Pumpkin Art

Since Halloween is only two days away, we decided to take time this evening to carve our pumpkins. This year I didn’t find stencils I liked, so Marina decided to draw the designs on the pumpkins and then carve them out.

First we cleaned out the pumpkins. After I cleaned one out I helped Marina finished the other one. Then she carved out the designs herself. One of them had a crazy face and the other she created the outline of a ghost. After she finished I made the outline on the ghost a bit thicker so it showed up better.

Marina seemed pretty happy with them when we were done.

Glow at the Gardens

The Glow at the Gardens event has become another Halloween tradition for Marina and I. This year the event was scheduled for one week only. I got our tickets early since it always sells out.

It started snowing just as Marina got out of school. Traffic wasn’t too bad despite rush hour and the weather. However, when we arrived it was clear parking was an issue. After a bit of circling around we came upon some people who were leaving and we were able to grab their spot. It was very close and we were happy about that.

We quickly checked in and started off by buying hot chocolate before venturing back out to explore the gardens. We stopped to look at the pumpkins and Marina picked up candy at each trick or treat station. We just followed the path since it was still snowing heavily.

As we walked around, we kept an eye out for the ghosts we heard about on the Ghosts in the Gardens tour last week. We shared some of the stories with people around us as well. Marina was pretty creeped out when we walked through the trees in the back of the gardens.

Every year, the botanic gardens has the most interesting pumpkin displays that we see. This year was no exception. I took pictures of many of them, but they were all surrounded by snow.

We went back inside to try out the virtual reality experience they set up this year. We had three experiences to choose from. We both picked the Halloween Epic Roller Coaster. It took a bit to get mine started, but I could hear Marina as she went through it. The volunteers thought she was very entertaining.

After our VR experience we were ready to go home. We had a quick walk to the car and headed home. We had an easy trip where we put on dry clothes and watched TV for a little while before bed.

Fun on the Farm

For the past few years, Marina and I have gone to a corn maze in the fall. This year we decided to try a new one. It was about an hour drive to get there and traffic made it take even longer.

When we arrived, we could see that this was more than a corn maze – it was a fall festival. After we bought our tickets and entered the farm we saw Cinderella posing for photos in front of a pumpkin coach. We got into the short line for that. Marina also took a look inside the coach.

We walked around and saw farm animals, including goats and llamas. There were crafts and farm equipment to look at as well. We decided to take the wagon ride to the pumpkin patch. One the way we heard that the snow we had a few days ago damaged many of the pumpkins. But it was fun anyway. The pumpkin patch was huge and filled with pumpkins on many varieties and colors. We found two small pretty ones that we decided to buy.

After we got back from the pumpkin patch, we tried out the corn maze. We didn’t realize there were three different mazes at first. The one we chose ended up being the longest one and without items to find. Fortunately we were able to get through it without getting lost. Once we did that we tried the murder mystery maze. Marina used the map and was able to direct us to all the clues. We were too tired to try the last maze though.

By that time we were ready to go home. We hadn’t even looked around the entire farm. But we enjoyed our day.

Return to the Enchanted Hallows

Last year the zoo started a fall evening event called Enchanted Hallows. We enjoyed it last year, so we decided to try it again. This year they were also advertising a Bigfoot encounter.

When we arrived it was not dark yet. We decided to start at the Bigfoot Encounter. They had a large glittery cut out of Bigfoot on display there. Marina wanted to go through the tropical exhibit, so we went in to look at the animals. While we were inside, Marina befriended a little boy.

When we left the building, we heard the sea lions barking. We couldn’t see them very well since there were no lights in the area. But they were really loud for a while. The giraffe house was also open, so we went in there for a while. We spent some time talking with one of the keepers. 

As we walked through the zoo, we saw their new 4D Movie Theater. A show was about to start, so we decided to see it. It was a shortened version of Smallfoot. That featured a lot of bumping around, pokes in the back and a few water sprays in our faces. It definitely kept us on our toes.

We followed the path to the elephants. We saw them inside their house and the fishing cat who was sitting inside a hollow log.

This year there was an interactive art walk near the carousel. Inside we found a giant owl. Marina sat on the chair inside and was able to move the wings and the eyes. We also saw bubbling water and a glowing crystal ball. Near the exit there were two realistic looking scarecrows that freaked Marina out and the Headless Horseman.

As we made our way out, we bought hot chocolate since we were a bit chilly. We went through the predators and saw the African Wild Dogs sleeping all snuggled together. Marina loved that.

When we completed the loop through the zoo, we walked to the car and went home.

Enchanted Hollows

This year the Zoo has a new nighttime event for Halloween. Marina and I were interested in checking it out. She wore her Sayori costume, We arrived early and found that it wasn’t crowded at all.

The zoo was decorated with pumpkins, sculptures and some of the scary animals from zoo lights. We saw a few lions in their enclosure. We moved on to look at the hyenas when we heard an animal roaring. We went back to the lions and saw one standing on a log roaring. It was fun to see.
As we moved through the zoo, we stopped to speak with a volunteer who told us that many of the zoo animals are “crepuscular” meaning they are most active at dawn and twilight. We walked by the flamingos and saw them all sleeping very close to the fence. We’d never seen them that close before.


In Asian exhibit we went inside and saw three otters playing. After we finished watching them, Marina turned around and we saw one of the elusive fisher cats looking at us. It quickly turned around and hid again. One of the tigers was also very active and roaring, so we watched it for a while.

Marina wanted to go into the tropical exhibit. She was particularly interested in the snakes tonight. Once we made the walk through the entire zoo we were ready to go home.

Glowing Gardens

Marina and I have attended Glow at the Gardens every year since it started. She wanted to wear her costume Sayori from Doki Doki Literature Club today, so this afternoon we put a temporary maroon dye in her hair. She was very excited about that!

This year we were fortunate to have great weather. We had to wait in line to get into the botanic gardens, but it moved fairly quickly.

Once inside, we bought chai lattes to drink as we walked around. I was surprised at how much light there was at the start. We could see all the pumpkin carvings, but they weren’t glowing. It wasn’t until we were about halfway through that it was dark enough to really see the jack o’lanterns. So we decided to go through again to see everything in the dark.

As we were leaving, we saw performers wearing light up costumes which we watched for a while. After that we were ready to go home.

Super Hero Saturday

Last year, Marina and I attended Fairytale Day at a corn maze. This year, she was more interested in going to their Superhero Day. So we decided to go after a late breakfast. Marina wanted to go with a Harley Quinn Look. She wore her new “Daddy’s Little Monster” shirt with jeans and her Puddin choker. Then I sprayed her hair pink and blue. She was happy with the look.

We arrived a few minutes before the event started. Marina mingled with the younger kids and made a pumpkin super hero craft. A short while later, Spiderman, Super Girl and Bat Girl arrived for the event. Marina graciously allowed the younger kids to speak first and helped the super heroes with their activities.

After the event, we decided to go through the corn maze. We used the trick we used last year with worked. We kept running into a couple of groups of people. It was funny. We completed the maze fairly quickly, collected our mini pumpkins as prizes and then decided it was time to go home.

Glow and Snow at the Gardens

Marina and I have attended Glow at the Gardens from the first year it began. Our tickets were for this evening. The temperature dropped dramatically today and we had snow flurries. But that didn’t dampen our spirits. We both wore our Halloween costumes, but you couldn’t really see them under our heavy coats.

It took a while to get to the Botanic Gardens and when we arrived it was already busy. We found a parking sport not too far way and quickly went inside.

We stopped to buy chai lattes. We also saw a woman dressed like Glinda on stilts. We took pictures and then bundled up to go through the garden. This year there were more trick or treat stations and since this was the last night of the event, they encouraged to take as much candy as they wanted. Marina was actually fairly reserved in her selections.

The carved pumpkins were extraordinary as usual. We loved a pile of flame carved pumpkins with a smoke machine inside and horse created from pumpkins. Marina wasn’t as fond of the haunted forest which she thought was too creepy. She enjoyed the ghostly apparitions at one of the administrative buildings. Although, when a pair of giant eyes appeared she was obviously startled.

We went into the Memorial Building where Marina tried out the crafts. She made a wand, colored a vampire picture and decorated a cat mask. On our way out, we saw a room with music playing and acrobats performing. Marina started up a conversation with a woman using lighted hula hoops. We also talked to another woman dancing around in beautiful lighted wings.

We bundled up again and walked to the car. Fortunately it never got too cold and we enjoyed the evening.

Fall Fairytale

In our area are lots of fall festivals and corn mazes. We’ve only been to a few. We found out that one we hadn't been  to before was having a Fairytale Day at Maize in the City. We decided to go check it out.

The ads featured Belle, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, so Marina wore her blue Belle costume. We arrived at the Maize before the party started, so we looked around a bit. Shortly after that, the characters arrived. We were thrilled that they were all performers we know. When they saw us, they waved and called us by name.

The party started with a craft – making a pumpkin wand. Marina chose a big one to decorate. After she finished her pumpkin, we took photos with all the characters. Marina also made a new friend, a four year old girl. The two hung out together until the show started.

Flynn Rider started things off by having an Adventure Academy. Marina went on stage to participate. She especially liked the swashbuckling – sword fighting. When she was tagged she put on a dramatic death. Next Rapunzel, Flynn and Belle sang. Then Belle told stories.

After the show, we spent some time with our friends before we left to look around. We decided to try out the corn maze. A friend of mine told me that you should always go to the right side when in a corn maze, so we tried that. It worked! We not only easily found our way out, but we hit all the markers through it to claim a prize. The prize was a mini pumpkin. Marina was thrilled!

Marina wanted her face painted. The line looked short but it moved very slowly. Her new friend was in line ahead of us, so they played together as they waited. Some other children approached Marina. They thought she was Belle! She played along for a little while.

When it was finally Marina’s turn, she decided on a flower design in red. It came out beautifully. By that time we were tired and ready to head home.

Pumpkin Harvest Festival

Marina and I have enjoyed many events at a nearby historic park in the past, but we’ve never been to their Pumpkin Harvest Festival. We decided to go this year. We had to park pretty far away, so we had a good walk to get there.


When we arrived we took a look at the goats. Marina was thrilled to see a kid in with them. She wanted to pet it but it didn’t come very close to the fence. Next, we looked around their pumpkin patch. Marina found a tiny pumpkin and begged me to buy it for her. I agreed and she named it Tiffany.

We wandered around to see what else there was to do. The panning for gold was crowded, so we decided to try later. Marina tried feeding the chickens, but they weren’t too interested. So we decided to sit down and share a caramel apple. Marina loved the caramel. Next, we went for a ride in an old fashioned wagon. While we waited our turn, Marina got a chance to pet some of the horses. She loved that!

Marina finally got her chance to pan for gold. She found a few pieces and helped some of the younger kids figure it out. On the way out, we bought a glass of fresh apple cider. Marina loved that too!

Fall Fun

It’s been a busy few weeks and Marina and I needed a break today. So the plan was to take it easy today. This morning, Marina had an appointment this morning. After that, we went home for some fall activities.

Lately, Marina has been crazy about cinnamon rolls. So she and I made a pan of them today. I made the dough, but Marina rolled it out and cut them. I also needed to make a dessert for a dinner party, so Marina helped me with that as well. She peeled and sliced apples for the apple cinnamon cheesecake.

The big project of the day was carving our Halloween Jack O’Lanterns. Marina chose stencils for Jasmine and Merida. These were tougher patterns than what we have done before, but we both did our best to get them done.

Garden Glow

Marina and I had a great time at last year’s Glow at the Gardens at the botanic gardens last year. So we looked forward to going again this year. I had just picked up a new Elizabeth Swann costume for Marina. She was so excited by it that she wanted to wear it tonight.

We didn’t leave as early as we had hoped and ran into traffic on the way there. Despite all that, we were thrilled to be able to find a great parking space in the garage when we arrived. We did find a huge line to get inside though. Once we were inside the gardens, we decide to have dinner at the café. Marina had a corndog and chatted with a woman we shared a table with.

After we ate, Maria signed up for the costume contest and had her picture taken with a fairy on stilts. Then we started to follow the trail of lanterns through the gardens. Along the way we found trick or treat stations and elaborate pumpkin carvings. One of the older buildings on the grounds had ghosts appearing in the windows. Marina loved that!

Along the way, we stopped to have Marina’s face painted with gold roses and we saw pumpkins being carved. Then we found all the activity stations and Marina worked on some of the crafts until it was time for the costume contest.

Because of her age, Marina was in the adult contest. There were only 10 contestants, but the competition was stiff. She was disappointed that she didn’t win a prize, but she took it well. Shortly after the contest, we decided to go home. By then it was late and we were tired.

Corn Maze

Fall officially began this week and to get into the spirit, we decided to go to the Corn Maze at the  botanic gardens. We decided to check out some of the activities and save the corn maze for last. Marina started out on the jumping pillow. She had fun jumping around and playing with some of the other kids there. She met a little boy who was afraid to try the pillow. So Marina took him by the hand, his father took his other hand and they led him onto the pillow. After a while, he didn’t want to go on with our her!

Next Marina wanted to try the inflatable balls. It was an extra charge, but she talked me into by telling me, ”It will great for photos!” She was loved it from the beginning. She was in the ball for a pretty long time. When it was time for her to come out, she gave me a sad face.

We found a picnic table and sat down for lunch. Marina needed a rest from all the physical activity. We ate our sandwiches and talked with the people who were sharing their table. We got in line for the wagon rides, which moved fairly slowly. Marina said she didn’t want to go, but when we rode by the huge pumpkin patch, she was pretty excited. After our ride, she said she was ready to go.

Marina didn’t want to go into the corn maze, but I told her we should at least try it. Inside was a search for six animals. We made good progress through the maze and found four animals. When we got halfway through, we started to walk a bit in circles. As we were trying to get out, we ran into one of  Marina's school friends and her family. We all decided to try to find out way our together. Unfortunately, that didn’t help much. We walked in circles for what felt like a long time. Then we finally found our way out – the same way we came in!


Her friend’s family was had just arrived, so they were headed toward the activities we had already done. Marina wanted to go with them, until I reminded her how tired she was. Once she decided she was ready to go, she couldn’t get to the car fast enough.

Glow at the Gardens

This evening, Marina and I went to a new event, Glow at the Gardens. We both put on our Halloween costumes and went to the botanic gardens. Parking was crazy but we managed to find a space without too much trouble.

Inside the gardens were decorated with jack-o-lanterns everywhere. A path was lined with paper lanterns – without it the path was very dark! Along the way we found trick or treat booths and more jack-o-lanterns. Along the ways we checked out all the other costumes.

After we made our way along the path, we went into the pavilion. Marina colored a Halloween craft. She also entered the costume contest. She didn’t win, but she had fun with it.

After the contest, we went to hear a storyteller. Marina sat up front with other kids. The storyteller was dramatic and Marina loved listening to her.

After the stories, we walked back to the car. We had a fun time!