My family is trying to squish in all of the required fall activities between random illnesses and rotten weather. I think we’re doing a pretty awesome job, considering. Two weekends ago we managed to make it to Fruit Ridge Hayrides. We have a farmer-friend who lives right by there, so he gave us a private hayride and even let the kids drive the tractor on his farm before we went so we just did the barrel train, pony ride, and corn maze. The corn maze is really fun; the other stuff is pretty standard. I still like Schwalliers better.
While my husband and I were at an awesome vineyard tour at Fenn Valley on Sunday, the kids carved pumpkins with their cousins. You have never seen a motlier crue of pumpkins than this. They all ended up maimed beyond any reasonable use, but not before they were given severe stab wounds and made to ‘throw up’, which is accomplished by dumping seeds back into the carved pumpkin, and tilting it forward so they came out of its mouth.
Let’s see; pumpkins, apples, hayrides, vineyard tours – what else? Halloween. I’m a total flop at Halloween but have been trying hard the past few years to make a little more of it. I actually have decorations that are going up this weekend. They will look wonderful with my half-patched ceiling and wall right next to my stripped and sanded still unpainted fireplace which matches my two half sanded windows. My husband began this massive project right before his school classes started which is clever, because when I complain (and I do complain – it’s been two months) about it, he suddenly has to study.
There is more to come though. This weekend Swisslane Farms is having their famous Dairy Discovery. We haven’t been in a coon’s age, so we’re headed down Saturday. I am trying to squeeze in a last visit to the Farmer’s Market too. Hopefully the weather will hold up long enough for us to enjoy Colorfall at Meijer Gardens. The Zoo Goes Boo continues this weekend as well.
In other Halloween-related news, Michaels has a free Halloween Event on Saturday, October 31. Details are here. Lowes has a clinic for kids to make a Magic Frankenstring project on October 24 which you can read about here. GR Now has a fantastic Halloween Guide here. Not exactly Halloween, but still involving monsters is Pooh’s Corner “Let The Wild Rumpus Start” Super Storytime event this Saturday at 10:30. Not many details, but contact information is here.
The Wolverine World Wide Family YMCA’s Family Fall Festival is Saturday, October 31, 2009 from 11:00am – 1:00pm. They’ll have all kinds of stuff, like Farm Olympics, hayrides, and bobbing for apples. It’s free, and you get to wear your costume. The downtown YMCA and the South East ones are also having fall activities, but I think there is a small fee for those.
You want more? Are you CRAZY? If you do, head over to GRKids, which has lots of fun stuff for you and your kids to enjoy this fall. It goes quick, and winter is long so get out there!
2 Comments
October 21, 2009 at 2:13 pm
This was packed with information. Keep it coming. I already took my 3 yr. old grandson to Post Family Farm two weeks ago. What fun. A new yearly tradition was born. We live in Coopersville, so it is nice and close.
October 22, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Thanks for the list! We finally hit a pumpkin patch kind of place last weekend – Lewis’ Farm Market in New Era. Had a lot to do, but wow was it ever crowded. We did Fruit Ridge Hayrides a few years ago, but have never tried Schwalliers – maybe next year!