A Farm Tour

Last Sunday we were lucky enough to get another fun farm tour.  We interrupted Paul and Mallory's hard work but they were patient enough to let all the kids gather old eggs.  Some people don't know about the fragile-ness of eggs yet when putting them into a bucket.

All the kids were lined up, in front of the Wilbur the Pig's pen.  Wilbur eats eggs like jellybeans as Paul describes it ... that is if Jellybeans are all gooey inside like eggs.  The kids love watching Wilbur gobble up the eggs as much as Wilbur enjoys eating them.

Look at all those smiles!

Then we were able to feed the timid cows.

And Mallory showed us Snickers the horse.  Reese remembered the Snickers' name and I asked her was the smaller horse's name was and she said "Little Snickers" which is funny but it's name is Cowboy.

Jumping on the hay bales and finding hidden eggs in the barn was fun too.

Then we went down to the other farm and to see a calf and some other cows. 

And a goat named Barb.

Ethan felt the cattle were extremely hungry ..... won't be long and he can help with chores.

Another special treat was getting a ride in a HUGE combine.  Look they all can fit up there. 

Won't harvest time be fun?  Probably depends on who you ask.

Our kids think the farm is great just like the people who own it!

Hiding out

I'm hiding out in my bedroom right now.  At 4:30 pm I really cannot take one more request, cry, whine, fit, beg, scream, fight, or mess.  These kids have been quite the "gems" the last 2 days .... yesterday they spent time with Grammy and PaPa and I don't know what their deal is but I had to announce after 2 hours of being home with them that next week they would not be doing their Grammy Day because of their behavior (I did not mention that Grammy is not available to have them over next week, but they don't need to know that).  It continues today with wildness at the eye doctor, where the doc said Addison didn't have to patch anymore at this time; however, he just shakes his head and says we have a lot going on here.  I ask if surgery is in her future ... no, she's already had eye muscle surgery and everything that could be done probably was so we just keep checking every 3 months .....  hmmm.
Yes, it's raining again and people are upset they can't swim .... when I explain you can't swim in thunderstorms, I am told that it's not raining.  whatever.    Who are these people?  Does their brain start and stop working throughout the day?
I have been trying since Monday to clean up .... impossible.  As soon as I pick up anything, 14 more messes are made.
I listened to Ethan scream the word "APPLE!" at the library for an hour.  Did I mention our library is the size of our bathroom?
I would just like togo to sleep right now until morning.  Not going to happen. Probably should see my hubby today since it's our 9th anniversary.  Celebrating tomorrow, we even have a babysitter.  Need to make my friend, Kim, a camera strap too.  So maybe I will hide upstairs in my bedroom sewing and cleaning afterall.  Next 2 days I plan on spending fun time with the kids .... hopefully I can stand it, if not I may be back to hiding out.

I Never Thought ....

I’d be checking the soybean prices to see when to sell my dad’s grain.

I’d almost cry at my children’s baseball game because my dad didn’t get to see them play.

I’d wonder if each person I pass in the grocery store knew my dad.

I’d enjoy working on the farm especially the hard outside labor stuff as much as I do, even in the heat (that's Keely at the equator of the farm).

I’d be thinking about the weather as much as Dad did and hope it’s good for growing crops even the ones that aren’t mine.

I’d have trouble letting things go that were Dad’s especially pieces of paper with his handwriting on it even when it’s just a phone number or a list.

I’d realize how much I am like my Dad in the hoarding department.

I’d see how messy my house can be on a continuous basis because I don’t have the time or energy for picking up.

I'd think Dad was watching me when I see beautiful skies especially at the farm.

I’d bring procrastinating to an all time high by dragging my feet on so many things because getting more Dad stuff done just brings us closer to having nothing to do for Dad …. That seems like a weird sort of purgatory.

I'd get so much use out of my rain boots which are now my work boots .... thank goodness I bought cute ones!

I’d walk and drive through cemeteries seeing what other people put up and how headstones are decorated so I could get ideas for Dad.

I’d think so much about my own mortality and how I would like to be remembered and what kind of funeral I would like to have.

I’d long for the day when I can raise chickens (with Jackson) and possibly think that raising calves might be a fun thing.

I’d see my motorcycle-loving husband wear a cowboy hat while driving a tractor and wanting to learn to farm (seriously).

I’d get into an argument with my farm-loving husband about chicken raising. (Argument part not so much of a surprise).

I’d almost cry driving to Keely’s house last weekend remembering that last time I went there, Dad was there too for my nephews’ birthday party. Firsts are hard.

I’d listen to the CD of songs we all picked to play at his funeral forty thousand times and still not be sick of it.

I’d get to spend this much time with my family on the farm and no one has yet complained one bit about the hard work.

I’d feel like our cash renters were like family in less 6 weeks.

I’d be able to hear my dad saying things like he was standing next to me talking …. Knowing the exact words he would say in certain situations.

I’d want to throw all my scrapbooking stuff out the window … I have no desire to “create” anytime soon.

I’d treasure everything I’d see on the farm, even stuff that is “scrap” or that I have no idea what it is.

I'd long for my children to grow up on a farm like I did.

I’d continue to think of my dad so much every single day while missing him more and more … it’s definitely not getting any easier at this point.