October 2008
My son associates pumpkins with Halloween so if anyone remembers seeing a Panda not too long ago at Butterfield Acres, well that was Evan!
When we told him we were going on a pumpkin hunt he insisted he dress up. I bought him a lovely monkey costume for this Halloween knowing my son adores monkeys. Most likely because he associates himself with them considering I call him a monkey most days. He decided to go through storage boxes in the basement and found an old panda costume that is much too small for him. After watching Kung Fu Panda he has become somewhat of a panda nut and insisted on wearing the panda suit. Thank goodness for long mitts and tall boots to cover the exposed skin from the too small panda suit.
Anyway, I digress. The point of this blog entry is to share a bit of our pumpkin hunt adventures at Butterfield Acres. We had an enjoyable time but as events usually go with toddlers, there was a bit of mayhem. We were corralled into a play area then loaded up on the wagon ride pulled by a tractor to go in search of a pumpkin. Everyone scrambled off the wagon and raced to find the hidden pumpkins. We loaded ourselves back on the wagon and then were cattled in a room to decorate the pumpkin with noodles and glitter. My son is incredibly fond of his artwork.
I found it to be an exhausting experience but Evan absolutely loved it. (That is who it is all for anyway right?) The best part of the visit was the animals. I visited Butterfield Acres a number of times during the summer and they seemed somewhat more chillaxed this visit. I wonder if it because the crowds have died down and they only get a quick visit from people on the weekends or if the cooler temperatures keep them saner.
In any case, it was a great experience and I would recommend every parent to do it at least once even if it just to get a last good-bye in to the pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits and emus.
Melissa
