Why last weekend was awesome:

Dylan's weekly soccer game was the first one his team won, lifting the spirits of several 8-year-old boys. Dylan was very excited.

Last weekend was also awesome as we continued our annual fall tradition of visiting the 'pumpkin patch.' We visited Cox Farms in Centreville, where although the admission price was shockingly high ($17, seriously?) we got our money's worth with tons to do.

There were a variety of fun slides, where you sit on a seed sack to go down. From here on out, this post is in 'I Spy' format.

Similar to 'Where's Waldo,' we'll be playing "Where's Dylan?" today. Five gold stars to whomever wins.

I spy... a goat

I spy... Justin

I spy... Dylan

Farm animals for petting were also plentiful.

News alert: Giant bunnies have taken over D.C.

My favorite cow!

Dylan's favorite part was the hay ride, which was ACTION-PACKED (re: going through a river and pond, passing under a troll bridge, passing through a grave yard, and so on and so on).

Too soon, Cox Farms, too soon.

We also enjoyed the "Cornundrum" (if you know me, you know I love a cheesy play on words) a.k.a. a corn maze.

Continuing the Michael Jackson theme... Man in the Mirror

Entering the 'bug' house- filled with (fake, thankfully) bugs and critters.

There were also live bands (yes, multiple) playing, which we enjoyed while chowing down on some kettle corn, chili dogs, and deliciously fresh apple cider. 

And of course, playing in hay and picking a pumpkin (not literally from the patch, but rather carefully selecting an already-picked-pumpkin, I guess you could say).

All in all it was a wonderful fall day. I love that this has inadvertently become our family tradition in the fall, visiting the 'farm' to select a pumpkin, enjoy a hay ride and some fresh apple cider. I look back at pictures from when we first started taking Dylan (Justin was there too, even way back when) and think of the excitement Dylan shares each year, as if it was new each time.

Dylan and Justin, Blake's Big Apple 2007

I love when he is happy-giddy over the activity we're doing, taking on a very serious voice with a hint of excitement, carefully weighing pros and cons of eating kettle corn first or taking the hay ride first. He's such a great kid.

I used to LOVE the wax lips as a kid too!