Pumpkins through the years...

 I make no secret that I love this time of year...the changing colors of the trees...the cooler weather...and the PUMPKINS!  I also really love Halloween.  I hate to admit it sometimes, but it's one of my fav "holidays".  I feel sort of heathen-istic saying that. haha :)  But it does come after Easter if that makes any difference :)  At any rate, I thought it'd be fun to see pics of us getting pumpkins or at pump. patches through the years.  I don't have pics from the first two years of our parenting...mostly b/c I know that in 2000 I forgot to get Hailey a pumpkin and I figured out that shopping for one ON the 31st was not a good idea. I could only find a gourd that thankfully to a 10 month old could pass for a pumpkin. Plus I worked that night (as a nurse) so I didn't even get to spend her first Halloween with her. Somehow she survived :)  In 2001 I have no idea what we did either as far as pumpkins...we were in Bloomington, but we probably just shopped at Kroger for one.  But above is 2002 when Hays was 2...we went out to Bedford (our neighboring hick-city) and their orchard Applacres had a cute little "patch" by the road.  Wasn't lil' "punkin" Hays cute?! :)

 In 2003 we went to our first patch near Indy (Watermans off 37) and picked our first "fruit from the vine".  We decided that was much better than grocery store/pre-picked ones :)

 I was pg with Shelb this year...but WHAT was I thinking with those overalls and hairdo?  Golly!

 In 2004 lil' Shelb was just 5 mos old...I have no idea if we went to a patch or not...I can't find pics and can't for the life of me remember...

 In 2005...Ash was a busy girl at this patch experience :) (Bloomy Freeman Family Farm?)...Nina was here from FL this year too...

 In 2006 our church had its first patch to raise money for missions...ever since then it's been a fun tradition...

Nina and Pops were also here this year and we went to Freeman Family Farm...

 In 2007 Dylan apparently liked to bite b/c all the pics I have of him at this patch he is trying to bite Shelby.  This was the year their was a drought and not any pumpkins as you can see by the bare field...I think this was our local Freeman Family Farm too...

 In 2008 we went to our SOCC (church) pump. patch...I'll let you decide if 1 month old baby Ash liked it...

 I think she liked this one better...it was warmer this day (2008)...at our Freeman Family Farm...this was the year we got to the farm and they were throwing Kroger pumpkins out there. Not quite the authentic experience, but it was comical :)

 In 2009...we went to Beasley's in Danville with Nina and Poppy Stegs.

 In 2010 we went to the other Waterman's patch in Indy...

....we also went to our church patch...

 I loved 2011...we had our first combo experience with a patch and an apple orchard at Hubers Winery

 And last year in 2012 we went to our church patch again...and below to our sad lil' local patch (Fowler) last year. We just ran out of time and I was too stinkin' tired and big and pg to want to waddle elsewhere. 

So, there's a lil' stroll down pumpkin patch lane. I know I probably missed some pics b/c I know Nina and Poppi G. were at at least one other time when it was super cold and we went to that Indy patch.  I hope maybe next year they can join us again...b/c this truly is my fav time of year in Indiana.  Today we plan to go on our 2013 trip to a patch.  I think we might venture out and try a new place.  We have a sick baby who's mighty grumpy so we'll see how this experience goes!