Pumpkin Patch 2013

This Saturday, we met our favorite Boise people--Uncle Chris, Auntie Ali, and Grady--at Linder Farms.  

Pumpkin Patch visits have always been a special Fall tradition for the Whitfields.  (Check out these previous visits: 2010, 2011, 2012).  The farm visits are a favorite for many reasons: the incredible natural beauty this time of year, the absolutely adorable scenes of young children trekking through the mud to find a pumpkin that weighs more than they do, the easy access to warm donuts and cider, the great photo opportunities that arise.... but for me and Doug, these visits are especially significant because they mark one of the most wonderful seasons of excitement and anticipation and joy: the build up to Sophie's birthday.  

sheer excitement at all the tractors!! 

more tractors!!

This year, on the cusp of Sophie's 4th birthday, I couldn't help but recall how our talkative 11 month-old daughter crawled through the mud on her first visit to the farm looking for her first"boo-kin".  And then, I have beautiful images etched in my memory of her sitting in a wheelbarrow while Doug pushed her through the pumpkins.  This year's visit to the farms didn't disappoint.  I got to watch my girl (not a baby, not a toddler, just a normal, little girl) walk through the farm with her Daddy. I got to see her being loved by her Auntie and Uncle.  And I got to see two little boys (who deserve their own post to document their cuteness) toddle through the pumpkins and squeal with joy at the tractors and trucks.

Muscle Man 

Muscle Woman

such a sweet, curious, and joyful nephew

I flashed forward in my mind to imagine the cousins as teenagers picking out pumpkins, rolling their eyes at their incredibly hilarious parents, politely smiling for "just one more photo" to appease me, and ultimately appreciating this wonderful fall tradition.  

cute trouble 

at home with our new pumpkins!

Our neighborhood celebrates Halloween with a big party, a large corn maze in the farm, pumpkin decorating and carving contests, scarecrow building nights, and home decorating contests. While we are not in the running for an award for "Scariest House", we did add somebody new to our decor this year: 

Meet Bones, the dog

 

practicing snow-shovelling

 

sunset view from our home

Happy, happy fall from the Whitfield 4.

D and E to NYC

Doug and I spent a couple days in NYC this past week to celebrate the wedding of some special friends.  This trip was "a big deal" because it marked the first time we had left both kids for multiple days/nights with a non-family member.  Fortunately, the kids stayed home with the most amazing babysitter, and they had a blast.  TRANSLATION: Daddy and Mommy could truly relax knowing that Cameron and Sophie were in wonderful hands.  

And, relax we did.  

After taking a red eye to NYC, we immediately put on our running shoes and ran across the Brooklyn Bridge.  Naturally, this morning run was followed by two FULL days of eating and drinking our way through Manhattan.  

ending the night (or actually, welcoming the early morning...) with some pizza

The Friday night wedding was probably the most spectacular wedding I've ever attended.  From the views of the NYC skyline from the rooftop ceremony to the incredible food and drink throughout the evening to the fun dancing with friends to the after party... this wedding lived up to the hype and to the excitement that'd been building for months as we planned this trip.  

on the luxury bus being transported to the wedding

view from the ceremony

my excitement when I saw the sushi bar to kick off the cocktail hour

D and E!!

"This is amazing!'

More D and E Love

happy to be reunited with old college friends

It was also VERY fun throughout our trip in NYC to tell waitresses, taxi drivers, old and new friends that yes, we lived in Idaho.  "Idaho?" "bleep-ing Idaho??" "Why?"

I loved my time with my D to sit over long meals and to explore the city from bar to bar....but boy, were we happy to return to "bleep-ing Idaho" and to our babies!