We're down with W.P.P...

...yeah, you know me...

Walter's Pumpkin Patch, that is.

Only the best.pumpkin.patch.EVER!

Alternately Titled: The One Where I Upload A Million 62 Pictures and Ramble About How Awesome it is to live in Kansas {for 7 Weeks Each Fall}...

Tyler and I discovered it on a whim back in 2006, the first fall we lived in Kansas. Even though there were several patches closer to where we lived, something compelled us to make the drive up to Burns, KS, and so began our crazy infatuation with Walter's. I believe we've gone at least twice every year, and this year we broke down and bought season passes. In short, expect to hear more about Walter's this fall!

I will say that it is an odd feeling for me to visit the pumpkin patch when it is 90 degrees. Just sayin'...

There's something to be said for fall weather in KS. Consider this- Walter's is open for about seven weekends each year. We've visited Walter's in 90+ degree weather, with tank tops, shorts, and flip-flops. We've also frozen our butts off at Walter's, decked out in full-on winter gear and still finding it hard to enjoy ourselves. Yeah.

There are tons of neat attractions, and each year brings new additions, which is always exciting. It's basically a casual photographers paradise, with beautiful fall scenery and plenty of spots to take that "must have shot" each year.

Sassy was so excited:



Little A wore the same bird dress Sassy wore last fall, sans the undershirt:



Had to pay a visit to The Shabby Shed:



And, who can resist these things??



Sassy loves running across the baled hay. She gets faster and faster every fall!



Sometimes, I find myself inadvertently recreating moments through photography. Like this one- I felt compelled to suggest that Tyler take Little A on a walk over the hay bale with the pretty sky in the background. I was trying to get the angle just right- the perfect amount of sky and horizon. I think I've been there before. For now, until I get my hard drive recovered, the memory will only be mine...



The Pillow Jumper is always a big hit. Now, if only I had an extra 10K+ lying around...



Inside the barn, there is a giant vat of corn for the kids the kids and Tom to play in. Every year, I am intrigued with the entire concept, but not enough join in. One of these years...



Tyler had to act in his inner-child, and climb the net up into the risers of the barn...



Sassy mastered the tunnel slide inside the hill this fall. Little A went down a time or two with Dad, but was mostly content as an observer:



Then, we swung...



...and swung...



...and swung.



I don't mean to sound hokey, but is there anything more beautiful than moments like this in a place like this? Um... no. Not really. Not to me.

Sassy and Little A took a ride on the teeter totter. Is that the correct spelling? Guess we'll find out. Anyway, it's a pretty good one. Lynzee and I may or may not have taken a turn earlier in the day, and tom may or may not have snapped a few pictures while we did. Pictures that I am sure will surface somewhere in some dusty corner of facebook. Ah, well...



We made our way over to a part of the far, that we hadn't visited before. The girls led the way across Kansas' newest swinging bridge and over to some giant tire climbers...



Then, there was this little carousel pulley thing that had tire horses for the girls to sit on. Once they were seated, Ty pulled them around in a circle. They thought it was pretty neat!



We walked over to the playground portion of the farm, and I turned towards Sassy and away from Little A for around 13 seconds. This is what I saw when I returned my gaze towards that little stinker...



Little A proceeded to obsess over the cat the entire time we were at the playground, caring only about chasing him, attempting to pull his tail, and in general making his life miserable. Yeah.

Poor cat.

Meanwhile, Sassy found lots to keep her busy, and we even managed a decent, albeit a bit comical, family picture...



After a while, Sassy led the way back up the steps in the hill to the front of the farm, where we planned our second attempt at "How Tall This Fall" pictures.



We took a few nice ones right as we entered, only to realize that the sign still read 2009, not 2010. Now, we couldn't have that, could we? So, we tried again. A bit more flushed and dirty, but still cute...



For whatever reason, it seems as though I am just not growing any taller as the years pass. BOO!

Then we had an entire Little-A-climbing-in-the-swing-by-herself debacle. Of course, I captured the entire string of events with my camera. Hy-sterical!



At this point, she finally called out for help. Stubborn, stubborn girl.



Ty tried to get a picture of the three of us (isn't it amazing how little us mamas ever make it into a picture with our kids? Weird.) but I was too concerned for Little A's safety, and she was too concerned with preventing me from supporting her (did I mention she's stubborn?), so no dice.



We went past The Shabby Shed again, and saw a ginormous spider sitting in a web one side. I freaked the hell out and Tyler spent the next 5 minutes berating me for being scared by a fake spider. An argument ensued over said spider until Tyler finally poked it, and guess what...



IT MOVED!

I ♥ it when I'm right... except when it involves huge, scary spiders proving their rightful place in nature and not as some Halloween prop.

No trip to the pumpkin patch would be complete without a stop at concessions for some pumpkin juice and a pumpkin cookie! Sassy wanted a pumpkin cup this year, and Little A opted for the red one- I thought it was a red pepper, Tyler thought it was a tomato (apparently we like to argue over meaningless things) and Tom & Lynzee had a fantastic time making fun of us once it was established that the cup obviously represented an apple. Makes sense.



Gotta ♥ how dirty the kids get after a day at the pumpkin patch!



Mmmm....




Cute, dirty sweet pea #2:



Last, but not least, we did some picking. Choosing, rather. We decided to wait until our next visit to take a trip out the the patch and pick our pumpkins. Instead, each of the girls were allowed to choose 3 gourds to bring home and place on the kitchen table for fall decoration:



Oh, and we bid farewell to the witch at Witchy's Place... always a fun time!



Thanks for sticking with me, readers. I only get to experience this excitement for a small period of time each year. please bare with me this fall... there will most likely be more posts and more pictures from Walter's!



So long, dear pumpkin patch. We ♥ you. Until we meet again...