Willow View Farms

We headed out to Willow View Farms this morning. Seemed like a fitting way to celebrate the first day of October. 

It officially hit me last week that at this time next year Ben will be in school. Which is exciting but very bittersweet. Dee and I have really enjoyed hanging out with him lots these last two years and it'll be different when that dynamic changes. But for now we'll make all the memories we can! 

The petting zoo part of the farm was close due to covid (what else is new, hey?) but there were still goats and chickens outside that we could see and feed. 

Delilah was very careful in holding her animal feed

I tried to snap a picture of this goat licking the corn right out of my hand - but he was too quick for me! 

Dee tried so hard to throw the feed to the chickens.

Unfortunately for the chickens but adorable for everyone else watching - the chickens were too scary for her to come any closer and her little arms couldn't throw the corn far enough. 

Dee thought this goat kid was hilarious! 

Our bag of feed was empty. 

"Too bad when have no more food for them." Ben said. 

Never fear, Delilah to the rescue! 

Her knowledge of how to feed farm animals came in handy and she snatched up a handful of grass to throw at the goat. 

See his belly popping out from under his shirt? 

Ben was the designated wagon puller

On the hunt for the perfect pumpkin

And Dee was just following Uncle Ben. 

But she wasn't totally sure what was going on here

"Good thing you brought me along to take your picture, hey, Leana?"

😊

Oh you bet, Ben! 

And I'm so glad his picture taken skills have improved since last year's trip here. 

(See my post from last year - 4th photo - but note his little finger is still in the lens 😄)

Ben's pumpkin dreams were bigger than his muscles 

(an adapted version of your eyes are bigger than your stomach)

He expertly picked out three pumpkins "No mold or rotten parts. Just a bit dirty." but once we loaded them into the wagon it was getting heavy for him to pull! 

Last year Ben was bummed we didn't go apple picking, so this time we did! 

And of course these two were all over the last bridge to cross before heading back to the store

Whoops!

I turned by back for ONE SECOND and Delilah was standing in the middle of a mud puddle! 

Not only that, it was the ONLY mud puddle we'd come across. 

And once she realized her shoes were stuck she panicked, and fell right down on her bottom!

Thankfully I had packed her a change of clothes, AND brought the diaper bag with us rather than leaving it in the truck, AND I even had a big waterproof tote bag with me. 

So I stripped her down, right there in the orchard and wiped her clean as best I could. 

. 

The vile offender! 

The whole event was both hilarious and frustrating but we all handled it pretty well. 😄

I didn't have extra shoes for Delilah, but I remembered this trick that my mom used to do way back with me and Ethan, and probably every other sibling pairing too.