Bengtson's Pumpkin Farm

October was time for our second annual trip to a so-called Pumpkin Farm.  We decided to try Bengtson's this year down in Homer Glen (we visited Johansen Farms last year).  Bennett was old enough this year to really enjoy the petting zoo, corn maze, and train as well as try out some of the rides (with Dad since pregnant Mom did not feel like being thrown around) and observe goofy pig races.  Sadly not pictured are the apple cider donuts we devoured or the haunted barn that was perhaps a tad horrifying for a 2.5-yr old.  Oh well, we all had fun despite the drizzly day.

Train

Spinning teacups

Hopping Frogs

Frog Dropper?

Alpaca

Creepy camel

Scottish highland cows

Corn kernel pit

corn maze

 

Watching the pig races.  Our pig didn't win, which made Bennett sad.

This one's for Great-Grandpa Albretsen

Hayrack ride, sans the hay

Bennett's favorite log cabin in the little village

Pumpkin swing

Riding in the train caboose per Bennett's request

Bennett picked a pumpkin for pie-making purposes

worn out

Omaha Zoo

We love going to the Omaha Zoo. It has some amazing exhibits.

This is the rain forest. There are monkeys in the trees, bats flying around, and open ponds. Rather than just standing at a fence looking at animals you get to see them in a more natural environment.

Bennett and Lieutenant Sam Hughes

Touching Star Fish

In the aquarium they have a water tunnel you walk through where the fish and sharks swim right over you.

You can't see it very well but there is a gorilla sitting on top of the bubble.

The desert dome is similar to the rainforest. It's this huge dome with all sorts of desert animals all laid out so you can see their different habitat. In the basement is my favorite part, the swamp.Where they have an albino alligator.

Omaha

After Lincoln's rotation in Biloxi he flew to Omaha for a Family Medicine rotation. Bennett and I decided to drive to Omaha and stay with our good friends the Smiths so we could see him.

The Largest Truck Stop in the World

The Smiths live on 9 acres of land. Bennett had a blast exploring it all

These boys love poking at the fire

Walk at the Iowa School for the Deaf also the Mormon Battalion mustering sight.

We love the pedestrian bridge that crossed the Missouri River from Iowa to Nebraska

Visiting Lincoln on base

Free craft day at Home Depot. Bennett picked out the Bird house to build

Omaha Children's Museum

Playing doctor just like dad

Abraham Lincoln, Fire Fighter

He loved the Carousel

Indiana Sand Dunes

We were so excited to finally go to the Indiana Dunes. Bennett loved all the stuff we did outside.

Central Beach at Indiana Dunes (notice the ominous Michigan City cooling tower lurking in the background)

Bennett was happily batted about by the waves

Nice middle part

Bennett giving up on burying Lincoln half way to burrow down himself

Commence honey application and fire ant release

Bennett and Tracey constructed a sandcastle with an elaborate moat system

Bennett added the shells (and random driftwood splinters) as the finishing touch(es)

Bennett learns a harsh lesson about planting a wet face into sand

Hiking the Dune Ridge trail in the evening

The trail traversed forested dunes (further back off the beach)

Shot from the peak (notice The Great Marsh lurking ominously in the background)

Breakfast at the Great Marsh observation deck (after being assailed by a gang of horseflies on the hike to it)

Somebody pooped their pants during breakfast

Next hike was along the Cowles Bog trail (actually a fen, not a bog...we didn't know the difference before, either)

Not pictured: the salamanders discovered further down the trail

Henry Cowles, the 'Father of Ecology', studied extensively the ecosystems at Indiana Dunes

Joseph Bailly homestead (early frontier settler in Northwest Indiana)

Bailly traded with American Indians on the Little Calumet River in his front yard

Our final hike was the trail through Miller Woods.  We found some interesting critters...

...like this crayfish wandering on the path...

...and this large yellow caterpillar

Returning the crayfish to his pond

Sea of cattails

Bennett looking for the crayfish in the pond through the cracks

Our last adventure was exploring the Nature Play Zone at the Paul Douglas Environmental Learning Center

We saw a deer and several lizards

Bennett scaled all the boulders lying around

Not Indiana Dunes, but Lincoln requested this amazing piece of playground equipment be shoehorned in this post

Lincoln and Bennett roamed through the undeveloped York-High Ridge Forest Preserve a few days before Lincoln left for 2 months