Catching Up

I’ve missed posting on a lot of events lately, so I’ll be doing a few catch-up posts over the next few days. First of all, Galloping Grace Pumpkin Patch.  Yes, I said we’re behind.  But indulge me.   Pumpkins are perfect for perching when you have a little bottom. Averi is very strong.  She can hang on the gymnastics rings that Aaron installed in the garage for a surprisingly long time, and she’s been known to haul his 10 pound medicine ball around the house.  So this large pumpkin was a piece of cake. Check out that shot!  I think he’s got a throwing arm, Dad.   Playing in the hay bale maze.  Perfect height if you’re 35 inches. We had a LOT of outtakes for this shot.  But my little cowboys are sure adorable.   Ah, the duck races.  A perennial favorite. The wood cutouts are extremely popular with our kids.  They all have to pose in everyone they come across.   Much time was spent on creating Mr. Pumpkinhead. Big… bigger…   biggest! We had a terrible tragedy before the horse rides.  We managed to get in line just before it got hugely long, but it wasn’t until it was almost our turn that I was informed we needed to fill out waivers.  These, of course, were located on the other side of the pumpkin patch.  Aaron and the two oldest held our place in line, but Averi wanted to come with me.  So we “ran” as fast as her little legs could carry her so the kids wouldn’t miss their turn.  Unfortunately she tripped and fell and cut open both lips on the gravel.  So I arrived at the front desk with a child bleeding all over her face and my shirt and wailing at the top of her lungs.  Of course, being the fantastic mother that I am, tried to mop up her face with a (hopefully) clean tissue I fished out of my purse and insisted on signing the injury waiver forms right away.  While I held an injured, screaming child in my arms.  Luckily, one of the women had compassion and some common sense and went and got Averi some ice for her lips so they wouldn’t swell up too much.  It didn’t seem to work too well, since by the time we got back to the horses it looked like she was making fish faces because her lips were so puffy.  But at least the ice gave her something to distract her.  She still wanted to ride the horses, and she had a great time, despite the non-horse-related injury.  Or course there are no waivers to sign for that sort of incident.   Being extremely brave and cute.       I loved that they had the kids let go.  It was definitely confidence building for them.   I highly recommend the Galloping Grace Pumpkin Patch for any Burquenos.  It’s very fun, very close, and FREE.  Also, any donations and purchases help out a great cause: “Our mission at Galloping Grace Youth Ranch is to bring pure joy to children. We accomplish this by connecting children with horses. While at the ranch, children experience the rewards of working hard, serving others, and expressing gratitude to those people who make it possible for the ranch to operate. In addition to this, they spend valuable one on one time with the horses. It is our firm belief that the cost and lack of accessibility to horses in our area prevent children from experiencing the joy and responsibility a ranch can provide. For these reasons, Galloping Grace Youth Ranch has made a commitment to operate entirely free of charge.” On a side note: We are just a bit excited about our upcoming trip to Disney World.  When we were in tithing settlement, the bishop asked Katie to offer the prayer.  Of course she mentioned nothing about tithing, but was sure to say that we're thankful we could go to Disney World.  I may or may not have busted up laughing.  In the middle of the prayer.  In the bishop’s office.