Tuesday, September 20, 2016

pumpkin festival 2016

It's that time of year again...time to go crazy over anything and everything pumpkin because we just celebrated the Pumpkin Festival this past weekend!
 
While 93% of Americans have begun their obsession with pumpkins, it's a fairly recent trend with the masses.  I take serious pride in the fact that we've been on the pumpkin bandwagon for decades, passing it on from generation to generation.
 
Every September, people migrate to Illinois to celebrate this amazing time of year and this year was Linden's first time getting in the mix of it all.
 
This weekend did not disappoint!
 
Friday
We had an opportunity to meet up with one of my favorites and her family and swapped turns doing family photos for each other.  We had it perfectly timed out with the weather just not so much with naptimes.  Can't win 'em all, right?
 
 
Later in the evening we chowed down on some pizza and then left the boys with my parents so Joe and I could go walk around the festival in search of pumpkin ice cream.
 
 
Saturday
By far the busiest day of my life.  After going back and forth on whether to run the festival's 10K race, I finally decided to go for it.  It was hot.  It was humid.  I skipped breakfast.  But in the end I made it, so the first 10K since having babies is now in the books. We went straight from the finish line to the end of the line for pumpkin pancakes.  I think it was an hour long wait for those pancakes, but sooo worth it. (Joe may disagree, but his opinion on the matter doesn't count right now.)
 

 
 

 
 
After loading up on seconds, we had to take them with us so we could get back in time for the parade to start.  The boys did great this year.  It's fun watching Conner getting into the candy this year (until he was totally over it and decided to lay in the street because he was so tired!)
 

 
From there, it was straight to nana and papa's house for a family picnic with all the cousins.  Let me tell you... ten kids make for a loud and high-energy atmosphere.
 
Joe and I planned it out with my parents to have them watch the boys for the night so we could get away for the first time in nearly three years without any kids.  I'd be lying to say I was a little nervous leaving my baby, but he had a blast.  Both boys actually had a blast hanging out and having their first sleepover at nana and papa's without us around.
 
Meanwhile, Joe and I enjoyed a much needed date night with some amazing flatbread pizza and a long island for the win.  After supper we walked along the riverfront, picked up Tylenol from Walmart (I know.. romantic) and decided our night would be spent best going back to the same restaurant we just came from to sit on the patio with more drinks. :)
 



 
Sunday
We got back to my parents early Sunday and enjoyed the rest of the day with them.  We relaxed, did a neighborhood walk, went to BassPro, hit up the playground, swam and napped.  We loaded up the car and started the journey home after supper.
 



 
Needless to say, I'm still exhausted and trying to recover from this weekend, but I wouldn't have done it any other way.

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