Pumpkin Patch

A week ago Thursday, I somewhat spontaneously decided to take the girls to the pumpkin patch. Elsa had come down with a slight fever the day before and was sent home from playgroup early. Because she still had the fever into the evening and the next morning, she could not go again on Thursday, but she was also feeling well enough that she did not just want to lie around. It was a gorgeous day; thus, I decided to make the most of it and get us out of the house. We would have gone regardless, but I was planning to go the following Tuesday, the one day of the week that Elsa does not go to Gabriela's.

So, anyway, I packed lunch, drinks, a camera, and the girls into the car, and we were on our way. Of course, I had to take a minor detour through a Starbucks drive-through so I could get a pumpkin spice latte for the drive up. On my way to that Starbucks, I passed a sign advertising pumpkins, 3 for $13. Knowing well that I would probably pay more than that for the pumpkins at the patch, along with the gas it takes to drive to Burt's Farm up in Dawsonville (where we have gone every year since Elsa's second Halloween), I asked myself why the heck I was doing this. But it was easy to immediately answer that question -- because it is a tradition now, because it is fun, because it is different from the ordinary.

Elsa definitely was not feeling completely herself, but we managed to have a fun time with a romp around the massive pumpkins and then a picnic near the creek there at Burt's, followed by the much anticipated (by Elsa) hayride, which I think even Avie enjoyed more than Elsa. She was standing up, holding onto the rail of the hay wagon, while the tractor pulled us, just shrieking and bouncing with delight. We then quickly picked out several pumpkins -- quickly, because Elsa was starting to feel a little puny again. After somehow managing the pumpkin-laden wheelbarrow and a nearly dragging Elsa, with Avie strapped to my front, through the checkout and out to the car, we ran back in and grabbed some fresh Ellijay (cold) apple cider, which seemed to perk Elsa up a bit.

In taking advantage of the increased perkiness, and indulging myself in the sunny, autumn, (almost) mountain air, I again somewhat spontaneously decided to drive the couple of miles up the road to Amicalola Falls. I knew there was a playground there with swings, which are always a hit with my two, and I thought it might be fun for Elsa to see the falls. The swings were, indeed, definitely a hit, and we played there for quite some time. Then we first drove to the top of the falls, but I did not even get the girls out, as you cannot see much unless you walk down a little ways, and I just did not want to try that by myself. So we drove back to the bottom and then to the base of the falls. The trees have grown up and filled in so much that it is much more difficult to see the falls than it used to be, but it was enough to be satisfied before the trip home.

What a day. It could have only been made perfect with Daddy along for the ride. But us girls certainly made the most of it.