I am WAY BEHIND with my blogging, but I am going to try and make an effort to get caught up this next week. I'll start with the Pumpkin Patch. Those of you that keep up with my blog on a regular basis might remember how last year I talked about how stressful it was trying to get a perfect picture of the kids with all of the Pumpkins and I think I even said that this year I wasn't going to be so crazy about trying to get the "Perfect Picture" I was just going to let the kids have fun and hope that I get a good one. I wasn't exactly as laid back as I would have liked to have been, but I really did try and no one left stressed out. I do feel like I took a big step by telling Bailey Yes when she asked if she could wear her hair down. I have very few pictures where her hair is not fixed and where she is not wearing a bow. Baby Steps.......
This year they had moved the pumpkins to a different location and I wasn't exactly thrilled that it backed up to a day care center. Not only did I not want a daycare center in my background, but as soon as Kinley spotted the slide, she was chompin' at the bit to get over there. I did manage to get a few pictures taken before the kids lost interest. My camera is also giving me a hard time and picks and chooses when it will actually take the picture and if it will come out clear or not.
This is how the conversation with my kids and some conversations in my head went.
Me - Smile Guys. The sooner I get a good picture, the sooner you can run around.
In my head- Why did I have them sit here. Did I not see that the daycare center would clearly be in my picture?
Me - Kinley, Please let Mommy get some good pictures and I'll buy you some Candy on our way home.
Bailey- Mom I can't sit on this pumpkin, the stem is hurting my butt.
Kinley- Candy, Candy, Candy
Me- Good Job Kinley, Oh wait, you have one eye closed in the picture. Let's try again.
Me - You're doing so good Kinley. Ahhhh, why aren't my pictures coming out clearer. Let's try one more time.
Me- Say Cheese!
Kinley - Candyyyyyyy!!!!!
This would have been THE PICTURE, but as I push the button, it doesn't take and before I can push it again Kinley has decided she has had enough and escapes.
I decide to take this opportunity to take pictures of Colton and Bailey together. I think this picture is so sweet.
Kinley is back, but she is refusing to look at the camera until I produce some candy.
Me- " Kinley, I don't have the candy with me, but if you will look at me so I can take a picture we will go and get the candy." Kinley- "Ohhhhhhh!!!! " She's starting to get it...
Kinley spying on the kids running around at the daycare center.
While Kinley was occupied, I decided to take some individual pictures of Colton and Bailey.
It's so nice that they are old enough now to know that I will hold them hostage until they give me the smile I want. One snap and we're done.....or so I thought. Bailey asked me if she could pose the way she wanted to so I said sure.
This is how she posed.
Me- "Bailey, you are 8 years old and sitting in a Pumpkin Patch, not 28 years old sitting on the Beach posing for Sports Illustrated."
Bailey - "What's Sports Illustrated?"
Me - "Never mind, just please quit trying to look older than you are."
I look up to check on Kinley and she is no longer in the tree where I left her, but at the top of the fence with one leg over and about to make a leap for the daycare center playground.
Me- "KINLEY, NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kinley Trying desperately to get that other leg over before I can get to her. I'm thinking as I'm running towards her, I need to take a picture of this, but if I do I won't get there in time and I will be that Mother who has to yell over the fence to the Daycare workers (who by the way have nothing to do with this Pumpkin Patch) "Can you please get my kid? She's the one running around over there with those 50 other kids trying to get away from me."
There was some fit throwing and I won't say that there weren't a few little pumpkins that got tossed around in the process, but then she came back to us and Smiled Pretty.
Me- "Kinley, did you find the Pumpkins that you want to take home?"
Kinley - "KINEY'S PUMPKINS!" I know I left out the L in her name, but she doesn't pronounce it so i didn't write it.
Me - "Does everybody have the Pumpkin they want on the table?"
Kids - "Yes"
Me - " Will you guys please take one more picture in front of the wagon and I promise this will be it! I won't make you take another picture."
I didn't even look at the Picture until after I got home. I giggled when I pulled them up on the Computer and saw Bailey's eye. Was she falling asleep or did one eye have a late reaction when she blinked??? She couldn't do that again even if she tried.
These were taken on the front porch when we got home. I'm sure their cooperation had nothing to do with the fact that I now had candy and was waving it over my head as I was snapping the picture.
Well, Colton's lost interest...Time to go in!
When we got home, Kinley had a package in the mail from my Mom and Dad. She is obsessed with Mickey Mouse and loved her new shirt.
I told the kids they could decorate their pumpkins if they wanted to and of course they jumped on the opportunity. Luckily for me no carving or mess was involved :)
Here's Colton's Sheriff Pumpkin
Kinley's Owl (Someone has to buy the not so pretty pumpkins, right?)
Bailey's Cat
Our Front Porch decoration is complete!
I love Fall and if the weather would gets it's act together and produce some cooler days, I would love it even more.
