Firsts: The Pumpkin Patch

(Anna's overly-sensitive sniffer was greatly offended by the smells at the pumpkin patch. She spent most of her visit plugging her nose -- even through the hay maze.)

A couple weeks ago, Anna, Sophie and I went to the pumpkin patch with Gabe's kindergarten class. Confession: I'd never been to a pumpkin patch before.

I'd never taken a hay ride.

I'd never wandered through a corn maze.

Don't feel sorry for me. That's just part of the trade-off of growing up overseas. Instead of going to the pumpkin patch as a kid, I celebrated Octobers by burning my fingers on candle wax and cavorting in the light of the full-moon carrying a fancy paper lantern during Mid-Autumn Festival.

I was not deprived.

Still, I was excited about our first trip to the pumpkin patch.

Here's Gabe's kindergarten class. (Gabe's the kid in the blue hat, front row.) Miss Skyles is his teacher. Hint: She's the grown-up in the picture.

Here's Gabe roasting a marshmallow -- and Anna wishing she were in kindergarten so she could roast a marshmallow. "Don't worry, honey. Your time will come ... soon enough."

And below are the kids on the hay slides.

Anna

Gabe
Sophie
And of course you can't leave the pumpkin patch without a pumpkin. Here's Anna with hers: "It's just my size!"