It's that glorious time of year when the temperature drops and all you want to do is curl up on the couch binge-watching Gilmore Girls while binge-drinking pumpkin lattes until Netflix asks, "Are you still watching?" Of course I'm still watching, Netflix - it's Fall!
September was an extremely jammed packed month of Fall fun.
Riot Fest (September)
Riot Fest is like the cooler, older brother of Lollapalooza. Where Lollapalooza has a Converse-nation of tweens with metallic temporary tattoos, Riot Fest has a sea of Doc Martin wearing 35-year-old chain smokers in black hoodies. Someday I hope there's a festival of cardigan-wearing, library-book-holding nerds listening to music at a reasonable volume and I'll finally feel like I belong.
This year there was a Groupon for the festival and my all-time favorite band from when I was a kid was playing. This is the part where I tell you that I'm a huge No Doubt fan and you agree to still be my friend. Deal?
We were originally supposed to go to Riot Fest all day Friday, but (like it always does) it rained pretty much all day until 5:00pm. We decided to head out later hoping that the ground wouldn't be too muddy. We were mostly right.
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| Too happy to be at Riot Fest. |
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| Just another Ferris wheel that Bryan refused to ride with me. |
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| "Hey Jeremy, want to go hang out and listen to music?" "Yeah, anywhere but Riot Fest. Riot Fest sucks." "Don't worry. I would never dream of taking you to Riot Fest." *arrives at Riot Fest* "Son of a...." |
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| Just Gwen Stefani climbing up the stage. No big deal. |
Morton Pumpkin Festival - Pumpkin Pancakes (September)
Is there anything more satisfying than running a hard race and being rewarded with a pancake breakfast? Yes. It's eating a pancake breakfast without running a hard race. So maybe I felt a little guilty indulging in the unlimited pumpkin pancakes and sausages, but also, I didn't.
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| Please note that I'm actually dressed up to go running in an attempt to fool people into thinking that I earned these pancakes. |
Tanners (September)
After recovering from the Pumpkin Pancake Takedown of 2015 we (me, my Dad, and Bryan) met Justin, Kiana, and Hayden at Tanners Orchard for more Fall fun. Sadly, the line was out of control and we didn't get to buy any apples or cider before we left. Here are some of my favorite moments from our visit:
After recovering from the Pumpkin Pancake Takedown of 2015 we (me, my Dad, and Bryan) met Justin, Kiana, and Hayden at Tanners Orchard for more Fall fun. Sadly, the line was out of control and we didn't get to buy any apples or cider before we left. Here are some of my favorite moments from our visit:
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| There was a scale outside of this tent that every kid had to stand on to ensure that they weren't over 80 pounds. I guess that would crush the horse, who has a marvelous life of walking in a circle day after day. He's probably praying for some Happy-Meal-Loving kid to put him out of his misery. Unfortunately for Mr. Sad Horse, Kiana weighs ten pounds. When we got to the scale she started trying to take off her boots. When I asked her why she said she was worried that she would be overweight because her boots (pictured above) must be at least 80 pounds. |
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| The moment when Kiana learned that birds have sharp beaks. |
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| I can't remember everything she said to this llama, but I know it's going to be rethinking some of his (her?) life choices after their conversation. |
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| That time I realized my brother has super human strength while I struggled to carry my own purse. |
Dollinger's (September)
I made my first visit to Dollinger's this year. Bryan has been there multiple times and always brings home a giant pumpkin to carve. Despite it being Fall it was about a million degrees the day we (me, Bryan, Danielle, Donna, and Pat) went. I learned that corn mazes are not for me, but if I'm forced to enter I'm going with Danielle because she knows what's up. I would have died in the Triwizard Maze even without the Blast Ended Skrewts. Here are my favorite moments:
I made my first visit to Dollinger's this year. Bryan has been there multiple times and always brings home a giant pumpkin to carve. Despite it being Fall it was about a million degrees the day we (me, Bryan, Danielle, Donna, and Pat) went. I learned that corn mazes are not for me, but if I'm forced to enter I'm going with Danielle because she knows what's up. I would have died in the Triwizard Maze even without the Blast Ended Skrewts. Here are my favorite moments:
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| So many beautiful Fall colors! |
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| This place was made for family pictures. |
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| If you build it, he will come. |
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| At the start the maze. Look how cocky and confident I look. |
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| Ten minutes later. Am I supposed to be shooting up green sparks or red sparks for help? |
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| Days later we made it out. |
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| Pumpkins everywhere! |
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| There's my pumpkin! Third from the right. No, from the left. Or was in fifth from the left? |
