We're moved in!

Not all unpacked, just moved in.

Which brings up the question: Why is it that I can't think of where I want to hang things until I am in bed at 11pm?  That is NOT the time to start pounding nails into the walls and yet... that is when I get the great ideas.

Sigh.  :->

Whew!

We sign the closing documents on Monday!  Praise the Lord, and pass me my own bed with the flannel sheets!
Ok, ok, it hasn't been terrible living with the parental units.  We are warm, dry, fed, etc.  It's just that I can only focus on one thing at a time and during the school year I feel guilty if I focus on something other than kiddo and work.
I'll post some before/after pics soon, but for now it's all about the MOVE!

Pumpkin Patch

I don't remember going to a pumpkin patch as a kid.  Maybe there were none in the various places we lived.  Where we are now there are quite a few.  The entertainment goes beyond pumpkins- there are hay rides, petting zoos, corn mazes, cider pressing, and scarecrows, just to name a few.

I have a friend who has also adopted a daughter, and for years we took our kiddos together to the farms around here to walk around in the wet fields in the rain and pick a pumpkin and drink hot chocolate, and generally get immersed in autumn.

We haven't gone to a pumpkin patch in a few years, but yesterday, we tried a place that was new to us.  It was a bit of a drive, but the sun was out and the temps were in the 70s.  Not your usual fall weather here in the PNW!

We went to Roloff Farms.  Yup- THOSE Roloffs of Little People, Big World on The Learning Channel.  We were hoping it wouldn't be crowded, and it wasn't too bad.  We started off with a tractor tour of the grounds, which was fascinating.  Matt Roloff, the dad, is a dreamer.  He has these plans and schemes and sometimes they work out and sometimes they don't, but he is always in motion trying to do something for his kids, or farm, or whatever. We saw the paintball arena, the soccer field, the basketball court, the sand volleyball court, Noah's ark, the wedding chapel, the pirate ship, the tree house, the castle he built for his daughter, and the whole western style village he created so his kids would have a place to play with their friends.  It reminded me a bit of Thunder Mountain at Disneyland.

Then went to the main area of the farm that had the attractions- tricycle racetrack, petting zoo, slides, hay pyramid, exotic animal exhibit, obstacle course, teepees, corn maze, and of course, the pumpkins.  We also had lunch there and bought some amazing kettle corn.

Matt Roloff.  He saw me taking pics with my zoom and he waved.
I didn't know he had seen me until I got home and looked at my pictures more closely!

Someone else built this and when they were done with it had no place to put it.
Matt volunteered his place.  This is in the goat meadow.

Wedding chapel.  The bride and groom sign their wedding documents in here.
There's really no room for a ceremony as it is about 10' x 12'.

Western town

No town is complete without a schoolhouse and school bell.

Tree house and pirate ship on the pond.

Winner of the tricycle race!

Young tiger taking a nap.  Her name is Suri.

Another exotic cat.

Start of the pony race.

It looked like the blue shirt might win.

But then pink shirt poured it on...

...and took the lead!

The mom, Amy Roloff.  We were in line and got to meet her and take photos.
My pic with her is in my friend's camera...

Zach Roloff.  He is one of the twins and the only Roloff  child with dwarfism.

Heading to the weigh station with our pumpkin choices.