Boppy's Pumpkin Patch

Way back in the middle of July, Harper and Owen's Boppy planted one 99 cent packet of pumpkin seeds. Harper has been begging him to plant pumpkins so she could sale them for several years. I think it stems from a story I always tell from my childhood...

When my sister and I were in elementary school, my dad came home one day with a flatbed trailer full fo gorgeous, gigantic orange pumpkins. It seemed to be a hundred or so. I don't remember where he got them, but gave them to us to sell. The little entreprenuers that we were, we made a business plan. It consisted of selling each pumpking for $2 or $3...I believe. We even offered delivery via our little red wagon for 50 cents. We set up a pumpkin stand at our house (in town) and sold every last one of those pumpkins. We loved every minute of it!

So anyways...Boppy did his reserach on pumpkins and cared for these pumpkins like they were prized posessions. Around the end of August, the first small green gourds appearred on the vines. We went to visit the pumpkins almost every Sunday. Eventually they started to turn orange but it took longer than expected. The pumpkins weren't done in time for Halloween, but that left plenty for Fall Decorations!

On Halloween Sunday, it was Harvest Time in Boppy's Pumpkin Patch! Harper and Owen were so excited to invite their friends along for the fun. We picked and picked and picked pumpkins. Boppy ended up growing 56 pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. We picked around 30 or so this day, but ran out of umph and places to display them. The kids had fun picking out the pumpkins for Boppy to cut off the vine. But the most fun was had when Richard got out the tractor to haul the pumpkin stash to the car. Everyone got a turn! It was a wonderful Fall Day! The pumpkins may not have been done in time for Harper to sell them this year, but Boppy already has a plan for next year. Thanks Pumpkin Farmer Boppy!

Go Pokes!

Saturday was a very eventful day for us. Well...for Owen especially. It was his very first OSU football game! Harper went to every game for the first two years of her life, but hasn't been since then. My sister and Cole (and their friends) gave us tickets to the OSU vs. Baylor game. My parents were along for the ride as well. The game had an 11:30 kickoff, so we had to leave pretty early. We got to Stillwater early enough for "The Walk" and then went to the North side of Boone Pickens Stadium to visit all of the fun booths.

{at The Walk}

{Owen...pretending to be famous. Boppy the Bodyguard is trailing behind!}

{airbrushed tatoo with GLITTER!}

Harper and Owen were both so excited to get in the stadium and their eyes were as big as saucers. It's amazing how a sea of orange and loud music can do that to you! Both of them LOVED Bullet and were always waiting for him to run out on the field. We ate several snacks and a hot dog at the game...which helped. But they were ready to go at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Overall, a fantastic Cowboy Experience!!!

{Here Comes Bullet!}

{Bullet's Trading Card}

{Where'd he go? Everytime after Bullet left.}

Happy Halloween!

On the costume front...
This year, Owen was a Monkey. It was actually a hand-me-down costume that his cousins Ethan and Gus have also worn. It is such a cute costume and when we tried it on in August, Owen instantly became a comic...running around in circles yelling, "oooooo" and "ahahahah". I wanted my kids to be somewhat matching, but didn't know what would go with a monkey. Harper was looking in a cataloge one day and found the perfect match...a Chaquita Banana/Cha-Cha dancer costume...complete with fruit headress. BINGO! We had a match! They both loved dressing up with their costumes and certainly got to do this a bunch.

Halloween around these parts is more like a week-long activity rather than a one night extravaganza. We started out Halloween week, on Tuesday, at the ZOO! It was packed, as usual, but the weather was perfect. Just a little chill in the air, but the kids were mighty warm in their costumes. We spent about an hour trick or treating around the zoo getting lots of yummy goodies!

On Thursday, we headed up the High School for Trick or Treat in the Halls. This year it was much less crowded, which was nice. Owen was a pro at this point. He walked up to most of the high school kids...stuck out his bucket and said, "Tri-or-Treat" I was super impressed. However, he decided that was too much effort and by the end of it he just walked up to them and said, "Peeeaaaassss!" in desperation I think! Harper got to play tons of fun games at the carnival and got a huge basket full of candy. Everyone had a great time.

{Look Mom! Five Reeses!}

Friday was Harper's party at school. The Kindergarten party is the party of all parties. It lasted two entire hours! They had stations, activities and games for the kids to play. She even got to parade around the school with the rest of her class. I was so glad to get to spend time with her, in her environment at school.

{We had dress up day at my school too!}

Sunday, the last adventure for Halloween began. We started off with the Hoke family at Grandma and Boppy's house to pick pumpkins from their pumpkin patch (another post to follow about this). We then headed to church for another super fun carnival and more CANDY! The kids had a great time playing all of the games and walked away with yet another basket full of treats.

Overall, a very successful Halloween!!!

Pumpkin Patch

On Thursday morning, we went to one of the many Pumpkin Patches around here. It is one that we haven't been to in a few years...and it was just as good as I remember. Tons of stuff for the kids to do...

Petting Zoo

Hay Bales to jump off

Slides

Tricycles (they didn't work really well)

Hay Maze

Pony Swings (Neighs...as Owen said)

Crazy Corn Maze (about made me crazy because we couldn't barely find our way out)

Pick-a-Pumpkin Patch

Hay Ride

The weather was fantastic and we had a great time! Now we just need to carve the pumpkins before Halloween gets here!

{Owen was "moo"ing for all he was worth at these cows!}

{2007...the last time we visited!}

{Wow...she has grown!}

{Again...2007}

{and now...as Kindergarteners!}