Mr Potato Head courtesy of Uncle Ben and Auntie Emma, Pirate add on from Mum — artwork by Thomas. If you look closely you’ll see that everything is positioned perfectly just so that the parrot on top has a “tree” to sit in. This is no haphazard sculpture – there’s a strategy behind it.

It’s October which means a trip to the Pumpkin patch. Thanks to a little organization from or daycare provider, we were earlier this year. Definitely the way to go. Fewer people, (much) less mud and pumpkins that are not yet rotting. We had a great time flinging pumpkins with a slingshot, climbing a hay bale pyramid and making our way through a couple of mini mazes. The kids had a great time together and the parents secretly enjoyed it to.

This is my children of the corn shot – Thomas and his friend Evan running through the mini corn maze.

Of course I also had to take a photo or two in the flower farm. I had meant to take some home but a sudden downpour right before we decided to leave sucked the motivation to pick my own flowers. I did manage to get this beautiful photo before the heavens opened, however. I just adore sunflowers. Until they die and people leave them as crusty brown stems in their front yards. I don’t like that.

And to finish the busy day, I took the boys to a mini party held by our friends Laurie and Tim. Kei stayed at home to finish painting Thomas’ room while I caught up with old friends and marvelled at how we have progressed from a group of five couples with four pregnant bellies to five families with a combined total of 9 children. In about 3 and a half years. Yes, our get togethers are certainly more noisy but it is so much fun to see the kids playing together – in this case wrestling. Thomas always seemed to end up on the bottom of the pile – under a girl. In fairness though, Ava is very feisty.