Pumpkin Hunting

Today was the day! 

Today we went on our annual Gilcrease Orchard trip to go pumpkin hunting.

It's a running joke between Joey and I that I have pumpkin addiction.

Because of this self proclaimed problem, I limited myself to filling only one wheelbarrow with pumpkins instead of two like I have done previous times!
I overfilled the wheelbarrow by ONE, so Joey generously carried it to the checkout line, which if you've been there before, you know it's a trek from the patch to the checkout area!!
He is a good man.

I find it funny how every year I'm drawn toward a different type of pumpkin.
Sometimes it's been the odd shaped ones, short ones, huge ones, small ones, or white ones.
Today it was mostly ones that were tall, a darker color orange, and had a thick sturdy stem.
{Tall, dark, and handsome} :)
I did manage to find ONE super cute greenish/white one that makes a nice statement amongst his dark orange counterparts.

 We learned something today! Not all the pumpkins that are sitting in the patch are grown there.
There would be no way they could grow enough to have the supply for all the people who go there to buy pumpkins.
It's cool.
There have been plenty of times when we did actually cut a pumpkin off of the vine there...almost did today, but our wheelbarrow was full!
Plus, just being able to walk through all pumpkin vines and flowers is super neat, I think.
It creates an experience unlike any other!

In years past we would all end up sweating our booties off walking around the patch, but today we were faced with a chilly wind and some fierce dust storms.

UGH.

Wind is the worst!

Despite all of that and the crazy amounts of people who were also there baring the wind, we had fun walking up and down the rows and rows of pumpkins hunting for "just the right ones."
Jojo and Bell were especially excited to look for pumpkins that would be the best for carving, which is maybe why we chose mostly tall ones!

Another big difference from years past was that Bell didn't have to use the bathroom!!!!
Now I know this sounds crazy, but this is a big deal for me because I get really really grossed out with having to use the outhouse bathrooms,
 No ventilation, no flushing, no sink.
NO THANK YOU!!
On our way home I even gave Bell a high five and a big thank you for not having to go to the bathroom while we were there.
I'm ridiculous, I know.


Interestingly enough, this is the one thing in my life that I have continually blogged about.

I am HUGE on traditions. 

My mom did an impeccable job of keeping traditions alive for Justin and I as we were growing up and even now continues some of them with Jojo & Bell.

I will always strive to keep this tradition alive!!
It makes my heart so happy.