Pumpkin Patch

One of our favorite October traditions is to head to the pumpkin patch and pick our own pumpkins. Emily was so excited she giggled the entire way in the van. We started with a hay ride to the field.
Then comes the fun part---looking for the perfect pumpkin. Megan found hers right away. She just wanted the biggest one in the field. Emily and Tyler were another story. Emily looked for the perfect round one and Tyler just wanted a perfect one with no dirt.
Yeah, it took forever. The rest of the wagon was waiting for Tyler and Emily to find their pumpkins. It really is hard to find a really round pumpkin.
We finally got 5 pumpkins loaded on the wagon, though. The driver of the tractor even gave us a bonus pumpkin in case one of ours just wasn't good enough when we got home. We had a great time and even great weather. Now we'll just have to wait another week to carve them. That's the part Megan and Tyler like the best!

Fourth Grade Field Trip

As part of the curriculum for 4th grade, Tyler gets to learn state history. The teachers planned a field trip to visit "This is the Place" park and learn about the pioneers' life. I was lucky enough to be picked as a chaperone and got to hang out with Tyler for the day. I must say it was one of the best field trips I have been on. (It sure beats Megan's trip to the marshlands in 4th grade). We all got to learn about life in the mid-1800's. We visited the school house, the tin maker's house, and then finished with a square dance at the cultural hall. I loved being Tyler's dance partner, even though he didn't appreciate it that much.
After lunch we rode the train around the park.
They kids then got to pull handcarts around a short route. Even empty they were harder to pull than they all thought. Well, I guess I should say harder to stop than they all thought.
I actually learned things about our state history and enjoyed spending the day with Tyler and his classmates.

Down & Derby!

We're finally back blogging again. Tyler is in a cleaning mode and has put away everything that is normally just out---that includes our cord for the camera. Yes, it is nice to have the house always clean, but we spend an awful lot of time looking for things in places we would have never thought.
Anyway, back to our past month. On Sept. 25th, Tyler had his first Pinewood Derby experience. The car looked really cool, but we should have known something was up when the wheels were put on minutes before we left for the church and then fine-tuning was left for the "body shop."
Megan and Emily enjoyed making Twinkie cars to eat during the many heats.
This is Tyler ready to go---unfortunately his car wasn't so cooperative. I'm not sure what happened to his wheels, but let's just say by the end of the night his car barely made it down the track.
He did take 2nd in 2 of his many heats and 1 3rd place win, but of the 10 or so he did, 4th was the favorite position. At one point in the night, Tyler wouldn't even claim his own car. Emily had to go and pick it up after a few of the heats. I guess Wendell and Tyler will have to try harder next year. The good thing is that they can only go up from here. :)