Fall Has Arrived!

I feel like fall is officially here now. The trees have been turning colors, the leaves are falling all around, the weather has been wonderful (fall is usually some of the nicest weather of the year here), it seems there are pumpkins everywhere, I've been busy canning, and I've even started on my kids' Halloween costumes. I love it!

Yesterday we spent most of the day at Arroyo Grande's Harvest Festival. They kicked things off with a parade through town - there were LOTS of bands, LOTS of refurbished cars and tractors, LOTS of fire trucks and LOTS of matchbox dirby cars - basically a PEFECT parade for my 2 little boys - they were in heaven! We were lucky enough to find some people we knew from church who had some extra seats in a great spot, so we didn't have to fight for a seat. 

Jaxon spent most of his time picking the marigolds, putting them in his mouth, and spitting them out and making a BIG mess with his sucker one of the kids in the parade gave him. 

Jonah just sat on David's shoulders mesmerized by everything. 

We saw our first "Mammoth Donkeys" - yes, that's what they're really called....we got a kick out of that one...and they were MAMMOTH - the biggest donkeys I've ever seen! 

We ran into a bunch of Jonah's friends from school-it was so cute watching how excited they got seeing each other outside of school.  Jonah's school had the one and only Pumpkin Patch there.  I don't know that I've ever seen such a variety of pumpkins/squash/gourds in one place (well maybe at Avila Barn, I don't know).

There were lots of games for the kids to play.  Of course you gotta have toss the bean bag in the clown's mouth...

Jonah's first time milking a cow...a wooden cow at that...and he milked water...hmm, interesting.

Jonah was very excited about riding the pony.  This was a labor of love...we stood in line FOREVER!  But it was all worth it!

Look, no hands!

Jax just stood at the fence staring at the ponies going around and around.  I'm certain he could have sat there ALL day!

We watched the annual Big Ditch Dirby.  It was pretty cool.  They put these kids up on this ramp in their cars and let 'em glide on down, racing to the end of the track.  Jonah and David are now determined to build their own car sponsored by the theater and have Jonah race it next year...we'll see how that goes, but it sure would be fun for the both of them!

  

There was this one booth (I think sponsored by the Highway Patrol) that had all of these vintage guns, sheriff/police/HP badges, knives - most dating back to the late 1800's and early 1900's.  Jonah was in heaven!!!  He could have stayed there for hours!  I'm not a gun person, but it was actually very interesting hearing all about them.  

Jonah was excited to get a picture taken with the Sheriff (all though I'm not sure if he really was a sheriff or not).

Of course Jonah had to climb into the jail.  The funny thing was he could slide his entire body out of the bars...real nice jail!

Seeing as it was a "Harvest Festival," we ate LOTS of roasted corn on the cob - mmm, my fave and oh so delicious!  Of course Jonah thought, what would a festival be without a snow cone?  

We're all sunburned now (of course "Mrs. Prepared For Everything" was not prepared this time with sunscreen), but we had SO much fun!  We truly live in paradise!