"Sunday Acres"

It's really no secret that I'm a huge dork. If this is a surprise to you, I'm actually sort of proud that you didn't know yet. Until you read this post of course. So the cat's out of the bag.

And apparently I'm a fool who loves the Fall. {Seriously} Where did this love affair come from? I used to be a summer girl. My birthday's in July, and it's a month long celebration. Back in the B.C. days (Before Children), I didn't think twice about running around all summer in a bathing suit and waterskiing all day long. I would get a sunburn that would turn into a tan (sort of), I'd freckle all over (cute when you're 10 or so), and my hair would bleach out from the sun and I'd let it air dry wavy.

Yeah... things have changed a little bit. Since I've been pregnant or nursing for the last 3 summers, I've more or less hibernated where the air is cool and the pace is slower. Waterskiing forbidden by doctor's orders, for the time being. I like to use these childbearing years as an excuse but I think I might just be getting old. Did you just laugh out loud? Because I did. I'm an old soul at 3o years old. Yikes.

So with this background information, it now seems perfectly natural that I would jump at the opportunity to be the first one on the grounds of Sonny Acres the day - nay, the HOUR - they opened for the season. Imagine my shock and slight horror that the happiest place on earth (in DuPage County) wasn't packed out on opening day! Rob says no one else is really thinking pumpkins in late September. I say it's never too early to pick out the perfectly rounded white pumpkin, which are picked over so fast you can barely say "Shabby Chic Halloween".

Robbie seemed to remember coming last year, and affectionately calls it "Sunday Acres". We met up with fellow pumpkin and fall enthusiasts Suzi, Matt and Eli to wander the grounds, pick pumpkins, go on a hayride, feed the animals (yuck), ride a few kiddie rides (yes I was mad at myself at this point for forgetting the hand sanitizer), chase barn cats around (while mommy quietly shrieked 'no touching!'), and enjoy an illegal-we-found-out-mid-nosh picnic lunch. In that order. It's a wonder none of us came out with any sort of flesh eating bacteria or stomach virus. (See? Old soul. This is the way my mind thinks now. Germs, dirty, viruses, breaking the rules...)

We had the best time.

Here are the pictures - lest you think I went a little overboard, this was narrowed down from 187 shots. I've been yammering on a lot lately on here without posting cute pictures of the kids. Plus, no one's holding a gun to your head making you read our blog! So enjoy.

Ellie, Robbie and Eli

He is as sweet as he is handsome!

My favorite guys

The Kaufman family

The boys rode the train twice, as joint conductors. Precious! They thought we had taken them to Disney Land.

On to the motorcycles!

Life is pretty awesome when your dad makes a game out of giving you a high five every time you come around. Aww.

Oh my word, Suzi and I were dying when the boys came down this huge slide. Rob and Robbie got air on one of the hills, and the little boys were begging us to let them go again. At $3 per ride, we decided once was enough. But it was worth it for that one ride!

Buddies in a Radio Flyer. Classic.

Oh dear. Too cute to yell at him anymore, so I gave in.

{Do you see all those gorgeous pumpkins in the background!? I want them all on my front porch! Ack.}

Livingston / Kaufman love.

Another reason this season is the best - FOOTBALL!

Everyone has their Giants gear ready, including Ellie with the cutest little pink T-shirt! The day after we hit up "Sunday Acres" we opened the back door, watched the Giants and ate baked ham sandwiches and carmel apples.

MMMmmmm. Time for a fall-food blog post.