Will's First Field Trip - The Pumpkin Patch

Right before school started this year, Will became increasingly upset because he didn't want to grow up and be a big kid. (At this point, I decided it was probably time to quit telling him I wanted him to stay my baby forever and never grow up.) We were able to convince him that it is okay to grow up and go to the "big kid" class by telling him about all the wonderful things he was going to learn. We finally convinced him it would by okay when we told him that being in the "big kid" class means he is now in the only class at school to get to go on FIELD TRIPS.

Finally, at the end of October, it was time for his FIRST field trip. The school normally goes to a local church's pumpkin patch for story time and each child receives a very small pumpkin as a souvenir. This year, the church wasn't able to accomodate our group when we called to make our reservation. Instead, the school was able to arrange for our children to pick pumpkins at a local farm. I was worried that it wasn't going to be as neat as the usual field trip, but it turned out even BETTER. This is a real working farm where they grow their own fruits and vegetables, not just some plot of land where they bring in pumpkins and scatter them around.

Not only did the kids get to pick pumpkins right from the vines that were grown right there, the owner also gave them a complete tour.

The Farm

Mrs. "Farmer" Took the Kids on a Tour

Here they are, looking at the pepper plants.

Which pumpkin should I choose? Will needed to pick two pumpkins, one for him and another for sister. He got carried away, though and tried to bring home four or five. Daddy made him put all except two of them back.

Here is one for sister!

Once the pumpkins were picked and the tour was over, the kids stopped to have a picnic. Afterward, Mrs. "Farmer" let the kids pick grape tomatoes right from the vine. Will knows I love tomatoes, so he picked a bunch and brought them home, just for me. I may not ask him not to grow up anymore, but he will always be my sweet baby boy.