I've been quite remiss about including posts with pictures lately, so this post will help to balance things out - very photo heavy!
Thanks to dear Lydia reading my blog this week, she determined we were heading to a pumpkin patch near her home and it led to pre-pumpkin patch visit to her new home in Silverton.
I don't often deal with contentment/envy issues, but today was one of those days where I thought....if we were to start all over - and had no connections to any sort of community tying us down - this would definitely be the sort of place I'd want to live. (Along with Sunriver.....I'm constantly longing for a "life transplant" there too).
Her home is located in this gorgeous neighborhood within a cozy small-town locale. Her home has access to the park through a path literally across the street - and even the deer love to call the place home.
Long story short, I'm so thrilled for Lydia and her family. Lydia is on the far left in this picture, with Kelly - another one of our "gang of 7" Western Oregon alum who was also visiting today. Double score! In the following picture, you see Lydia's oldest daughter, Alyssa, along with Hannah, Kelly's daughter.
It was a wonderful visit, albeit short - as the pumpkin patch was waiting.
As it turned out, we probably ought to have lingered at Lydia's for another couple of hours as immediately upon arriving at Willamette Valley Fruit Company, the rain really started coming down. We began with choosing our pumpkins...
Eventually the rain lessened, to allow for a bit more fun taking in all of the activities at this Harvest-time playground.
On to the corn maze - thanks to the weather - it was MUDDY!!! Fortunately, none of us had any falls to get completely covered, but leave it to Brayden - he found ways to occupy his boredom as we got lost within the maze.
This is Michele, showing us her despair at being lost amid the cornstalks....
And some similar sentiments from the girls...
Ah, that's a better smile!!!
We let the boys find their own "faster" way out and once we finally emerged victorious - we found them in the corn pit. (Yes, this is the post where I acknowledge....what was I worried about regarding my son growing up too fast.....?!)
Nice....really nice boys......
A final happy shot of Ellie manning the "Rubber Ducky Races"....
This place is home to some of the best frozen berries and pies you can imagine. Before leaving we let the kids pick something out from the Farm Store. Nati chose the Marionberry pie and Michele and I were practically begging to "help her finish". Despite how great our homemade attempts have been in the past, we're at the point of reconsidering "homemade" for the holidays after Nati gave us each "itty-bitty" bites.
Just the kind of day we all needed, thank you to the school districts for allowing us this fun day off!
Steph-so glad you were able to stop by. Loved seeing all of you, and can hardly believe how old all of our kids are now. We feel so lucky to be in this great spot, and every day just look around and in disbelief that we are in our final home!! Hey, did you know that the Willamette Valley Fruit pies are the recipe that my Aunt Marie started years ago as LaSuisse. She sold out her business to these great neighbors who were growing the fruit and trying to find a way to use their own berries. Wonderful people. In fact, Jennifer Bulgin from Western married one of the Roth's that run WVF. Anyway, long story short, my mom never taught me to make pies because she made them with my aunt, and they were always so good that why would we make others??? Definitely the go to place for the holidays. Unfortunately, I just changed zip codes, so I don't get the neighbor discount anymore. I'll have to piggy back my orders with my mom's now. Thanks again for coming by. I'll start thinking of some reunion plans.
ReplyDeleteHow fun! I loved all of the pictures. What a great place. Luke and Lexi would have loved it. Luke spent the afternoon today trying to build a zip line in the backyard. What is it about ropes and pulley or two that inspires boys? =) I'm glad you had fun despite the rain.
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