moms group and pumpkin patch (two thumbs up)

I recently joined a moms group that is specifically for moms in our city, instead of being from the general area. Lately, I've been feeling displaced from our community. With two other major cities connected so closely, it's easy to make friends through an organization (primarily our church which is 20 minutes away) and then have to drive 20-40 minutes to see them. More and more, I've been looking for ways to connect with moms that live near us. A quick google and facebook search led to this mom's group so I decided to check it out.

It's quite the organized group with membership fees (pretty minimal), mom's night out events, and organized events for the kids along with smaller weekly playgroups. We probably won't be able to attend every event because man it seems like there are a lot of them (no complaints - it's nice to have the option). We did get to go to one of the organized kids event last week that was so.much.fun.

There is a pumpkin patch just north of our community, probably only five minutes away. We met some of the other families out there to play the games, go on a carriage ride (with Clydesdale horses), visit their mini petting zoo, and pick out a small pumpkin to take home.

But don't let that seemingly simple list fool you. It was so much fun. They had a ton of different games (like 10 varieties of bean bag toss) with playground equipment, mini golf, a mini maze, hay bales set up all over to climb and slide down, covered wagons to play in and around, a huge checkers board, a huge connect four game, and a mini haunted walk for toddlers (not scary, but fun for them to walk through). On top of it all, this farm is right on the river so there were a lot of old trees and it was a perfect fall day with a light breeze and cool but not freezing temps. It was a very pretty setting.

Do you see how wonderful this place was? The girls loved it. I'm sure we'll go back year after year.

Life size Connect Four:

Mini golf:

Covered wagon, which we lovingly referred to as Laura Ingalls Wilder's home:

Sweet tire horses that kind of blew the girls' minds:

On the wagon ride with the huge Clydesdales. Of course the girls had to sit right in the front:

A bunch of toddlers from the moms group:

The girls with their take-home pumpkins (Audrey was so excited to pick one out but it was  hard to find one she could actually pick up):