Pumpkin Patch

Oh how fun it was to do our annual pumpkin patch trip with the Keene's, Wiscarsin's,

Cunningham's and Karns! We always have a great time. From gator rides to picking out the perfect pumpkins to family phohtos and good friends, it was a great time for all.

This year, Lauren was a grumpus! She was not happy that there wasn't room for me to

ride with all the kids on the gator (small green tractor) so she didn't want to go, then

she cried as they all drove away...Go figure! Then she was mad that I stopped pusing her

on the swing because "swiniging is my favorite thing to do!" Ugh!

Madisen was perfect this year! YEAH! What a switch! For those of you who don't know,

we recently (well, about 8 months ago) figured out that Madisen is

intollerant to gluten

(found in wheat, barley and rye). She has gone to several specialists and withstood

several blood draws to finally come to that conclusion. We are thrilled that they finally

figured it out. In addition to the physical side-effects of eating gluten that her body does

not absorb, there are also emotional side-effects. Physically, she gets rashes, upset stomach and didn't grow or gain a pound in TWO YEARS!!! Emotionally, she suffers from "generalized anxiety" which can be tricky at times. We have her on some supplements that have really seemed to help, and now that she is absorbing her nutrients from foods other than breads, pastas and all the other (really good) food, she has gained six pounds! She is growing taller too. If I think too much about it, I feel really guilty for starving my poor little baby! I had no idea...no one did.

Anyway, this year at the pumpkin patch she had a great time. She rode on the gator, played with the kids, chose a pumpkin on her own, and just generally acted as if she was enjoying herself. Last year's trip was a whole different story! I'm so glad things are working out for her!

So, we carved pumpkins, painted faces, roasted seeds, ate good food and had a great time!

Hope you enjoy the photos!