Changing time of year...

Sophia in a barrel of pumpkins!

Sunflower Labyrinth

It's finally Fall! Though some days it is still feeling like summer around these parts! All the clues are here to tell us it really is Fall; The leaves are beginning to change color, the pumpkin candles are burning, we can finally leave the doors open during the day to let in the nice fresh air(without melting), and when we wake up in the morning, the air is so crisp and cold I just want to cuddle under the blankets a little longer. But the biggest clue that Fall is here: Trips to Bishop's Pumpkin Farm.

Sophia, and I, have been lucky enough to experience this Fall Wonderland two times already in the past couple weeks! The first time, a few weeks ago, was opening weekend! Grandma Mary had Bishop's Bucks and we couldn't let them go to waste! So Grandma Mary, Aunt Carly, Sophia and I headed out bright and early on opening day. Upon arriving, we trudged the stroller through the field parking lot, and were immediately greeted at the gates by barrels full of pumpkins of all colors, bright orange, almost pink, green and even white.

Sophia picking her sunflower

Sophia, Mommy and Auntie Carly

We first found the sunflower labyrinth. A brightly colored maze full of yellow, orange and red sunflowers, and buzzing with bees. After roaming around the flowers, we each got to cut one and bring it home with us. They made a perfect autumn bouquet for Aunt Carly's kitchen! Next we wandered over to the gift shops. The gift shops make me want to decorate my home with all of the cute decorations and wall hangings, for EVERY season. Such cute things...but the price tags bring me back to reality. So we wandered around, savoring in the fact that Sophia is in a stroller this year, sure that next year we will be having entirely different conversations while in there...probably something along the lines of "Keep your hands down. These brightly colored beautiful things do not belong to Sophia!"

Stepping out of the gift shop we could smell all the tell-tale smells of Fall; Cinnamon, carmel, pumpkin and apple sweetness. So we wandered over to Mrs. B's Bakery, where we watched the women in the bakery rolling the giant balls of caramel corn, pulling the pumpkin loafs out of the oven, placing cookies on trays for the windows, and we just had to have a taste! So we got a couple of the pumpkin-apple muffins, thanks to Grandma Mary's Bishop Bucks. Sophia had her first taste of pumpkin muffin and loved it!

From there, we wandered over to the train and took a ride. Sophia did such a good job sitting on my lap through the whole ride. We rode the train around the farm, and the only time I sensed a little nervousness from Sophia was when we entered the tunnel. She gripped both of my hands tight and sat still. Then we were in the clear. She watched as we passed the walnut orchard, the ponies, the pumpkin fields, and scarecrow contests, very inquisitive to each of the approaching scenes.

And then we were done. But I know the obvious question is looming. "Why go to Bishop's if you're not getting a pumpkin? And you missed the baby animals." But we didn't. Matthew was participating in the Craftsman for Christ Golf Tournament that morning and wasn't able to join us. So, we promised no pumpkins, and no petting the animals without him. That was to wait for another time!Measuring how tall Sophia is!

Mae-Mae & Sophia

So, we waited! And Sophia and I got our second trip to Bishop's this weekend! After having such an easy time going in the morning, we decided we'd do the same this weekend. So we packed up bright and early, and waited for Grandma Sue, Grandpa Whit and Auntie Alisha (aka-our photographer for the day!). This morning, the parking lot had their signs up so we would remember where we parked, and we were guided to Goose Bump Lane! So we loaded up the stroller, and again trudged through the field to the entrance. We took almost the same course, going first to the sunflower labyrinth. But with two full weeks between the first trip and this, the sunflowers had lost their brilliance. They were still there, and still beautiful, but beginning to wilt, and not swarming with as many bees! So we hunted and hunted for our flowers, looking for just the right color combination to make the beautiful fall bouquet! There's just something about fresh flowers on the table that make me feel happy!

Grandpa Whit, Sophia and Daddy looking for the perfect sunflower!

Exploring the petals!

We then strolled over to train ride, and took some pictures with a big pumpkin while Matthew got our tickets for the train. Sophia was so interested in the grass that it was hard to get her attention, but she finally discovered the giant pumpkin! We parked the stroller and boarded the train. This time, Sophia sat with Grandma Sue and Grandpa Whit. And just as before, she was very content watching each new scene as it approached.

On the train ride

Playing with the giant pumpkin

From the train we wondered over to the farm animal petting area. Mama pig had her piglets about two weeks ago so we watched the babies lounging in a big pile on top of eachother! They were so cute. And we saw the baby goats jumping into the feeding troughs chowing down on the straw. But the animal that caught Sophia's attention the most were the two geese. I know, geese?! Not the cutest, but watching her sit up in the stroller and stare at these geese was so cute. And then it was apparent at why she liked these strange animals. She began her talking, her mouth tried so hard, and she muttered "dck" That's right, her love for the rubber ducky transfered to these strange, long necked birds. And how she made that association, I will never know...I'm constantly amazed at how her brain works!

And then it was pumpkin time! So we headed over to the hay ride! I was a little nervous about how Sophia would do on the back of the flatbed, hay covered tractor. So we grabbed the whole diaper bag in case of a meltdown. She sat very content in my lap, bouncing her legs up and down in the hay. She was totally calm the whole way out to the field; bouncing past all of the orchards, past the fields of pumpkins not quite ready for pickin' and then it happened; She concked out. That's right, just as we came rolling to a stop, her head flopped over and she was out. So...the pumpkin hunting was left up to Matthew as I held Sophia trudging through the field. (But I'll be honest, I soaked up every second of it, becuase, as we all know, the times that she will sit still in our arms are long, long gone!) Auntie Alisha, Grandma Sue and Grandpa Whit all hunted through the thousands of pumpkins to find the right "Sophia Pumpkin." Which sounds like an easy task, but after a little bit of rain earlier in the week, many of the pumpkins had softened from sitting on the wet ground, and were deceiving until you rolled them over! But the hunt was successful, Auntie found a big one acorss the patch and carried the big thing back to us! So, Sophia got a big pumpkin for our house and a tiny, baby sized pumpkin for Grandma Sue and Grandpa Whit's house. Even Auntie found a pumpkin to bring home.

So, I'm sure you'll be seeing pictures of Sophia and the pumpkin carving in the coming weeks! Stay tuned!