Pumpkin Patching.

When I am old and gray (which could describe me in two years or in thirty years), this is the type of morning I will think about. I can already see myself feeling nostalgic about days like this both when Everett goes off to kindergarten next year or when he goes off college. These are the kind of little adventures I will look back on fondly and miss from this season of life. 

We arrived at the pumpkin patch when it first opened, and we had the place all to ourselves. 

Everett is in a phase where he is a little scared of things he hasn't done before, so he wasn't sure about the hay ride and the corn maze, but he felt brave and went anyway. He loved them both so much. We were the only ones on the hay ride, and then the only ones in the corn maze. It was just the three of us. 

We fed some carrots to the goats, and then headed out to the field of pumpkins. While the kids were about to each choose their own from the patch, Everett said, "Mom, I have a great idea. Since we already bought pumpkins from the store, instead of buying pumpkins, let's go on the hay ride and in the corn maze again." I was totally fine with not purchasing expensive pumpkins, so we left the picturesque scene behind to go on another hay ride and corn maze adventure. Again, the three of us had it all to ourselves. The second time through the corn maze, Everett's goal was to find all the dead ends instead of make it out. Each time we made it to the exit, Everett turned around and pretended we were still lost, finding more turns that led to nowhere. Cambria and I happily followed his lead. 

We spent a few hours at the pumpkin patch, and upon returning to the car, we were all covered in dirt and it was magical. It's been a rough patch of parenthood for me lately, so I needed a day like this.

Sometimes I wonder why I quit my job to be a stay at home mom. By society's standards (and even my own standards), my life feels like it lacks purpose sometimes. But it is days like this, a quiet weekday morning, when it feels like we are on a special adventure just the three of us, that I know I am in the right space these days.

My determined little girl:

 This is his go to face these days:

 Everett wanted to take a photo of Cambria and me: