President's Day

President's Day came and went this year, and I actually remembered it!

Last Monday we started our president's day celebration, and it continued all week as we read about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. 

While reading about Abraham Lincoln, the girls made a log cabin.  We painted peanut butter on a small tea box and then stuck small stick pretzels around the box.  If I thought ahead, I could have used a small milk box, because it would have helped us make the roof.  After I took the picture, Nicole added a chimney...however it looked like a cannon!

We also made George Washington wigs.  Now, this was very impromptu, can't you tell?  I used a bright green gift bag.  I cut out the shape of the wig, including the tail.  The girls painted glue all over the bag and then randomly stuck cotton balls over it. 

Finally, we made a President's Day necklace.  Nicole traced and cut out three different color stars.  We glued them together and then glued a penny in the center.  Hannah also made one, but I did all the cutting for her.

In between all of the crafts, we read several books about these two historic presidents and about the Presidency in general.  The girls also made a "book" that I printed from the Internet.  Nicole has one more book that she's making, but it keeps getting pushed to the side.

All in all, it was a fun day.  I know the girls learned a few fun facts about the George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  Oh, we are also watching a PBS Cartoon called "Liberty Kids".  I don't think it's on TV anymore, but it is on netflix.  I am not a history buff...but it 's a nice little program that teaches children some basic information from the colonial period.  I enjoy watching it as well.

Now...on to Dr. Seuess' birthday!  That's Wednesday!

A Mooo-arvelous day at the Dairy Farm

Yesterday the kids and I joined Nicole's CC group at a dairy farm about 2 hours away.  After leaving early in the morning, stopping by Chic-fil-A, picking up a new friend and CC mom and daughter, and battling dense fog, we made it to Dakin Farm in Myakka City.   

This dairy farm is very interesting.  They have over 3,000 cows they milk three time a day.  They deliver an average of 17 calves each day.  They cut their grass twice a day so the cows have fresh green grass to eat.  It is not organic milk, but it is local and sold at Whole Foods around the state as well as other grocery stores closer to their farm. 

The tour started with a hay ride to see the farm and their compost pile.

 This is the cutest little Hannah-girl I've ever seen!

 Nicole with her friends Abigail and Ashlynd

These are ladies who have not had a baby yet...and may be lucky enough to get pregnant soon.

Then we saw a few other animals around the farm, including this beautiful turkey.

We watched a pig race...can you see how fast they were running?  The dirt is flying.  Nicole was pretty excited about that part.

After the pig race, the kids all got to help bottle feed a cow.  I've never done this before, at least not that I remember.  They really pull hard on those bottles!

After the calf feeding, the kids got to plant a bean in some good ole' rich 2 year old cow manure compost...yummy!

Nicole, Ashlynd and Aleya

They also played a game about the food groups.  When it was Hannah's turn, she stood in front of the vegetables. She picked out a green pepper for her veggie of choice.  I was so proud of her because she remembered to say "Vegetable...Green Pepper" in her adorable little stuttering 2 year old voice.  She did great!

Nicole stood in front of the dairy group and picked out a bottle of drinkable yogurt. 

Then we took a break for lunch and play time in the dark hay stack maze.  When I got home, Jeremy told me there were probably rats all over in that hay.  I'm a bit freaked out by that.  I was watching for snakes...but not rats.  Ewe!!!  Nicole and Hannah both did a portion of the maze with me...but we all three almost turned around when some boys jumped out of us and scared us (it was really dark, we couldn't see them).

After lunch, we made fresh butter.  I have never done that before, it was pretty neat.

Shaking the cream up to make the butter.

Shake, Shake, Shake...

Ladies and Gentlemen...we have butter!

Hannah taking a taste of a cracker with fresh butter. 

Finally, we took our factory tour.I don't know all of the technical names so I'll use my city-girl language to describe what is going on.

This is the cow's home.  They hang out here in the shade most of the day.  When it gets hot, the fans get turned on for them.  Somehow, the cows know to have their rear end facing this way so their, you know...poop and pee, go down this little gutter.  We saw several cows pee (and they pee for a long time, it's like a waterfall!)

This is Hannah's expression the first time she saw a cow pee.

Now, they heard a group of cows through this little area and into the showers.  Once the room is full, they turn sprinklers on and wash the cows down. We don't want any manure getting mixed in with our milk, do we now?  This was gross because we were getting sprayed with the water too.

We walked up some stairs (which was hard with the stroller...but thankfully there were a few dads with us as well).  While on the deck, we got to watch the process of the cows being milked.  This was amazing...the cows would walk all the way down to the farthest open stall, stick their head through the contraption (that reminded me of a roller coaster safety bar) and get ready to be milked.  Then, the guys down below (I would not like that job!) would  clean and disinfect each udder and then hook them up to an electric pump of sorts.  This all happens really fast, but we could see them cleaning between each group of cows and it seemed pretty sanitary, in a dirty manure kind of way.

 When they lifted the gates, the cows just walked out and around the corner and back into their home.  I'm not sure if you can train a cow or not...but these ladies sure knew the routine.

The milk would be pumped inside where it was pasteurized and bottled.  We were not allowed to take pictures inside.  I don't know why.  Maybe it was bad for the milk to be flashed or something.  It was super clean though in there, not yucky manure around.

After the tour we hung out for a while.  The kids rode a cow tractor train ride and played on a tire swing.

Everyone was filthy dirty at the end of the day...but it was very interesting and fun!  I would suggest going to their farm and doing a tour.  However if you have a stroller...I would suggest using a jogging stroller because there are no sidewalks, so it's hard to get around.  I would suggest even more using  a Moby Wrap and carrying your baby!

Where did my baby girl go?

Their First Date

Saturday, February 19, 2010
The girls went on their very first date. 

They were so excited.  All day long they just wanted to know if it was time for their date yet.
They both took a bath, blew their hair dry and styled with a curling iron.

They pick out their own dresses (well, with a bit of guidance, I said no to the dress up clothes).
Their date arrived, dirty and a bit stinky.  With permission, he took a shower.
The girls stood outside the door, in eager expectation.
They sat patiently in the kitchen, waiting for their date.

They politely said they wanted the jeep top up because "they don't want to get their hair all messy".

Finally, their date was clean, shaven and ready to go. 
He was not given a fearful speech or threatened with a shotgun.

He graciously escorted them out the door and opened the door to the car. 
Their date treated them with utmost respect and gentleness.
Their date....was their daddy!

This was their first ever, official, daddy-daughter date night, hosted by our amazing Chic-fil-a.  Reservations were made several days in advance.  A waiter was on hand, at their beckon call night long.  With a tablecloth and plates, a long stemmed red rose and balloons, there was little to be lacking in this wonderful evening.  Nicole and Hannah had the best date of their lives.  I'm sure it was a moment that won't soon be forgotten.  And a moment I hope will happen again...and again...and again. 

It was their first date.

a Visit with the cousins

Last week, my cousin Matt his wife charity and their four year old son Nathan came down on vacation (for the sake of no confusing, I will call our Nathan "Nate" in this post).  We were excited to spend a little time together and allow the little cousins to get to know each other and play together.

Of course, we must have our priorities in the right order, so the very first thing the guys did was go fishing.  Jeremy and Matt drove straight from the airport to Tin City to jump on a boat that was going 8 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico to fish.  I believe they had a great time and brought back a great catch to share with everyone.

Charity and I took the kids and headed in a different direction, up to the Imaginarium. 

The kids to go pet sting rays....

Look at nasty snakes, spiders and cockroaches (why would they eve have a cockroach on display! Gross!!!).  We tried to watch a 3-D movie, but it terrified my little princesses, so we had to make a quick escape. 

The kids got to be archaeologists and dig around for bones and artifacts in the sand.

Nathan and Nicole got to experience hurricane force winds.

Nicole and Hannah acted as meteorologists and gave us a forecast of weather (but it's a video, I can't show you that right now)

Sunday, we went to church, had a big dinner at my parents and watched the Super Bowl....the little cousins just got to play and get to know each other more. 

Than, they went to Orlando for several days, while the rest of us had to live our normal lives.

When they got back on Thursday, we didn't get a chance to see them, but made plans to do something fun on Friday.  The problem came Friday morning when I woke up feeling the nausea that Nicole and Jeremy had earlier in the week.  Charity asked if she and Nathan could just come over and hang out anyway instead of going somewhere.  I said yes, but when she saw how I was feeling, she quickly told me to go lay down...and she got to work.  A few hours later, my nausea turned into vomiting.  I became worried about how I was going to take care of children when I was having a hard time taking care of myself.  Charity asked me if she could stay and watch the kids play and make us dinner so I could go in the bedroom and rest (and throw up).  She assured me that all she wanted to do was let Nathan play with his cousins.  It was a rainy day...the park was out anyway.  But, it was her last day of vacation.  Her very last day of her Florida vacation and she humbly and sacrificially gave it to me and my family.  To serve us, step in and help in a time of need.  I was so touched by her kindness and love.  I truly do not know how I would have taken care of my children that day (especially Nate, who will not sit and watch TV all day like the girls would).

The kids had a great time together.  Nicole and Nathan, I believe, formed a lasting friendship....I think they will both remember this day together.  They played non-stop all day long.  Nate just sat, in awe of all the excitement and energy in the house and watched.  And Hannah tagged along and was in on most of the play time. 

We enjoyed spending time with my cousins.  And Charity...if you are reading this...Thank you again for your sacrificial service that Friday.  You were literally, an answer to prayer.