Up until about Tuesday of last week, both Paul and I had completely forgotten about Fall Break. There was almost no anticipation, no waiting for the break. It was more like, “Hey, Merry Christmas! You get a four-day weekend that you absolutely weren’t expecting! Enjoy!”
Fall Break came at just the right time. I think we were all getting a little bogged-down, and we were in serious need of some family/friends time. I got to go out on Friday night with my friends for an evening of Karaoke, and that was something I hadn’t done in months. My feet were sore and my calves were the size of Christmas hams by the time the night was over, but it was worth it. I had a great time.
The rest of the break was filled with a zoo trip, a mind-blowingly pleasant visit to the pediatrician, ice cream, and a quiet trek to the pumpkin patch.
Guys, I’ve just got to tell you about this pumpkin patch. Somebody tipped me off about it in a Facebook mom’s group, and it was pretty much perfect for me. Notice I said “me.” I’m sure that Charlie would have had a blast at Vala’s, especially now that he’s old enough to appreciate it, but that is just not my kind of scene. I’m sure there are people who find enjoyment in going to Vala’s, and maybe our mid-October, Sunday afternoon trip last year was part of the reason I got all stressed out, but it’s just too overwhelming for me. We were surrounded by what felt like 5 million people, everything cost money (in addition to an admission fee), and Charlie was just a bit too little. He wanted to run everywhere and really had no interest in focusing on any of the attractions. Don’t get me wrong; I loved hanging out with our family and I appreciated the outing, but that stuff can get stressful for me. Maybe if we went in the middle of the week when most kids are in school, I would be able to relax and really enjoy it. Anybody know if it’s calmer during the week?
Anyway, this little pumpkin patch has no name, and can be found south of the intersection of 120th and Military in Omaha. The little itty-bitty pumpkins were free, and none of the other pumpkins cost more than $1.50. There was no admission fee, a nice piece of playground equipment, and there were never more than 9 people there the entire time. We got a few cute pictures of Charlie, and a wheelbarrow full of cheap pumpkins. I can’t remember the exact date that the owner opens up the pumpkin patch, but it’s sometime in mid-September. She sells pumpkins till Halloween or when she runs out, and I’m really excited for us to go a little earlier next year, so the pumpkins aren’t so picked-over.
This really was an awesome break, and although I’m sad to see it go, I feel like it did what it promised: Gave us a break. We didn’t travel anywhere, and spent almost all of it together. I now feel like I can make it to Thanksgiving break while keeping my sanity, and I’m super-happy that we got so much family time.
Now, can my Christmas-Ham-calves keep me upright until Thanksgiving? I’ll have to get back to you on that.