It's Pumpkin Carving Time!

Carter had been sick with strep the entire week before Halloween so we weren't able to carve our pumpkins until Saturday, October 30th. We thought he would love digging into a pumpkin with a big spoon and getting all the mush out but... we thought wrong! He was over it after about 5 minutes! Joe worked so hard designing the pumpkins so that each family member had a pumpkin to represent them! Joe drew a perfect Elmo for Carter, a power T (Go Vols!) for himself, and a happy jack-o-lantern face for Courtney. Here are the few pictures we got of Carter before he took off playing outside!

Checking out the insides!

Helping Daddy remove the mush!

He liked spooning the mush out a few times but then he was finished!

His favorite part of pumpkin carving time was taking the lid on and off!

Checking the lid for pumpkin ick!

Carter with the finished product... his Elmo pumpkin!

Fun at Oakes Farm!

On Saturday, October 16th, we took Carter to Oakes Farm in Corryton. We hadn't been there in several years so we really didn't know what to expect other than the corn maze and pumpkin patch. Oh my, was there so, so much more! We spent 3 hours letting Carter explore all they had to offer. The weather was absolutely perfect and Carter surpassed our expectations! Waiting in line for 30 minutes was well worth it, especially since the people in line as we were leaving had been waiting for over an hour! We can't wait to carve our pumpkin and set it out on the porch for trick-or-treaters!

As soon as Carter spotted a pumpkin, he tried to pick it up! He gave this one all his might but it wouldn't budge!

He didn't know which way to run first!

He finally found a little pumpkin that he carried around most of the time we were at the pumpkin patch. We debated letting him keep it since he choose that pumpkin but when we got a hold of it, we realized it had a split in the bottom and would soon be rotting! ICK!

Carter and his little pumpkin!

He had so much fun climbing on all the pumpkins and running from one to the next!

Our little man looking all grown up!

Since we had him sit on the pumpkins for a few pictures, he started testing them all out... with his bottom!

We sat up front on the hayride back to the main farm area. He LOVED to watch the tractor wheels!

Courtney took him down the slide the 1st time to see how he would react... he had a BLAST...

so Joe sent Carter down by himself the next time!

Joe took Carter down the enclosed slide since it was a little more scary!

Oakes Farm had a giant balloon pillow that you could jump on so Joe and Carter tried it out. It was a short experience because after a few jumps Carter was over it!

Carter loved the kiddie corn maze! He ran the entire way through it!

Before we ventured into the actual corn maze, we took a pit stop for lunch and found this sign. We thought it was so funny how still Carter stood by it. (side note: Oakes Farm was covered with sticks and Carter had to touch, pick up, carry, hand out to others as many sticks as his little hands could hold!)

Ready for some corn maze fun!

Boo at the Zoo 2010

On Friday, October 15th, we went with our good friends, The Brantleys, to Boo at the Zoo! Courtney searched high and low to find the perfect costume for Carter. We decided to dress him up as a giraffe since he loves them so much. We were impressed that he left his hood on the entire time while we were there. Carter had so much fun running around and looking at all the costumes! He wasn't quite sure as to what to do when someone handed him a treat. He didn't like to have more than one thing in his "Melmo" basket at a time. After walking through the treat trail, we headed to the Kid's Cove tent to let the little ones play and dance. Carter and Matthew had a blast together! Boo at the Zoo will hopefully continue to be our Halloween family tradition!

Our Family Picture!

Carter with his buddy Matthew!

Our wild animal!

Getting a treat! Carter would just hold his hand out instead of letting anyone put something in his basket.

Our little "Ge=Ge" ready to have some fun in the Kid's Cove tent!

Carter loves to dance! He started doing the chicken dance after he watched the big kids doing it!

Carter loving on Katie! He loves to hug her! It's so sweet!

Carter tried to throw the balls but he just wanted to run around with them!

Playing with Matthew

The Brantley Family

Carter didn't know what to think about the light-up, talking pumpkin! He was trying to look inside the mouth! He finally turned around to face the camera and yell "Cheese!".

Old MacCarter played some golf... e, i, e, i, o!

After the Aquarium, we went to Ripley's Old MacDonald's Farm Mini Golf. We were excited to let Carter play putt-putt for the 1st time. He loves to use his bat like a golf club to hit his baseball like a golfball. We chose a course that didn't have many people playing so that our wait time was short. We didn't know how long Carter would last but we made it through the entire course. We took turns playing with Carter and once he put his ball in the hole, he was ready to move on to the next. God gave us beautiful weather to share a beautiful day together as a family! We had a great day!

Carter tried his best to hit the ball! He would get frustrated so he would just pick up the ball and put it in the hole. This is exactly how Courtney played putt-putt with her family when she was little!

"Hole-In-One!"

"Daddy tried to show me how to putt!"

"I didn't like his orange ball being in the hole so I threw it out and put my ball in the hole!"

"Mommy thought that she would try to help me, too!"

Carter is pointing to his hole-in-one! Can you believe it? Our little man threw the ball and it went straight into the hole to win a free round of golf on our next visit!

After putt-putt, we let Carter play in the arcarde. We played skeeball and whack-a-mole. Since we didn't win too many tickets, Joe played a few rounds of basketball so that Carter could pick out some prizes! He chose a ball and a snake! Carter was so proud of his prizes that we had to get a picture!

Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies

On Saturday, October 2, we went to Ripley's Aquarium since it was teacher appreciation weekend! What a deal for teachers- any Ripley's attraction for FREE! We definitley can't wait for this weekend to come around! It wasn't super crowded, which we were very thankful for, so we took our time letting Carter explore. He had a blast! He loved seeing all the "shish".

Our Family Picture at the big tank!

Carter stood and watched the fish swim by for quite a while. He tried to follow a few but they were a little too fast for him!

Carter and his "shish"!

Joe showed Carter the sharks! He was in awe!

Checking out the puffer fish!

Carter loved the wrap around tanks! He was so excited that he could see Courtney and fish swimming around!

Joe was trying to let Carter touch a horseshoe crab! He was very willing but Joe couldn't get it out with one hand.

This is the best shot Courtney could get... Joe holding the horseshoe crab, Carter touching it while Courtney's holding him and the camera!

Scuba Diver Carter!

Outside in the Penguin Playhouse!

Sitting patiently in the penguin tunnel! It was VERY hot, VERY small, and VERY crowded with unsupervised children. Needless to say, "Mrs. Lancaster" had to go over the rules a few times in the tunnel!

Carter checking out the penguin while Mommy was about to have a panic attack! It was extremely close quarters and the special needs child in line behind us decided to crawl up in the tunnel and grab tight on Courtney!