Fall Festivities

Wow!  It's been a busy October.  After Tim left, I figured we needed a few fall activities to brighten our mood, so Isaac and I packed up the car, grabbed Nana and Papa, and went to the Pumpkin Patch in Greenbrier.  It was a lot of fun, although unfortunately, it was hot that day!  Isaac got his face painted, and of course, instead of a pumpkin, he requested a beard and a mustache.  I would say that his favorite part of the day was the hayride on an orange tractor.  I didn't really think he was enjoying it very much, but as it turns out, it was just a look of sheer awe and amazement because he talked about that hayride for DAYS afterwards! 

Of course, the Pumpkin Patch trip made him want a pumpkin which of course, he requested that we make a jack-o-lantern.  Having never actually carved a jack-o-lantern myself, I of course, think it's the best idea EVER and run out to buy a cute little pumpkin.  Well, little did that cute little pumpkin know, but I was about to absolutely butcher it.  I got Isaac in his smock all ready and washed and commenced the carving.  Well, after about 20 minutes trying to get the top off, finally, it gives.  Isaac, having almost lost interest in the whole thing, refused to put his hand inside to get all the seeds out...which I thought was the fun part of the whole thing.  Anyway, he reluctantly agreed to using a spoon.  Well, after about 3 scoops, he was done.  I should have remembered that I was working with a 2 year old attention span!  Haha.  Anyway, after painfully getting all the seeds and strings out (well, most of the strings), I put Isaac to washing the seeds (we were going to bake them of course).  After a few rounds under the faucet, the pumpkin seeds were ready.  Isaac did a great job and only sacrificed about a fourth of the seeds on the floor.  After that, he was pretty much done with the whole thing and was ready to go play.  So, I was left to finish the task.  And, OH MY GOODNESS!  I was exhausted after that!  It was insane....I totally agree with my husband...carving a pumpkin is the most ridiculous tradition of our culture.  What a pain-staking experience to only have a goofy looking miniature pumpkin to put on your porch and never light because you're too lazy to go light it and blow it out every night.  Anyway, I now know that pumpkin carving is one fall activity that we can do without. 

Well, Isaac got one more chance on a hayride when his Aunt April invited us to go with her and Clem to Harriet, AR to the Sheperd of the Ozarks on a retreat with her church.  We had a blast riding on the hayride and seeing the animals at the petting zoo.  Unfortunately, we had to cut our trip short because Isaac got sick with a nasty 'ol ear infection.  But, not before we got a couple of great shots of the cousins.  I was so proud of Isaac.  He was such a wonderful big cousin.  He took care of Clem so well.  Always gentle, always careful, making sure that Clem was okay.  However, Isaac still has one problem with Clem.  Clem STILL doesn't have any teeth, and Isaac is really concerned about it.  In fact, on our way back home, I looked in the back seat to find Isaac making odd faces at Clem.  I asked him what he was doing, and he replied clearly, "I'm just showin' Clem how to get some teef."  I thought it was sweet of him to try to help his little cuz get some teef.  Anyway, I think that we may be on the mend now after a trip to the doc this morning, so hopefully, we'll have more fun fall activities to post soon. 

On a note about Tim, he is doing well, and will start the process of redeployment (which actually means coming home) very soon, which to us is not a moment too soon!  I'm so proud of Tim for what he has accomplished this year, and I'm so thankful that God has been with us throughout the year.  Oh, to have this behind us...what a great thought!