Vertuccio Farms

Its been a long year and as my journey to IRONMAN ebbs closer to the finish I am more and more aware at how much difference a year makes.  My girls have grown up.  No, they are still little, but a lot has changed in them in 1 year.

This year they have spent copious hours with Dad.  I am so grateful for it because their relationship is close, connected and so special.  These ladies LOVE their Daddy and while my girls still love me, I have taken a somewhat backseat to it all.  

Its time though for me to step back in and start making memories with them again and this year I took them to their first AZ Pumpkin Patch.  I was so grateful that my girlfriend Bridgit asked me to go and together we took our 5 kids for some play time.

It was dirty and dusty and all things it should be.  The girls shed their shoes almost instantly for the chance to jump on the big in ground balloon.  Evie didn't hesitate to hang with the big kids and quickly became a big sweaty mess from the effort.  Oh just to see the smiles.

Next came the slides and I found myself nearly dying laughing over watching my girls.  Lily went first and all I heard going down was the squeaking of her shoes against the side as she valiantly made the effort to keep herself slow and controlled.  Always the cautious one Lily made sure she could do it safely before throwing caution to the wind.  Then there was Evie who just flew out like she had been shot out of a cannon.  All speed, no caution and a big smile coupled with, "Lets do it again!!!!"

The girls worked on getting fully covered in dirt with the barrel roll and couldn't stop the giggling as it rolled around.

Once everyone was out of the barrel roll we noticed that Evie was missing.  The little daredevil had raced over to the barrel train and was sitting in one of the cars yelling at all of us to hurry.  Man, the kid has no fear.  I decided to hop in with her because frankly, I don't trust her judgement yet.

We could barely get off the train before Evie was already in line for the zip line.  By the time I made it over to her she was already on the line and headed down.  No fear.  I just said a half prayer and she went flying down the line.  Seriously kid....WAIT FOR MOM!  The girls had a blast on the zip line and did it over and over and over again until we decided to brave the corn maze.

I won't say much about the corn maze except, I very much dislike them.  Perhaps it's my claustrophobia, or perhaps I fear loosing my children in its maziness, but either way, I'm assuredly not a fan.

I am grateful for fabulous weather and good friends to enjoy doing Fall activities with and I am even more glad that this was one event that my girls got to do with me.