You all know Halloween is one of my FAVORITE holidays and this year we could really do it up because Jack is just starting to get old enough to enjoy it. Last year he was only 6 months and Arizona is still really hot this time of year. I didn't feel like taking a sleepy infant around to houses in the heat to get candy he couldn't even eat, so we stayed home and passed out candy to all the ghouls and goblins. But this year he's old enough to walk and have some fun.
I enlisted Max's help in finding a pumpkin patch that he could run around in and possible pick out his own little treasured pumpkin. He wasn't as excited because of the aforementioned heat but I promised we would go early and leave before nap time at noon so he agreed. There is a farm in Dewey, AZ called Mortimer Farms (which is near Prescott for those not familiar with the state) that he used to go to as a kid, he said it was huge and had lots of things to do and see.
I couldn't have been more exited.
We decided to go the weekend before Halloween weekend in hopes it wouldn't be as busy. And it worked out perfectly. We got there right as it was opening at 9AM. We lathered sunscreen on our palest of pale son and headed off towards the fun.
When you first walk in you come across some pigs.
This was so exciting for me that I'm pretty sure I left Jack and Max behind and elbowed a few children out of my way. But once they caught up we tried to get Jack to pet and touch the pigs but he was a little scared and decided to just watch his crazy his mother point and giggle :).
We kept walking down the path and came across an old tractor and some chickens.
Ever since Jack was little we have called him our chicken baby. Everyone was forced to buy us "gender neutral" baby items since we kept his gender a secret. This means we had a lot of animal themed things and chickens were a big hit. His favorite bath toys are chickens and he has a chicken towel. He also loves his farm books and toys the best. And if you remember his first birthday, you can sense a theme.
He didn't seem to love them as much in person though.
We continued on our way and walked across a cute bridge and over to the tractor hay ride.
Jack is obsessed with automobiles; cars, trucks, tractors, motorcycles, etc. Anything that has an engine. He's like a dog and tries to run after them which leads to some scary and eventful walks around the neighborhood.
The tractor ride was a huge hit and he couldn't get enough of it. We sat right up front so he could see it the whole time. He was mesmerized.
The tractor dropped us off at a corn maze. Max was less than enthusiastic about walking around in the heat with no shade and a toddler but I convinced him to do the easy trail that we were told kindergartners had done the week before.
This turned out to be our favorite part. It took about 10-15 minutes and Jack led the whole way! He ran down the path and played with some corn stalks and made sure we got out safe and sound. He was a very trustworthy, noble, and brave leader :).
We then circled back around toward the entrance and picked out our pumpkins. We got to pick them right off the vine! I've only ever picked ones that were already cut and displayed on some pretty hay stacks. But it was so fun to go pumpkin hunting!
We then took a quick turn on a jumpy platform and a pony ride. Jack felt mediocre about the pony ride but loved the jumpy platform. They allowed parents on which was a good thing and it meant I could give him a few good bounces to send him flying. His smile says it all :).
We left at 11:00AM on the dot. And got home just in time for nap time. Promise kept.
However; Jack did refuse to nap and kept us up and tired the entire rest of the day. But that's Jack's fault not mine :)
Now a few weeks later it was time for the big day. (you can read Lesser Places to see the super cool hike we went on in between Halloween events.)
A while back I decided Jack and I were going to be Ariel and Flounder. I had assumed Max would join in on the family costume and after much convincing and everything costing too much he agreed and dressed up as Prince Eric.
I also decided I was going to dye my hair red. I've always wanted red hair but too cheap to actually do it. I've used box dye before but always with the help of one of my high school friends. This time I did it myself. It was significantly more difficult not to mention I was a lot more nervous. It didn't come out quite as I pictured but it's still pretty cute. Next time I'll pony up the money though ;).
After work and a few pictures at our house we headed over to Max's parent's neighborhood since theirs is a lot nicer than ours. My mother-in-law came with us which was a big help with dealing with Jack, the wagon, and taking pictures.
Jack was nervous at first; he's always been a shy and timid baby. But he did throw a few smiles and walk up to some doors which out too much fuss. And for all the hippy-no candy worriers out there we only got 1 piece per place and he doesn't get to eat any of it. He's still a little too small. Maybe an M&M here or there and a lolly pop with supervision but it was more about the experience and excitement. And lets be real I was the most excited one out there ;).
We had so much fun enjoying Jack's first trick-or-treating and watching him try to figure out why everyone around him looked so funny.
I hope your holiday was just as enjoyable and extra SPOOOOOKY!
No comments:
Post a Comment