And so it begins...: A Bug's Life Pumpkin Patch

The pumpkin patch marathon has begun...

Usually my sisters and I try to go to as many pumpkin patches as we can. As my children have gotten older this tradition has somewhat fizzled. They are just not as excited as they once were about finding the perfect pumpkin to carve. Thank goodness for August. He is excited about everything Halloween. Brent and I took a Friday to take August to a pumpkin patch. For our first pumpkin patch experience of 2013 we started out close to home at the Pumpkin Company pumpkin patch. As you will see in the pictures it is really close to Smith Rock. It created a wonderful backdrop for the day.

This year there was a Bug's Life themed corn maze and decor. August thought that was pretty cool. It was actually something he can relate to.

I love all the fun activities that go on at pumpkin patches. Here there was archery, pumpkin canons, corn maze, pony rides, animal house, train rides, and mini golf. We tried most of these activities. It was super fun. And soo fall. They used their produce to decorate.

Here, the entrance to the maze was very creative. I love it when places go all out on their decoration...
The giant bird that the bugs built in the movie was made into a giant play area with a slide.

There is my cute little bug, with the tickets for the maze!

We walked into the entrance of the maze and were greeted with oversized objects. We felt like little ants, ready to go into the maze :)

Brent was getting swatted!

August wanted to rescue the little mosquito

The giant bug zapper! So cool, I think it actually turns on at night like a black light

And...into the maze we go. Letting August take the lead.

We got pretty lost, and found our way back to the entrance, which happened to be right next to the exit. So we found it by default. Then we went over to the train. August chose to ride in the tiger car.

After playing in the hay, we went over to ride the ponies. August was a little scared at first. He kind of warmed up to it, but mostly he did it because Brent was able to walk with him. He kept a death grip on Daddy's shirt the whole time.

After ponies, we tried the pumpkin cannon. Again, August was a little less than enthusiastic about this. Daddy did it first, and showed him how it wasn't "scary". Then he was pretty excited to do it.

We decided to go check out the patch after shooting out acorn squash from the cannon. It was sad to see, but most of the pumpkins were rotting already. I think it is because of all the freezing weather. It is under 30 degrees at night and then around 70 degrees during the day...not pumpkin friendly weather I guess.
But Smith Rock looked amazing behind the fields of orange. It doesn't hurt that ORANGE is my favorite color.

We decided to get our pumpkin in their barn "market". First we made a stop to the Animal House to pet some goats and sheep.

August really wanted to pet the llamas, but they were not part of the "house". He decided to do what 4 year olds do best...beg, plead, and sit until he got his way. Thank goodness one of the llamas sensed my blood pressure rising and came to the fence for August to get a closer look and feel.

Now the hunt for the pumpkin. August walked around these pumpkins almost a hundred times. He found a reason why none of them were the right ones, until finally...(drum-roll please) he found his perfect pumpkin. Unfortunately it was huge, so daddy had to get the wheel-barrel to move it.