Pumpkins, Orchards, and Leaves

For the first time since it started in 2011 we managed to take an up close look at Pumpkin Mania on the campus of Transylvania University in downtown Lexington. On the steps of one of the oldest buildings on campus sit hundreds of pumpkins carved by students. It looks cool here, but amazing at night when the candles are lit.

Sarah is always on a mission to find the perfect picture and kept trying to convince the girls to get up on the steps in the middle of all of the pumpkins. John and Callie had to keep reminding her of the signs that specifically said, "Don't climb on the stairs!" So we had to settle for a family selfie in front of the sea of orange.

After we visited Transylvania we headed towards Evans Orchard for our annual pumpkin picking and apple fritter eating.  The girls are also well aware that this also means more pictures and more demands that they look natural and smile.  They do their best to comply but their learning that they can make demands for more treats at the country store.

There is always something new at the orchard, and this year one of those things was a photo opportunity that fit this threesome quite well.  Sarah had no trouble getting everyone to participate in making appropriate faces for their particular role.

Of course there are some things that don't change at Evans Orchard, and they also never get old.  The girls love racing down the slides.  And because the weather was a bit dodgy on the day we visited they didn't have any problems with lines.  They could just slide down, run back up, and do it all over again.

This meant that they also had one of the two bouncy trampolines all to themselves.  They certainly enjoyed jumping and being silly.  Reese was having so much fun she didn't even fake any arm injuries this year.  She's really growing up, isn't she.

If not for the fact that we had other things to do, the girls probably would have stayed and jumped for hours on end.  And we didn't mind watching them go crazy in the midst of such a beautiful fall setting.  But as is the case with every fall weekend, there are too many things to do, places to go, and people to see.  The bouncing finally had to come to an end.

We did manage to get one last great picture in before we left the orchard, however.  The genuine smiles must have come from the joy from all the bouncing.  We figured this particular picture might have a good chance of serving as the photo for our Christmas card, but we shall see.

Falling leaves are the quintessential symbol of fall.  And while they are less enthusiastic about making the piles, Callie and Reese love to be part of spreading the leaves back over the yard by running and jumping into the piles their father has so lovingly crafted.  There are few things cuter than seeing the smiles and pure joy that comes out of a pile of leaves.