Pumpkin Patch USA...

One of the main reasons Seth and I moved back from Mexico was because we missed all the holiday activities that are common in the US. The first one, of course, being the pumpkin patch. Every kid in the US has at some point gone to a pumpkin patch during the Halloween and Thanksgiving season. Its just a time for down home, simple, country fun. One of my favorite pumpkin patches in is Newcastle, Oklahoma owned by a local family farm, TG Farms. Over the years they have expanded it to be a small
petting zoo, play area, corn maze, and pumpkin patch. I was surprised by how much they had grown since I had been there almost 10 years ago when my nieces were little.

Taelyn had a blast looking at all the different farm animals. She stayed clear of the horses. and she didn't quite know what to do with the cow. But the baby goat, he was her new best friend.

After we were done with petting all the animals, we went into the small maze made out of bays of hay. I think Taelyn and I had more fun running around and chasing each other.

Ah hah! I hid behind the corner and caught her!

After the hay maze, we decided to go through the more advanced corn stalk maze. Ironically, Taelyn guided us through pretty much the whole maze. And let me tell you, it was long, tall, and kinda spooky. It was so quite in there, you could start to wonder if you would get lost and never be found! I'm sure that never happens. Never!

We've got to be getting close to the end soon, right, Taelyn?

Ah, there it is!

Taelyn's favorite part was these hay stacks with slides of all sizes going down the sides of them. Do you think she chose the small little yellow slide? Of course not! She had to go for the tallest, longest black slide at the very, very top. I know from this picture that it doesn't look that high, but let me tell you, it was when you were standing on the very top with a toddler.

Of course, I had to try it to. And yes, it was a blast!

And then of course, my dad had to get in on the fun.

They had a small little play area for kids full of a tricycle race track, slides, swings, and tractors. 

And the obligatory family photo op...

After you are done playing, they take you on a tractor ride around the farm which was kind of nice to sit and chill on. Then you get to go out to the pumpkin patch and pick your pumpkin. I loved that they had all kinds of different colors and types of pumpkins to choose from.

Such the little helper! We had a fantastic time. Its times like this when I really appreciate the things that the US has to offer. When you live here your whole life, you take it for granted. Then, when you experience other cultures, it makes you think about the things you liked about your own culture too. I look back at our time abroad with such happy thoughts. But I know deep down that we made the right decision by moving back. Seth and I wouldn't change one day of living abroad, but we know that the US is where our hearts lie. It just took moving away for a few years for us to realize it, and now we can't wait to experience things here with our daughter with a whole different perspective than before.