pumpkins for my punkin

Last weekend it was hot air balloons and monkeys and sea lions and state fair animals; this weekend we ventured North to Black Forest to play at a pumpkin patch. Miah selectively remembered the little horse that nipped at her and held her free arm behind her back every time we introduced her to a farm animal. Except for the rabbits of course. Mark and I petted the sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, the alpaca, and even the camel while Miah laughed at us, hand tucked as far away as possible. We did, however, get her to ride the pony for a few turns. The first time around she grinned over the ponies at her dad and said, "Whee!"

Then Mark laughed at me while I bumped along in a barrel train to keep Miah company. I really should have just walked beside the train like I had planned, but instead I squeezed in and over the sides of the barrel car. We raced rubber duckies, Mark gave me a lesson at lassoing (boy am I glad he didn't have a video camera), and then we raced each other down a 100' slide.

I learned that Miah likes slides even more than her mom. She wore me out! We walked away with three smallish pumpkins that I thought I could use for cooking: my little punkin LOVES pumpkin. Using fresh pumpkin for cooking is new to me, and I'm a little skeptical about the yellow hue to pumpkin I baked tonight, but we'll see if I can't make an edible soup out of it.

"Look Mom, I found one for you."