Fall in NJ

Growing up in Texas, I don't remember ever having a pumpkin patch to go to. You just went to the store and bought a pumpkin. As much as I hate New Jersey in the winter, I equally love it in the fall. The leaves are absolutely beautiful! The air gets slightly crisp but not cold and all the farms have pumpkin picking, apple picking, hayrides and corn mazes. What fun!!

Saturday, I took the kids to Conte Farms in Tabernacle to pick pumpkins. The group we were with also wanted to go apple picking. So, although we didn't get any apples, we walked through the orchard with them and I used the opportunity to take pictures.

As always, my kids were angelic and absolutely loved posing for photos.

I think this next one is my absolute favorite. Hand someone a pitchfork and you have American Gothic. I love what my cousin, Lesley, had to say about it. She said it could be a literal depiction of Passive vs. Aggressive. Noah looks as if he is thinking, " Dear God, I'm a good kid. WHY, then must You punish me and require me to stand here and take pictures?" While Zoe is surely thinking, " Keep it up, lady and I'll make you EAT that camera!"

Noah and Zoe picked out their pumpkins and we posed with them. Afterwards, I had to carry those things out of the patch and wait for the wagon to come take us back up to the market. I kept wondering why I was being such a wimp and having to set them down and regrip them. They were just sliding out of my hands. When we weighed the pumpkins to pay for them, Noah's was 17.87 pounds, Zoe's was an even 18 pounds! Well, no wonder! I was schlepping thirty-six pounds of pumpkin around... ALONG with two kids, Zoe's backpack, a camera and a water bottle. Noah was really perturbed I made him carry the umbrella.

My handsome man:

Yeah... I'm cool!

Are we done with this nonsense yet?

After we paid for the pumpkins and put them in the van, we went back to the bakery where they had homemade apple cider doughnuts and apple cider! YUM! The kids both loved them and Zoe love the apple cider so much, I had to wrestle the cup back out of her hand so I could have a drink.

See her cider moustache?