Pumpkin patch-ing

Frances’s school class took their first official field trip this week – to one of our local pumpkin patches.  Parents were invited and I somehow snuck George in under the radar, so we were able to make it a family affair.

For weeks, Frances was beside herself with anticipation about riding the school bus to the pumpkin patch – this was by-far the highlight of the day.

Frances and her equally excited best friend, Carissa, holding hands as they get on the bus

As we drove out to the patch, rain spit on my windshield and I pleaded to the weather goddesses to hold off at least until naptime.  Thankfully, they listened and it turned out to be a cloudy, windy, but fairly dry morning.

We started with the hayride to the pumpkin patch:

Followed by pig races (welcome to the South everyone!):



George's favorite, by far



Water balloon slingshots:

Rubber duck races:

Playing in corn:



The entire class, plus little brother



Feeding goats:

And finally lunch!:

I was nervous about tagging along on Frances’s first field trip, much less with the unpredictable George in tow.  But it could not have gone better.  Her friends are adorable and the entire morning was much less chaotic than I had assumed it would be – they actually all listen incredibly well, are sweet natured (particularly to the little bro in attendance) and are just generally well behaved (and I can say this with confidence after watching some of the other visiting school classes yesterday).  But truthfully I worried most that Frances would feel embarrassed to have her mom as a witness to the trip—that it would be too hard on her to have her home and school worlds collide.  But none of this seemed to faze her.  She hugged me and played with George on occasion, but then seamlessly skipped along with her classmates to the next activity.  I know the humiliation phase is (likely) fast approaching, but I am happy to report to-date we are an eye-roll, hands-on-hips, overly-dramatic-sigh, and foot-stomping free household. 

And until then, I will gladly soak up as much of this smile as I possibly can:

Happy Thursday!