A-Maze-ing Day Pt. 2

One of the greatest features of this particular location was the inclusion of a corn maze.

I've never been in a corn field that I can recall. And after this experience, I likely won't venture back into one any time soon. The maze changes every year based on a selected theme and the owners carve out a path as though they were creating those sci fi crop circles. Walkers are given a blank map to fill out as they travel along the paths; when a pedestal (there were 8 or 9, but we survived only long enough to find 5) is spotted, the participants use a crayon to rub in more of the map's image. It didn't help... at all. Instead, we relied on visual clues (ie: the broken corn stalk we passed a half dozen times, or the families we met every few minutes heading in different directions that never seemed any closer to the exit).

We were told that the "average time" to get successfully through the maze was two hours. We forgot to inquire about how many people actually were successful.

A large bamboo pole with a flag on it served as the emergency caller, but it seemed to encumber a rather difficult meandering along the paths even more than the stroller (which Ya refused to stay in) did.

And so, we wandered.

At first we were committed and determined to succeed; later, we just determined we would finish the course before night fall.

Once outside the maze (yes, we cheated and took the "emergency exit" - - crawling under the crime scene-esque tape near the watch tower and depositing the bamboo staff flag in the holder), we returned to the mini farm on the property.

On the way, however, Mommy made yet another major-mommy-mistake (Tri-M, try anything...) by deeming a dilapidated brick building the perfect picture taking location.

I set Ya up on the rocky edifice and instructed Chi to sit beside him.

Then Oma chimed in, "Uh, Rachelle, I think that's poison ivy." Did I mention Chi has bionic ears? The child instantly began to itch as I scrambled to remove her and her brother from the dangerous leafy location. And though we assured Chi that Oma was mistaken, we doused the kids with the cure-all ("Han-i-tizer") to kill off any possible itchiness that might decide to bear witness to Mommy's stupidity.

Ya was not amused by the goats. In fact, he was pretty apprehensive about going near them. But the chickens? He was totally enthralled.

I probably took a few too many posed photos...

I realized this a little late when Ya determined that he was supposed to sit among every gourd and pumpkin collection he saw and, once seated, would look up at me and grin until I raised the camera.

Well trained, yes indeed. I'll get help for this, I swear it...

Chi liked the obstacle course and tube slides. She could've spent hours running between them and on them, but Mommy got tired.

Oh the priceless adventures we have!