Photog mom badge

There are times when I feel that becoming a mom is a bit like becoming a girl scout. You can buy the uniform, but you it comes with this long empty sash that stays empty until you earn the badges to go on it. When browsing the catalog of badges, there are some that can be just immediately eliminated:

1603. Patient mom (ummm, yeah. Not even gonna try it. NEXT.)

1699. Soccer mom (Ordered trophies for team and delivered all but one. Some poor kid may never get his... but I consider that to be more his mom's apathy than my being a bad soccer mom. I might have to do extra credit for that one, but since Evan has decided not to play soccer this season, it will have to wait.)

1724. Crafty mom (SOOOO not gonna happen)

1766. and 1802. Babywearing and breast feeding mom (Does it count that I owned a Baby Bjorn and a hospital grade pump when my kids were infants? Never you mind that the Bjorn turned Evan's feet purple when he rode in it for too long. Who knew?)

1875. Karate mom (Sew ridiculously thick patch onto karate Gi. Check!)

1921. Photog mom

OK. Now that one seems like a no-brainer, right? Like taking senior math when your other choices are advanced trig or calculus. I was well on pace to earn my photog badge, but lately, I have been failing miserably. I keep forgetting to take my camera with me anywhere we go. I'm thinking having a camera with you is a pre-requisite for earning the badge. So, no badge for me in the foreseeable future. But I will continue to strive to achieve.

After that unusually long intro, I'll tell you about our trip to Burt's Pumpkin Farm and Amicolola Falls last weekend. There are some photos, but they were taken on the iPhone, so quality is questionable... Again.

We decided to make the trek up to Burt's and Amicolola on Sunday because October usually ends up being a crazy, busy month and we weren't sure when else we might go. So, after having lunch with our Sunday school class at the Varsity (yes, that makes twice in a month) we headed off to the mountains. Little did we know that everyone else in North Georgia had the same idea at the same time. HAVE mercy, there were a lot of cars.

Thanks to the navigation, we were able to skirt around some of the traffic, but eventually we came to a dead stop with no end in sight. Right after Corin looked down and realized that we were almost out of gas. So, we went back and forth and back and forth about whether we should bag it and go home (one or two miles from our destination). We decided to stick it out and battle the traffic and the crowds. It was not our most favorite memory-making trip, but we did get to buy some pumpkins and take some cute (albeit poor quality) photos.

When we left, we went to the gas station (and picked up some Hot Boiled P-nuts). Then we asked the kids if they still wanted to go hiking or if they were ready to call it a day. They were up for the hiking, so we turned around and headed back to the falls. We had not hiked very far up at all when Pressley received a call from nature. Corin decided to let her take care of it just off the trail, but everyone knows (except Corin, I guess) that girls are not nearly as good at that as boys are. Not for lack of skill, but for lack of proper equipment. So, Pressley soaked her undergarmets and when Corin pulled them back up, she came crying back onto the trail..."My bottom is WET!!! My bottom is WET!!" So, it was back to the car for Lil' P and me. Corin and Evan pressed on, but it was not the feat of wonder that it was last year.

I can't believe how fast the kids are growing up. I thought I'd show you a little then and now.

Burt's last year:


Burt's this year:

Amicolola last year:

Amicolola this year:

The other thing these pictures points out to me is how quickly I've lost control of what they wear. Not exactly festive, fall, pumpkin-picking outfits this year, but what-are-ya-gonna-do?