the search for the perfect pumpkin

fall has arrived in my little corner of the world

and every fall it's a family tradition to put on our gum boots

make our way over to our local pumpkin patch 

and hunt for the perfect pumpkin 

that will eventually be carved into a jack o'lantern

and every year, pia pretty much picks her pumpkin

within minutes of getting to the patch

and ever year, zoe will carefully pick up

at least a dozen pumpkins or more

carefully inspect it

put it back down and exclaim

"no, it's not the one..."

and carefully wander through the patch searching for 

the most perfect pumpkin

 until husband and i start saying things like

"zoe, pick a pumpkin now, or else we will pick it for you!"

haha! that usually gets her moving 

the next step is choosing a design to carve the pumpkins into

sometimes that takes even more time than actually choosing said pumpkin

oh, the patience us mama's need!