Pumpkin patch with Grandma and Grandpa

As dad told it to us, the pumpkins came on early and fast this year because of all the heat and rain.  We usually go to the patch, but by the time we made it this year, many of them were already not great.

You'd never know it though, and Cora enjoyed her first pumpkin picking outing with little Cora on a BEAUTIFUL sunny afternoon.  Bean enjoyed herself too, luckily we had her boots on her b/c she was ALL muddied up within just a few minutes.

One of the RARE family photos you'll ever see of us--mostly because Grandma Jahn was there to capture it.  Again, we're all in short sleeves, etc. it was SO nice out!

Cora was so sweet and gentle with her pumpkins--they are such great big glowing orange orbs!

No surprise, Bean wanted to go off the beaten path. I took her to the stream where she spotted a wooly little caterpillar friend and we scooped him up in a leaf.

She's so gentle and I love it.  She doesn't squeal or squash them, but rather befriends them and shares them. She was DEMANDING grandpa find her a grasshopper too.

After leaving the pumpkin patch, we headed to Uncle John's garden to get some gourds and picked these beautiful flowers too.  I think all kids like flowers, but I try to show and encourage her to enjoy them when she sees them.  We picked 2 bouquets and she gave them to grandma.

I thought this was a cute pic of her patiently waiting on us to get to the car.  After the last few days we've had with the hospital, I'm SO amazingly thankful and lucky and can't even put into words how grateful I am to have my little girl back home.