PUMPKIN PATCH 2009

Anyone who lives in Bakersfield has to have heard of Murray Family Farm. We have been there a couple of times. However, this was the first year we went to the pumpkin patch (it's a patch......with pumpkins). Who would have thought one could make money on a patch of pumpkins. I hear it's pretty big money. Those pagans love their holiday traditions. In case you are wondering we are anti-pumpkin carving, and we do not place candles inside hollowed out pumpkins to represent the spirits inside. Whoa.....glad I got that off my chest. Boy do I feel better.

Anyway, we had a wonderful time on the tractor pulled hayride, the corn and potato sack mazes, the giant ant farm where people are the ants, and the pumpkin patch! It was Grants first time to the pumpkin patch. He didn't really get the concept though. He thought it was a pumpkin throwing contest and was striving for first place.

Family farms are close to my heart (Brandy is talking) because when I was a kid my grandma Dolly Barton......yes her real name is Dolly Barton......used to take all of us kids to Al Busells Ranch. I think that is how the name was spelled. It was basically the same concept as Murray Farms. We would go and pick strawberries, pumpkins, play on the hay bales and it was always a time to remember. I thought everyone went to Al Busells Ranch. I realize now that my grandma took us for the purpose of making childhood memories. Thanks Grandma Dolly! That is why I try to take my kids to Murray Farms.

My (Brandy's) mom went with us too. She is a faithful grandma to our kids. Not only does she enjoy spending time with our kids during special trips like this one, she and Demi have a Saturday night ritual where Demi spends the night at Grandmas house and all moms rules go out the window. Thanks for that one too mom. LOL. We love you.

See pictures randomly placed within the blog. I just can't figure this thing out.......curse this blogging program thingy.

BIG BEAR, CA. Grrrrr!!!

Spent a weekend in Big Bear with Brandy's Great Aunt and Uncle, JoAnn and Terry Turk, at their cabin. Man, are they fun!! And man, is Big Bear beautiful. We finally found the place we are going to retire to! This picture was taken at the marsh across from Big Bear Lake. Grant was throwing rocks in the water. You can see the beautiful trees and mountains on the other side of the marsh. Big Bear is beautiful and great for all seasons. This is also a special place for Josh and I because we were lucky enough to spend our honeymoon week in JoAnn and Terry's cabin, a wedding gift from them!

This is the back of the Turk's cabin. Josh, JoAnn, Terry, Grant, and Demi were enjoying the morning breakfast time with the local wildlife. There are a lot of gray squirrels, different types of birds, and other critters crawling around. The animals will come and eat peanuts off the patio and corn on the cob that was hung on the trees. They are pretty brave. Uncle Terry got some sap from the trees on his leg. Putting a wives tale to the test he applied mayonaise to his leg and ta da it came off. We were all impressed. Apparently one of the locals had told them about the mayonaise trick. Hmmmm.....who knew? Might come in handy on our next trip in November.......Hear that Grogan's?

Big Bear has so much to do! There is a ski resort for winter snow skiing (Do the Grogan's snow ski?) Apparently during the summer months there is aggressive down hill mountain biking where the ski resort is. No thanks. Big Bear Lake is ginormous and breath taking......hopefully we can go boating next summer when Grant is a little bigger. Water skiing anyone? Fishing? Horseback riding? Mountain climbing? Hiking? Ice Skating? Yes all these things can be done at Big Bear......not to mention......the observatory that is managed by a few Universities. They placed it at Big Bear because it is one of the places in the U.S. that has the most sunny days. Whoo Hoo you can snow ski in your bathing suit if you wanted. LOL. If you wanted to...that's all I'm saying...if you think about it. It is better to snow ski when it's warm than when it's freezing cold.....trust me.....I know.

You can also just kick back, make a fire, enjoy the stars at night, yes real live stars, we don't get them much here.......bunches of them......for real......if you think about it. What?

The Grogan's are going to join us in November. We haven't actually been there in the winter, but Brandy's aunt said that the cabin care taker would have to turn the heater on a few days in advance to make the cabin warm and cozy.......that's um a little worrisome. Well all we can say is you better bring some warm clothes. But then again maybe not.....because there is a lot of sun. Remember.....the big yellow one's the sun.....LOL!