel into my gingerbread house...

And then cooked them up.

Even on my toes I could barely get my head in there so I just took a close up of my kiddie soup.

These things were a hit! So much bouncier than the ones at the park. Alyssa legs crack me up in this picture.

Does it look like I photoshopped their heads in black and white in this next one? I didn't. That is just one of the weird things my camera does to me.

They weren't really running the barrel car train since no one was there but I asked if there was anyway we could take a spin and the owner called someone over from the house (since they live on the farm) to take us for a ride.

Chloe tried to chicken out.

So I had to climb in her barrel with her.

I tried to get some action shots but it was pretty bumpy. We laughed the whole time, but it was also a pretty little ride around the pond and through the cornfields.

I tried about 100 things with the camera to get a decent picture on the giant pumpkins and after the kids got bored with sitting there...

I switched to landscape and ta-da, the pumpkins are orange again. I am telling you this camera makes no sense!

I gave each kid a few bucks for a treat and was surprised when the chose toys instead of food. They had to take one last peek through the pumpkin face with their souvenirs.

We pretty much had the place to ourselves for 2 1/2 hours and the crowds didn't start rolling in until we were heading out. The forecast called for rain but luckily we didn't see a drop, or even a cloud (until today) and we had a fantastic field trip. You may be sick of looking at the 2011 crop of pumpkins in Wisconsin, but you may have to see it one more time. They had a 9 acre corn maze that the kids want to go back and do with their cousins in a couple weeks. We chickened out yesterday because it said it took an average of 30 minutes and I could just see me and the kids lost in there for years.