Pumpkin Filled Weekends| Part One

My amazing Husband, and favorite pumpkin enabler, took me to my first Bay Area pumpkin patch two weekends ago!  After scouring the internet we decided on one that looked pretty authentic.  We were in for a surprise.

Clayton Farms is about an hour from where we live in Northern California.  The drive was great but we were getting a little suspicious when kept driving through residential areas.  We popped out of our last neighborhood following Siri's awesome directions and made the last 3 miles of what could *almost* be described as farmland.  I think the drought may have had something to do with it but while we thought we were driving up to pick our own pumpkin from a patch... we were actually just picking out our pumpkin from groups.  Kind of a let-down, but we still made it fun!

Silly faces are mandatory!

Of course we took this opportunity to take a pic of our little pumpkin!

Train rides and hay tunnels for the littles!

This is one of the main reasons I wanted to come here, the pumpkin treats!  The treats mentioned on the website made my mouth water!  Unfortunately... the pumpkin whoopie pie, and pumpkin cookie looked more amazing than they tasted.  Tiny violins are playing everywhere for me!

Of course D needed a gigantic pumpkin.

All in all, this Cali pumpkin patch was ok.  It was nothing compared to the seriously high expectations we had from our Washington pumpkin patches, but it was still fun.  I think if we had kids in tow and it wasn't 100 degrees it may have been a bit more exciting.  We did, however, come home with 4 cute pumpkins which I can't wait to place outside!

Until next time...

Admittance is the first step...

Hello, my name is Annalee and I'm addicted to all things pumpkin.  I just can't describe what those little spicy morsels of deliciouness do to me.  It makes me crazy, and I love it!  From the first of August until it's obviously Christmas time, you can smell, taste and see pumpkin everything invading every facet of my life.  I should probably be ashamed, but I'm not.  #pumpkins4life My FB friends and Pinterest followers must dread these months because I am allllll about my favorite season Fall PUMPKIN season!!

Source

Since the first clue of the PSL early release (that's a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks, for all you non-pumpkin lovers) I have been feigning for the little orange crack.  Anything pumpkin will fit the bill.

One of my fellow addicts and I have even created a little game of sorts.  We search out new and scrumptious pumpkin treats and then share them for the other.  My last share was a little evil since there is no Jamba Juice in AK, but how was I supposed to know?  It was heaven!!

Here are just a few of our pumpkin finds:

Jamba Juice- Pumpkin Blast is like pumpkin pie in a cup!  YUM!!

I should note that I did NOT buy all of these products... and no, I will not admit to just how many I did buy!

Even though admittance is the first step, I have no intention of getting over this addiction.  I'll keep feeding it until the cows come home, or the pumpkins rot, you're choice!

What's your favorite pumpkin food/smell/item??

** Side note, Happy Anniversary to my Husband!  I'll post about this later!**  

Until next time...

When is a vacation not a vacation?

So I took this little "vacation" to see my parents two weeks ago.  I got to thinking "this doesn't really feel like vacation", which led into "if I'm off work, why doesn't this feel like a vacation"?  Here are some possible reasons why and of course super cute pics of what I did while I was away from you!

1.  When you have more things to fit in a week and no time-turner available because Hermione borrowed it and never gave it back! 

Not a HP fan?  google it.  Ok, so every time I leave this "paradise" as people call it, I've got a MILLION things that I have on my "to-do" list.  If you've ever read my Cordovaisms Vol. 1 or Vol. 2 you can see that there isn't any shopping here and we are a very secluded little town.  Lovely?  Yes.  Control my shopping?  Yes.  Me likey?  NO.  Naturally, when my parents offered to fly me down for my birthday present I was ecstatic to see them and to do a million things I don't get to do up here.  Enter not feeling like a vacation.  We were running around like crazy people going from store to store trying to buy the entire world the things I needed.  These things included but were by no means limited to: candles (to last until Spring flavors are needed), fall/winter outfits, fun work shoes (Cordova likes to EAT shoes- I'll expand later.) and decorations.  It was like a gun went off the first morning I was there and the race didn't end until the morning I left.  Exhausting.

2.  When you stay with family.

I love you... like a lot.  But there is just something about going back to your hotel room with a freshly turned down bed and hearing- wait for it- nothing.  Also, my dear Mother LOVES to wake me up.  I'm pretty sure it's one of her favorite things, ever.

3.  When said family gets a new puppy.

It's like staying with a person who just had a newborn... super cute, tons of work.  I, myself, had my baby fever checked after staying with the newest member of the family.  Holy biting, needy, peeing, crazy excited little monster.  Did I already say I'm pretty sure my Mom is trying to replace me with a puppy?  Yeah, that happened.  Oh, and regarding the above wake up calls, a 30lb 4mo old bulldog puppy jumping on your head and biting your hair- is not making my favorites list.  Being with this puppy made me A) appreciate my almost 7yr old pug and B)gave me a serious reality check on the ticking clock in my uterus.  tmi?  Nah!

4.  When you constantly eat out.

Hold the phone.  You're telling me that eating out doesn't make you feel like you're on vacation?  Why yes, that's exactly what I'm saying.  While eating out is an integral part of vacation, trying to cram every single food that you don't get in your tiny Alaskan town in your face in 8 days is not enjoyable in hindsight.  Please refer to number one.  I had... pizza, thai (no, I actually never got thai, damn!), sushi, Luna (awesome restaurant), Fro you like 16 times, P.F. Changs, breakfast restaurants, Five Guys Burgers, sandwich shop goodies, Starbucks- duh and the list goes on and on...  Needless to say I came back with 5lbs of lovin.  Totally worth it. 

However, can we talk about the day I DID feel total bliss?  My Mom surprised me with a massage and facial at the Coeur D'alene Spa & Resort.  I have never had a facial before and let me tell you, just between you and me, it's heaven.  You should go get one.  Like now.  We spent 4 hours at the spa and then had an amazing dinner at the resort restaurant.  It was so peaceful, relaxing and later indulgent with the ice cream sundae that it felt like my birthday all over again.  That was exactly what I had wanted.

Here are some of the super fun pics I took on with my family.  Love these people!!

I'm not sure if it's because I'm getting old and "going home" has a different feel or if it's the adult in me feeling weird, but something was different.  I love my family and am SO excited that I was able to see them (last time was for wedding festivities a year ago).  I can't wait to be closer to them but I won't be shocked at these new feelings I have next time.  Next time, I'll be ready for the grown up Annalee's needs and make sure to plan accordingly!  Maybe a Husband in tow would've helped too!  We'll see!

As you get older does "going home" mean something different to you?    

Until next time...