Leaves!

The first tree has started dumping leaves in the back yard and when you look up you can hardly tell any are missing. It's going to be crazy.  Last night I wanted to drive half an hour and pay $30 for us to go to a  kiddy corn maze with lots of games.  Brian wisely voted for playing in the leaves in the back yard.  A first for all of us.

Surprisingly, Esme was quite serious and uptight about it while Eli was the opposite.  "Noooo" she'd say grumpily and start picking the leaves off her coat.

Brian shielding her

She did perk up when she got the idea to get Eli back.

Eli, on the other hand...   

loved rolling around and getting buried.

We got more excitement and expression out of him than we have in a long time.

Then was my turn.

Pumpkin Patch

I feel like a genius for having us go to the pumpkin patch last night, it was so much fun. It was a first for our little family and luckily we found a great one (Mabey's in South Jordan). I love supporting mom and pop operations; it was so small-town you just knock on their front door when you've made your selection and are ready to pay. She eye-balled our loot and said "$15." We were a little worried we about getting carried out there and had no way to track weight, plus I remember my sister saying something about spending $50 for a couple of pumpkins at a patch once, must've been in Berkley.

Eli searched patiently for small ones he could point out as "babies" and I was looking for beautiful ones while Brian kept mentioning the type good for eating. I'm so practical they will all, but one jackolantern, will end up as mush in due time.