The holiday season begins...

I love the holidays. There's nothing bad about them. Starting about the third week in October I just find myself being a bit happier... The weather leaves oven-baking hot and jumps into cool wonderfulness, and there's so much Fall/holiday stuff to do! Last weekend was packed!
Friday I took Brooklynn and Mickey to Tolmachoff Farm with Barbara, Katie and Emma. Although the high was 93 that day, we made it there early enough to really get a lot out of the morning. We found a lot of cool shade and stayed just a bit ahead of the visiting preschool classes, so the girls got the corn box and the train to themselves. (Which was good because we hadn't exactly prepared them for the train. When the quad-driven "train" made it to the very end of the corn field it stopped. Preggo Katie and I jogged down to find both of our girls in tears. But, as it turned out, it was great prep for the next day when we went back.)
On Saturday we returned, this time with Ryan and the Atkinsons. Brooklynn proudly rode the train with her good friend, Tatum (who said B could hold her arm if she felt scared. The pics show her holding Tatum's arm the entire time. ;) That day they were giving pony rides, which Brooklynn loved. And, feeling brave with Daddy at her side she fed a cow? horse? I don't remember, but it's in the pictures, and she held baby chicks. This I don't have pictures of. Daddy snuck off for special time alone on the farm with Brook and came back with this story. (Dad's simply don't understand the importance of documenting such private time!!)
Sunday was the SSJ Fall Festival.I was really looking forward to this and it turned out to be kind of disappointing. The festival has become almost entirely blow-up jumpy things - which will be great in another year or two, but it's too much for Brooklynn now. Also, it was disgustingly hot. Next year if it's that hot we'll make it a nighttime affair. Although I found the whole thing rather boring, you'd be amazed at what counts for wonderful in the eyes of a two-year old. She threw bean bags at knock-down troll dolls like it was her job - and glowed when they gave her the crappy plastic "sorry you lost" prize. And she was also very proud when she triumphantly turned up the "3" on the plastic duck in the mini-tub. (There's a number on each duck that determines which box you get to chose from. #3 - dumb stuff, #2 - even more dumb, throw-away toys, #1 - total crap that the booth runners probably found on the ground on their way to the fair.) When she hit total exhaustion, around 3, she really had fun - playing run away from mom as fast as possible. It was awesome.