Rader Family Farms

We were super excited to find this family farm that has a pumpkin patch and tons of other fun things to do so close to home.  With the weather being so nice & Kale loving pumpkins I thought it would be a good time so after church we headed to Bloomington to check out Rader Family Farms.  Turns out tons of other people had the same idea and the place was packed!  We ate lunch with chickens & turkeys roaming around the yard with the picnic tables before  heading to check out the other barnyard animals.  

Jason & Kale at the entrance to the Farm

  Our next stop was to go on a hayrack ride in the pumpkin field, but the line was looong and there were tons of prepicked pumpkins at the store so we jumped out of line and headed to the cattle chute.  Kale loved running up the chute and jumping into the straw pile.  Jason actually caught him and then let him drop into the straw.

running up the chute

jumping to dad

landing in the straw



He thought he was pretty big stuff

 We skipped the giant dirt "mountain" with a huge pipe slide...it was a super long slide and we weren't sure if Kale would like it.  I was feeling bad until a little later we heard a kid screaming because he was halfway through the slide and scared.  I'm not sure how they got him out, but I don't think I could have went in after Kale if he freaked out in the middle!  So our next stop was the big tub of corn.  There were 2 huge tubs of corn filled with kids just playing.  Luckily we got in the "rowdy boys" tub where all the kids were getting a little crazy.  The other stock tank was filled with girls playing nice :)  Kale wouldn't have fit in {he is definitely getting better at holding his own- thanks Coop:) }

playing in the corn

Kale got to ride a bouncy horse during our playdate with Bennett a while back and now loves to bounce and see horses so he was excited to see the "horses" at the farm to ride.  They were set up in a circle around "steer heads" for older kids to try and rope so Jason tried roping while Kale rode the horse. 

loving the horse ride

I think Jason gave up on roping

Thank goodness there was a kiddie corn maze for us to try out.  The real maze was 5 acres!  Anyway, we wandered around the kiddie maze for a while, but we all were getting tired and knew there were caramel apples and kettle corn waiting for us so we didn't last long before turning around and going back out the entrance! 

running through the corn maze...in the beginning

We headed back to the store for our snacks and to pick out our pumpkins before heading home.  There was so much more to do and I think we could have spent all day there.  I think it will be even more fun when Kale gets bigger!  After so much fun it was naptime when we got home, but later we carved our pumpkin from Totten's and got our new pumpkins set out for decorations.  We are all ready for Halloween now!

One last picture with all the pumpkins and the pumpkin field in the background

Totten's Pumpkin Patch

Two weeks ago we headed back to Missouri for the Pollard's Annual trip to Totten's Pumpkin Patch. The weather was warm {not real fall like}, but still a beautiful day. We met up with Ed, Lola, Justin, Megan, Allison, & Rhett and had a great time. Kale loved the pumpkins and had a great time playing on them and even went through the little straw tunnel they had. The first time Jason took him, but he went through a second time just following some other kids- we were a little surprised he actually made it out the right end and was smiling! There was picture taking, deer feeding, and even some dancing with Frankenstein before picking out our pumpkins and headed back to Ed & Lola's house. After supper we spent a good part of the evening playing outside before heading home.

Kale - 15 1/2 months

Pollard Family - October 2010

Jason & Kale coming out the tunnel "slide" of the straw maze

surprise!

taking a break Kale loved climbing on the pumpkins and posed on this big one Allison giving the boys bunny ears...they {the boys} weren't super excited about pictures {imagine that}

Allison had been to the pumpkin patch on a field trip and showed Kale the singing & dancing Frankenstein

and he loved it!

the kids with their pumpkins

getting a ride back to the cars

Back at the house the boys getting a pep talk from "coach"...I don't know what sport they are playing with their frisbee rings or what he is teaching them!

Great weather days!

The last couple of weeks we have enjoyed the cool, dry weather. With a steady harvest we are lucky Jason still makes it home before dark most nights and only has to work until noon on Saturdays {so far anyway}. We finally put up some fall decorations around the house and one night we headed out to get some corn stalks. Kale played in the field while Jason cut the stalks down and I took some pictures :)

I found an ear :)

why can't I have the cob too?!?

fine, I'll just play with this

getting water for Daisy

this is what happens on the weekends with Jason dresses Kale :)

trying to keep up with daddy - going to take care of Daisy and burn some sticks

there must have been something across the street that was really cool

to Kale anyway

playing football {before the lawnmower got ahold of it}

First week of Fall :)

This week has seemed super long, but the days are still going by fast. I'm not sure how that works, but I think it is because it has been a waiting game to see if it rains and we are able to go back to Missouri this weekend. Maybe part of it is the weather too. I have been waiting all week for it to cool off and I think the fall weather is finally here {for real this time}!

Kale had his 15 month checkup everything looks great. He weighed 26 pounds, 12 ounces {75th percentile} was 31 1/2 inches long {75th percentile} and I don't know his head measurement, but he is still in the 90th percentile. Dr. Batterman thought he looked great and it was an easy visit until the nurse came back in for his four shots :(. He did not do as well as he has done in the past, but as soon as the nurse left the room he was okay. He just wouldn't let me put him back down on the table. I think the only good thing about shots are how well Kale sleeps after getting them.

He slept in until almost 8:30 Tuesday morning. Then we headed to Mason City for a playdate with Bennett. The kids did great playing together and did a good job of wearing themselves out. We left a little after 11:30 so we could get home for lunch, but Kale fell asleep on the way home and didn't wake up until 1:30 so he had a late lunch anyway! I didn't take many pictures of the kids, but after we took a break inside they were riding in the wagon together and I tried to get a couple of them. They weren't too interested in posing for me though so this is the best I got. Kale & Bennett (she is about a month older than Kale)

We spent almost all morning outside

Yesterday morning we took cinnamon rolls to Jason's work and while I was finishing getting ready I must have said the words 'go' & 'daddy' in the same sentence. When I came back out to the kitchen this is what I found. Kale sitting by the door trying to get his shoes on. He thought he had one and was working on the second!

I'm ready Since we moved Kale to a new room I am slowly getting the last of his clothes & 'stuff' moved. I found these bibs I bought earlier this summer and tried them on to see if they would fit him this winter. I thought he looked cute so I took a couple of pictures. I think they may be a little long

Jason had an extra pair of binoculars so one of them is now Kale's. He tries to copy Jason with almost everything and is getting better with the binoculars. almost got 'em

Ready to go hunting {or looking anyway} with dad

MU vs San Diego State University

Harvest has started over here, but it isn't so crazy that Jason is having to go in for work on the weekends yet so we had another fun day of running this past Saturday. Mason City's Prairie Harvest Days was this weekend and the parade was Saturday morning. Jason & the CPS guys drove in the parade and Kale & I watched and gathered tons of candy. There weren't any other little kids in the area we were standing, but everyone threw at least a handful of candy at us so Kale ended up with a lot of candy!

He really liked picking up the twizzlers. I don't think because they were his favorite, but because they were the biggest. He would pick up a couple of pieces and then take them back to the stroller and throw them in it. Luckily, there were some other people around to help pick up the candy, but I guess Kale looked like he needed it because they all handed it over for him to add to his stash. We didn't go to the park for the fun & games after the parade this year we headed home for a quick lunch so we could head to Columbia!

We met the Belts & Yoders for an awesome "tailgate" at BWW before heading to campus for the game. It was another 6 o'clock game so we only stayed until halftime before heading home. For most of the second half I was glad we didn't stay because it sounded like the Tigers were stinking it up, but they came back for an exciting win! It was another late night, we drove part of the way in the rain, and we got to see the replay on ESPN so I'm still glad we left at halftime :)

Waiting for the parade to start

BIG surprise- I didn't get any pictures after he got out of the stroller

Kale & Cooper hanging out at BWW waiting for our food

walking to the stadium

a quick picture with mom

watching something on the megatron {it must have been pretty cool}

With harvest picking up we probably won't make it to any more games this year so we wanted to squeeze them in before it was too late. I am a little bummed, but I don't think we are going to make it to Homecoming on Oct 23rd, since it is only 9 days before my due date. I guess we shouldn't travel 3 1/2 hours that close to d-day :) I guess we are lucky {& thankful} the Tigers played at home early in the season!

MIZZOU vs McNeese State

Last weekend we headed back to Missouri Friday night so Jason could get some food plot work done Saturday morning before heading to Mizzou's home opener against McNeese State. We got a pizza for supper and stopped in Shelbina to eat it and there was a houseful of people! We were pretty excited to see not only Grandma & Grandpa Pollard, but Uncle Justin, Aunt Megan, Allison, Rhett, Aunt Beth & Uncle Tony. The South Shelby football game got delayed & then postponed because of the lightning so they were all at Ed & Lola's house. We ate & the kids played. I think it was after 11 when we left and Kale was asleep before we knew it.

The next morning we were outside watching Jason piddle around the farm and before we knew it we were late for our tailgate in Columbia! We made it to the game on time and stayed for the first half. It wasn't a real exciting game, but we had a good time. Kale did great sitting on the hill and had fun running at the tailgate at halftime before we headed home. The game started at 6 so even though we left at halftime it was still after midnight when we got home.

A late night for sure and we were all tired the next morning when we had nursery duty at church! I was hoping for an easy day downstairs {last time we only had one little girl & Kale}, but that didn't happen. We had 7 or 8 kids and they were full of spunk! Thank goodness the rest of our Sunday was a lazy day :)

Pollard Family at MU home opener 2010

Kale ready for the game!

he was pretty serious about the game at this point

and still serious

And completely asleep before we got off campus :)

A few Random pictures

We have been keeping pretty busy at our house the last few weeks and been running on the weekends! Kale is 15 months old today and just keeps growing! :) He still eats just about anything, still loves RFD-TV, has a love for Southern Gospel music {I actually have a show saved on the dvr for him} which cracks Jason & I up because he will clap & get up dance to it. He actually loves any kind of music, he will usually drop what he is doing to clap, dance along, or just watch what they are doing.

He eats about anything, but isn't real neat about it!

Kale had his first combine ride about 2 weeks ago when they harvested Jason's plot in Mason City. He loved it and I think he would have stayed in the field all day long if I would have let him! He got to walk through the corn stalks and loved kicking at everything, stirring up all kinds of dust too. Everytime they unloaded corn into the weigh wagon or onto the grain trucks he was in awe and didn't move as he watched everything.

Of course I had my camera, but it was in the car {and I'm not much into walking more than I have to right now} so I didn't get any pictures of Kale on the combine, but we took one of Jason working before we pulled out of the field to go home.

Kale is constantly finding random things to wear and falls in love with them for a few days before moving on to another "trend". One day when we were outside he found these safety glasses and brought them to me. I didn't think he would wear them, but put them on him anyway. He wore them the rest of the day and Jason got a good laugh when he got home. The next day they were still inside and he found them so began wearing them again and when I was going through some clothes I was trying out some stocking hats to see if they would fit him for this fall/winter. When I put this hat on him he ran away and left it on. Since he still had it on when I put him in his high chair for lunch I had to get a picture to show Jason what a nerd his son is :).

I think he is ready to go cut wood!

A big move happened this month too. Kale moved into his new bed in his new room. We decided his old room will just stay the baby room for this next one. The first night he woke up a couple of times during the night and the first couple of days were different for naps, but he is doing great being in a big bed and I can't believe how grown up he is. It is really nice that he can get in bed all by himself and I don't have to lift him in & out of the crib too! Our house is still a mess since this room was our office, and the closet was pretty much a catch-all for lots of "things" that I just don't know what to do with and still don't so they are just being shuffled around for now. I am hoping I hit the nesting phase soon so I can get it all cleaned out & rearranged!

Kale sleeping in his big kid bed- the sad thing is he has truly taken over my sheep blanket and it stays in his room now

Sheep Fest

Labor Day weekend is always busy with Sheep Fest activities and this year was no exception! Kale & I headed back Friday so we could help get sheep ready Friday night for the show on Saturday. Jason made it back that evening after his meeting and even got to help get sheep ready :). Saturday we spent all day in Bethel watching Leadline & Mutton Busting and of course the sheep show. Sunday we headed back to Sheep Fest to look around and for the sale and Monday we got to hang out in Shelbina before heading home for a little bit of downtime before the long weekend ended. We were all worn out for sure- Kale slept the entire way home which was awesome and not common for him anymore! I hardly took any pictures...I am telling myself that just shows how much fun we had {or how busy we were during the weekend}! The weather was great and we got to see a lot of our family while we were back and Jason even got some food plot stuff done- yay!

The first event of the weekend...PeeWee Leadline and the only pictures I took the whole weekend {with my camera anyway}!

Kale watching four of our favorite kiddos...

Allison with Alex

Andi with Heartbreaker TJ with Betty

Rhett with Alex