Sunday, we drove an hour to a local farm to play in the pumpkins and take some great photos, but something terrible happened…. Turns out, during that two-hour visit that we were only pretending to take pictures because there is nothing on the memory card! We have one kind of good photo that Derrick took with his phone. Imagine that cuteness, minus the blur, times a 1,000, and that’s what I would’ve posted.

Has anything this disappointing ever happened to you? It literally makes me cry. I had been planning this trip to the pumpkin patch for awhile. Fall is my favorite time of year, and I’ve seen countless pretty pictures of friends with their babes at Sweet Berry Farm. The anticipation for this outing and taking our own pretty pictures had me sleepless! These photos were to be printed and displayed at the pumpkin spice birthday party this weekend.

We had planned to go on Saturday morning, but we changed it so some others could join us. It turned out that they couldn’t make it, and it just so happens that Saturday was the only day of sun before a week of predicted storms. Strike One. But predicted rain, is only that in Central Texas, so whatever, we thought. So imagine my disappointment when we wake up Sunday morning to horrendous thunderstorms and lightning. Strike Two. We decided to let the babies take their first nap and see if it passed by the afternoon. Luckily, we did this because the farm did not open until 1:00 p.m.! We had thought that it opened at 8:30 a.m. like the other days. Almost Strike Three! So the rain passes, and we get there after a drive through the middle of nowhere! But it’s beautiful.

We unload the babies and our new, thrifted Radio Flyer wagon and hurriedly walk over to the first photo-op: a little tractor pulling a big load of pumpkins. We thought we had the most amazing picture of Corbin riding along in his little Osh Kosh overalls. GONE And off to the next spot…. a display of hay and tiny pumpkins that Lynley fell in love with. She picked up the pumpkins, tasted them, dropped them, repeat. It was the cutest thing. No pictures. And this goes on and on through the field of flowers where Corbin picked a flower for Lynley and Mommy, and the tunnel where Derrick carried Corbin on his shoulders.

We finally make it back to the car, and I decide to look through the photos, except there aren’t any. The babies were melting down at this point, so we crossed our fingers that it was a fluke and we’d see them on the computer. Nope. Strike Three! Wrong camera setting + unfamiliar/borrowed camera = BIG FAT FAIL!!! I’m just sick about it. I cannot believe that neither Derrick nor I checked the setting. It ended up being on the one out of a dozen that did not take stills- the movie mode. WTH??? It clicked and appeared to be taking photos, so we just went with it. Lessons learned: 1.Check setting. 2.Take test picture and preview it. 3.Use the camera that you’re familiar with instead of borrowing a pro one that you have no idea how to use. All of these are no-brainers. We are so dumb!

But here’s the silver lining. We have many memories of the babies’ first visit to the pumpkin patch. I’ll always remember the looks of amazement at the strange orange things everywhere! And we purchased a ton of pumpkins to bring home with us. As soon as it stops raining AGAIN, we will set up a little photo area in our yard, and snap a few pictures in an attempt to recreate some of the favorite shots we thought we got. It’s not the same, but it’s what we have. My mom, sister-in-law and nephew are coming into town a little ahead of the big party this weekend, so we hope to take some more fall photos, possibly back in the little town where Derrick and I took maternity pictures last year.

One last note, I am thankful for the rain, but please pray that their first birthday party goes well on Saturday despite any more challenges the weather or otherwise may bring!