All posts by Danielle Huddleston

Pumpkin Patches and bloody noses.

pumpkins

I went to my first Pumpkin Patch four years ago and have since gone every year.

Our Stay at Home Mom’s group goes or I do not think my boys would get to experience this particular yearly event.

run

They really don’t care about the pumpkins at all.

They just like doing the straw maze.

I don’t have any pictures of it but it is big straw bales stacked with a tarp on top to make it dark.

The go through over and over.

My youngest decided to run in the exit to find his brother and came out with a bloody nose after colliding with some poor kid.

goats

His brother and friend brought him over to me but they had not realized yet that he was bleeding.

Neither had he.

I wanted to keep it that way until I got something to help with the bleeding.

Of course his brother and friend realized it at the same time and their eyes got huge.

I gave my oldest the “don’t say a word” look and said he is fine we are just going to find a tissue.

I have found downplaying blood is always the best thing for my boys.

laugh

I got him a wipe and sat with him, waiting for the bleeding to stop.

He noticed he was bleeding finally so I started joking about how tough he looked with blood all over his shirt.

He then resorted to glaring at me and making growling noises for all the ridiculous things I was saying.

There may have been some grunting and chest pounding going on…

I was just trying to make a point.

friends

I wanted to take pictures of him but thought I might get a similar look from parents around me as this llama was giving me…

llama

We fed the animals next so obviously he recovered just fine.

So fine in fact that he and his brother thought it would be a good idea to turn on the water hose near the animals…

My oldest also found an open pocket knife in the straw maze.

Nice.

All in all I would say we had a pretty normal pumpkin patch visit.

Keystone Ancient Forest ~Sand Springs, OK

We decided to head out to the Keystone Ancient Forest Saturday to hike the Wilson Trail again.

We did not realize until we got there that they were hosting an event called “A Walk in the Forest”.

Keystone Ancient Forest

help

They had people from the forestry dept. and volunteers out teaching people about forests.

signs

They also had signs with information about the trees and forests and a book about them.

signs2

sign3

chitt

pers

wilsontrail

Our trail was not busy at all!

We only saw two people on it.

trail

lake

family

In our natural environment…

trail2

him

snail

My youngest wanted me to take a picture of some of the treasure he found since we could not take them with us.

Most parks and especially preserves do not want you to take anything with you.

They want it there for everyone to enjoy.

acorns

rings2

I need to work with my boys on the proper way to ask questions at events like this.

They interrupt.

I also realize that they do not handle evolution well.

They simply told them they do not believe in millions of years so of course the person stopped talking.

My husband pointed out that they would learn so much more from listening and asking questions versus telling someone they are wrong.

rings

The people handled this graciously and with kindness but I am going to work with the boys on how we learn from others more.

Why am I writing this down?

I use this blog as kind of a journal.

I am hoping to come back some day, read this, and realize that I have accomplished my goal.

How do you work with your children on being good listeners?

I really do enjoy this place and hope you will go check it out!

There are nice easy paved paths, easy gravel and dirt paths, and a difficult trail for people like us.

Something for everyone.

Check out Sand Springs website for when they are open.