A trip to the farm.....

This last weekend we went to the farm for a visit. I want to write about our weekend so we don't forget our eventful trip.....

This was our first trip where the twins were forward facing. Please don't lecture me on how the new suggestions are rear-facing until two. I know that-but I'm within the law and I have kids climbing over/under and pencils getting poked and messes with rear facing. The turn saved my sanity. Anyway, on our way down Ashlyn started to cry through the canyon. Her cry is AWFUL. We decided that it was probably the elevation and pressure in her ears. Just as we decided that we learned that it probably wasn't her ears-it was her tummy. She threw up all over her new car seat. And in the canyon where there's few places to pull off comfortably. We did the best we could but the car smelled awful the rest of the way there. I hope she's not like I was as a child or this will be what happens every time we go to the farm for the next twelve years!

Gage went out to do chores with Dale and while they were out there they came across a horse skull. Dale let him bring it back to the house to show us. I had just offered to teach a lesson in Gage's class about how teeth shape indicates an animal's diet. So we brought the horse skull (and a cow skull) home for the lesson!

Gage took his bb gun down so one of the first things he did was take it out to shoot birds. Uncle Jack kindly gave Gage a dead gopher to shoot at for Target practice. Then I took the twins up to see Grandma Winnie and when I returned I found Gage with Uncle Tom and Grandpa Dale dissecting a gopher. Gage identified for me the heart, lungs, liver, thigh, and rib cage. He was washing up in the bathroom and I said, "That was pretty awesome, huh?" and he replied, "Yeah, I can't WAIT to tell my friends!!" My mind went back to last year when he got in trouble for taking a picture to school holding the rabbit that he shot with Matt. The gopher dissection story was actually well received. I thought the experience was great for him.

That evening we were all getting ready for dinner. Matt was outside grilling and the kids were at the table playing while I fed the twins. It was time to wash up and I realized that Gracie wasn't at the table anymore. I sent Gage to find her and he found that she had locked herself in the room upstairs. It wasn't the kind of lock you can take a butter knife to, it was a key lock. She was hysterical. The light wasn't on and she was crying, "Get me out....please.....get me out". When I asked Debi for the key she had no idea that the door even locked let alone where the key for it would be. Matt sat next to the door and calmed her down as I took care of the twins. Dale found the key and she was set free in time for us to all have dinner-but it was certainly another event to remember!

Up at Winnie's the baby goats and sheep provided entertainment for Gage. Goats are actually pretty darn cute when they're tiny. Gracie was afraid of them. I held her hand in mine and let one come up and sniff our hands, she was screaming and telling me to hold her even though I already was. I can't believe I have a child who is that afraid of everything. Dogs, cats, baby goats....

But not getting up on a horse....

Even after she watched this horse buckle under Matt and get a little feisty when he got on, she still got on with him.

On our visit we got to hold Baby Ruby and hang out with Kalli and Jack at their house on Saturday night. We went to church on Sunday morning. The twins were all over the place and I was thankful that our church here at home has childcare. There was a basket of toys to play with but they kept wanting the items they aren't ready for. Jay was eating the crayons and Ashlyn wrote on her face with a marker that had lost the cap.

It was an eventful trip to the farm and the kids already can't wait to go back!

Love.