Orr Family Farm

This place rocks. 

   I love fall.  I probably told you that like 10,354 times, but I seriously love this time of year.  Having cooler weather and gorgeous auburn trees around  me this year has just added to my delight and affection for the season.

This was our first year to hit a big pumpkin patch without our crew, which was sad, but we really did have a wonderful day.   We actually went to several different pumpkin festivals/patches this year (as usual), but this joint was by far the best.

Orr Family Farm is more set up to be an amusement park than a pumpkin patch, but they really are a working farm and where as we normally spend a  few hours at a patch, we spent the entire day at this place.

Kaelan was out of school for the week on Fall Break, so we didn’t have to pull her out of school again. 

Which, let me just get on my soap box about that for a minute.   I am glad I have never had to face a principal or teacher that takes issue with me taking my kid out of school every once in a while to enjoy a family day or vacation.   We have been very fortunate to have great schools that see the value in this.   It could be that they know my kid is advanced enough that missing a day of school now and again will not hurt her grades.   I know that as a teacher I saw kids who were struggling academically who could have benefited from a family day.   That kind of attention may have actually helped turn things around for those struggling kids.   Not running for office or anything…..just saying.  

Off my box.

Right inside the gates of the farm was an old fashioned carousel.   My kids jumped right on.   If there is a big belt buckle for carousel riding, my boy has earned it.   He owns the carousel rodeo.

               

Most of the farm had a theme based around the book “Spookley the Square Pumpkin” which absolutely delighted Kaelan.   She loves this book, and we actually had a family night “drive-in” with this movie later that week, so even though I did not know this about the farm prior to coming, I came out looking like a hero!  Yes!

Hayride, train ride, games, a really fun playground, petting zoo, baby pumpkin hunt and we were ready for lunch.  Whew!

 

After a quick bite, we were off again.  My hope is that next year when we come, she will not have grown a bit.   I can hope, right?

Pony rides, and then BINGO!  Mom was  hero once again!   Kaelan is all about the rocks and mining stuff, so our next stop was an actual gold/rock/mineral mining area.

My girl LOVED this part of the day.  She listened intently as one of the employees explained how to sift and pan.   She used the little creek to wash out her treasures.  

Seth thoroughly enjoyed playing in the water and dumping sand in the sifter.  At one point, I (stupidly) took off my wedding ring so I could sift in the freezing water.  My boy decided that gem needed to be washed, so he threw my ring in the running creek.  Luckily I chased it down and caught it before it disappeared into the paddle wheel.   I can just imagine the look on the kid’s face fortunate enough to find  that precious stone a few days later.

Tall wall maze, paddle car racing, big bubble jumping and some of the most awesome tunnel slides later, and my boy was starting to doze off while standing.

 

Kaelan and I headed over to the zip line and corn maze while dad took Seth back to the car for a much needed nap.  For dad, not Seth.

After watching a bunch of middle aged screaming like maniac ladies do the zip line, Kaelan had  change of heart and decided to skip it this year.  I will admit, they kind of freaked me out, too.  Next year.  Next year we conquer the zip line.

The corn maze was awesome.  There were lots of interactive things to do along the trail.   I have to admit that there was one point in the maze where I got a little sweaty in the pits thinking we might not ever get out of there.   Thank goodness for iMaps.   Can I get an amen?   My kid doesn’t need to know about that little secret though, because getting us out of the maze was yet another bonus for hero mom!  Man, I am on a roll.

Why,  do you ask,  do  I  subject myself to these exhausting, jam-packed action activities when curling up on the couch in my jammies sounds so much more relaxing?

Easy. Two words:  

These Guys

The two guys in the front.  Not that little photo bombing turkey in the background who kept (purposely) jumping in my shots.

Every time we make the trek home after one of these great family adventure days, I look in the back seat to see two dirt smudged, sleepy-eyed boogers looking out the window and thinking over the day’s encounters.

This is my favorite part of day. 

Inevitably, they will grow between now and next year’s trip to Orr Family Farm, but regardless of what the pumpkin chart shows, I will still see those same little ones smiling and day dreaming from the back seat.