There’s something about this time of year that makes me all ooey-gooey inside. Maybe it’s the warmth of cinnamon warming my soul or the sweaters I get to bundle up in, but I always feel a little cozier and a little more in love when autumn rolls around. For a little background, I am a girl who loves autumn and winter (especially the holidays), so the moment the leaves begin changing, I start romanticizing life like my happiness depends on it. It feels quite fitting, then, that my anniversary falls on October 24th, right in the middle of pumpkin season.
Last year, for our first anniversary, I attempted to plan the perfect day at the pumpkin patch. Key word being attempted, because I forgot to take into account the fact that we live in Washington and not the small-town Vermont where my favorite romance books take place. It was quite literally the rainiest day of October, meaning we spent an hour dodging puddles in the corn maze, drinking cold apple cider, and attempting to pick up the perfect, very slippery pumpkin to carve later that night. Just when I thought my perfect first anniversary was ruined (along with my curls), my calm and steady boyfriend saved the day by taking me to the cutest mom-and-pop Italian restaurant for dinner and lending a hand in carving an anniversary jack-o’-lantern worthy of a magazine cover.
While the day was perfect in its own way, I knew I could do an even better job this year. This time, our love would take us to Luckie Farms in Lake Stevens, Washington, to visit the fluffiest of all farm animals: Highland cows. I opted to embrace my natural, untamed curls this time around, just in case of bad weather, paired with a cozy brown flannel to keep warm and the least practical, but undeniably adorable, tan suede boots. Yes, that’s right. I wore suede heeled boots to a cow farm, and believe it or not, I had fully thought through my footwear choice. The cows really did appreciate the extra effort I put into looking fashionable (or perhaps it was the apples I was feeding them). Before we even arrived at Luckie Farms, I was already feeling like the luckiest girl in the world. My boyfriend had surprised me by placing two of my favorite things on my seat: a fluffy Highland cow stuffie and an Olipop. With my drink in hand, we set off on the drive to Lake Stevens, about two hours from our hometown. The drive was well worth it when we finally arrived and were greeted by a gorgeous barn at the entrance and the wide stretch of land the farm calls home.
I was instantly greeted by the smell of crisp, clean air, which seemed to swirl around me and make me feel right at home. The sky was blue, and the only sounds came from the gentle breeze and the animals living on the property. It was a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of the city. We started by checking in with the clerk in the gift shop, as visits are by reservation only. I purchased the interactive farm tour, along with the calf cuddle session add-on for afterward. If it hadn’t been for my excitement to meet all the animals, I could have spent much longer browsing the items in the shop, but my boyfriend reminded me that we’d have plenty of time for that later. Our first stop was the barn, where we visited the donkeys and picked up some hot drinks included with our experience. I had no idea they would have a whole little bar filled with apple cider, cocoa, and coffee! We had so much fun mixing up our own mochas, warming our hands as we waited for the tour to begin. It was such a simple touch, but a lovely way to make everyone feel cozy and relaxed.
As we made our way through the farm, I took in all the beautiful fall colors and seasonal decorations scattered around the property. The pathways surrounding the animal pens were strung with fairy lights, which I thought was such a whimsical touch. Eventually, we climbed aboard a hayride that took us out to the pasture to meet all the adult Highland cows. We had the opportunity to pet them, take pictures, and feed them apple slices. It was such a unique experience, and you could tell the cows were having just as much fun as we were. My boyfriend was particularly enamored with the farm’s two Texas Longhorns, who were surprisingly docile despite their enormous size. We were told that they tend to be a little shy around the Highland cows because they haven’t quite learned just how intimidating their horns are yet. With no apple left uneaten, we made our way back to the main property, where a select few of us were invited into the Highland calf area to brush and cuddle them to our hearts’ content. By this point in the afternoon, most of the calves had settled in for a nap, which gave us plenty of opportunities for adorable pictures and made for the sweetest ending to our tour.
After taking more than enough photos, we headed back to the gift shop, where I finally had the chance to browse all the adorable Highland cow and farm merchandise. They really had a little something for everyone, which made it quite difficult to limit myself to just one item. Eventually, I settled on a super-comfy crewneck featuring Highland cows and the farm’s logo across the front and back. I wanted something to remember the day by, because it’s one I never want to forget. I’m already tempted to head back in December for their Santa and reindeer experience, where I’d get the chance to visit Santa, feed his eight adorable reindeer, and enjoy all the festive photo opportunities around the farm. If you love Highland cows or are simply looking for a fun and festive outing with family and friends, this is definitely an experience I’d recommend adding to your list this holiday season.
On our drive home, I couldn’t help but think about all the reasons I love my boyfriend. It might sound extra sappy, but it’s the truth. I was so, so grateful that this year’s anniversary date went a little more smoothly than last year’s, but I knew that no matter how the day had panned out, I would have felt loved either way. Our night ended with us baking pumpkin bread and dancing in the kitchen, which, to me, was the perfect way to end the day. It got me thinking about what an ordinary future together might look like. All the experiences and memories we make are special, and Luckie Farms now gets to be part of that collection. But even the sweetest memories we’ve made so far don’t hold a candle to everything our future together might hold.
Every day can’t be a perfectly planned, romanticized October afternoon. More often than not, the best parts of our days will probably look a little more ordinary: cooking together in a shared kitchen after a long day or waking up beside each other in the morning before work. And that’s the future I’m most excited to create with my boyfriend. I’m grateful for all the love that has gone into these past two years, and even more excited for all the love we’ll put into the years ahead.