Farm Chores

Had to do one more post about our trip to Indiana.  I think you all know by now, but my parents live on a small farm and my sister Kelly lives next door with her small petting zoo.  She has the craziest animal collection, but it makes for great fun for the kids.  In the next few weeks, she will be adding prairie dogs.  That ought to be interesting!

Moving "Weedie" the goat from Aunt Kelly's pasture to Grandma's backyard to do some...well...weeding.

Cleaning up leaves

AJ learned to drive the lawnmower and man, was this Momma scared. 

He did fine though, even if he only ran in a crazy 8 pattern.

What's a trip to Grandpa's without moving some firewood .  Aunt Jen spearheaded the endeavor as a great activity for all our sensory seeking children who were starting to get on each other's nerves.  It worked.  They stacked wood for an hour and then played the rest of the day together without fighting. 

Shelby even helped, well...a little bit

I had to include pictures of my dad's "herd".  He has 5 babies this year and they are all cute as a button.  

"Orio", momma to black baby below.

He's so cute, but man, is he a stinker! 

We watched him chase the other male calves all the way around the pasture.

This is my sister Kelly's dog Donovan.  He is a big nuisance, but also a big lover, which is great for a sensory seeking child who likes to "hug" big dogs. 

Sunny Day at Camp Nelson

Mom and the kids are back in Kentucky after their Spring Break jaunt to Indiana. A beautifully sunny Good Friday was a great chance for the family to go for a walk down at Camp Nelson Civil War Heritage Site.

Civil War Canon

Posing at one of the re-built forts on the Camp Nelson property

Taking a rest on a bench in the shade

Notice Chloe's "umbrella"

AJ

Essie & Chloe playing with the local flora

AJ overlooks Hickman Creek from one of the forts

Essie is about worn out

Getting ready to charge the fort

AJ is ready to fire

Essie

Chloe

Behind the scenes

O'er the ramparts we watched

A little DQ after a good hike

Mom and the girls enjoy a Blizzard

Chloe's artistic rendering of our day

Cleaning out the shed

We spent Monday cleaning out Grandpa and Meemaw's shed.  It was a trip down memory lane for me and for Grandpa (as we discovered more than 1 item from my parents early years together).

My old sleeping bag from my childhood.  

Very funny because the girls are SO into Garfield right now.

Grandpa and Essie vacuuming once we got everything cleaned out.

Taking a load of trash to the trash pile.

We also took a load to the metal recycle yard and AJ loved the magnetic crane.

Spring Break in Indiana

The kids and I are in Indiana visiting the family.  We spent last weekend at my sister Jen's house and she took us to see Grass Is Greenier Meats and Procduce, LLC, which is owned by Jen's friend Toni. It is an organic farm that sells meat and produce.  Totally my dream for one day, but I don't think I can process my own chickens, let alone 80 at a time.

Shelby touching one of the baby ducks

Baby chicks everywhere

Going to see the laying hens

Chloe found an egg on the ground

AJ holding one of the big hens

Essie's turn

Shelby learning "gentle touch" with the hens (and not to pick up chicken poop)

AJ thought it would be a good idea to let the hens eat out of his hands

Jersey calves

Red waddle baby pigs

St. Croix Hair Sheep