We've had a big week though not all of it was captured in photos.
Brad is playing again with the band we played with for several years (we both played until miss L was born and Brad played another year after that and off and on since). He's not rehearsing every week, but only before concerts. Between those rehearsals, the concert and a monthly church committee meeting he was gone four nights last week.
The week simply got away from us and life just sort of happened. Miss L seems to have developed a taste for The Little Mermaid and "Belle and the Beast," so I feel like we spent our week watching those.
This weekend was an event that we've been looking forward to for awhile. Every year there is a fall festival in our area celebrating local farms. For one thing, it's really fun to go and spend a day outside at a lovely time of year. For another thing, it's important to Brad and I to show our kids where food comes from and what it means to be good stewards of creation. Brad and I both believe in a Creator who has entrusted us with Earth as a gift and it's our responsibility to care for her and all God's creatures here. For us, that means supporting local family farms who also share this philosophy of caring for the earth. We currently try to purchase only humanely raised meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products, but it's a goal of ours to begin purchasing those products locally from farms we've seen and animals we could have met! I'll keep you posted as that works itself out.
The countryside was GORGEOUS with all the fall color. Miss L declared that her favorite trees were the yellow ones and I declared once again that we have to live in one of the most beautiful places in the US.
The first farm we visited was one that will actually deliver products to your home! Woohoo!
While we were eating our farm fresh pulled pork sandwiches and lamb sausage we saw some sheep pass by.
Sweet baby W couldn't be bothered with that, though. He was busy eating some potato roll.
One of the farm hands brought out a baby cow for us to pet.
We even found a goat who was hanging out and willing to be loved on.
We got to see the chicken coop including some happy chickens running around and some chicken who were nesting (and probably wishing we would get the heck out of there).
There were some baby chicks and miss L got to hold one! It was really cute!
The family who lives on the farm participates in equestrian sports and had riders giving demonstrations and letting kids see the horses. This one was named "Nutmeg."
We purchased some fresh eggs and some raw milk cheese and asked miss L if she wanted to go home or go to another farm. She heartily replied that she wanted to visit another farm, so we did!
This farm was actually featured in an episode of top chef and isn't normally open to the public. Both of those things made it seem like this one was one to visit and when we arrived we were not disappointed!
This is one of the outbuildings on the property.
Here is another.
There were carriage rides with shire horses. (which miss L kept asking if we could go on and we kept saying in a little while and they closed before we got to ride! She told us, "maybe next time!" on our way out. :o)
There were turkeys hanging out in the pasture getting ready for Thanksgiving.
There was a mommy shire horse and her (giant) baby horse.
They had a collection of very old carriages on display by the carriage house.
There was a hay maze in the kids area.
Miss L says, "I know how to solve this problem..."
(notice the very appropriate farm shoes ;o)
The plantation house is pretty much where I've decided I'd like to live. It was amazingly beautiful.
They also raise Gloucestershire pigs and had a bunch of babies hanging out. Miss L LOVED those baby pigs. (look at his cute little tail)
The whole family had fun!
When the family owning the farm started closing up we started walking back to our car (we rode a hayride to the farm on the way there) and that may have been my favorite part! We got to see the beehives on the property.
Can you imagine if this was your driveway? I'm think I'm going to move in there next week.
Yesterday miss L wanted her hair down and with two bows. She's never requested something so specific before (that I remember anyways), so how could I not go along with it. I thought it was so cute I had to snap a picture before we went to get daddy for lunch.
I looked at sweet baby W and said, "smile!" and I was sort of surprised when he DID!
For the past few nights sweet baby W has had some trouble getting to sleep. He'll go down at 7:30 but then 30 to 45 minutes later he wakes up and is up until 10:00 or 10:30. I think he likes this awake time because it's some of the only time he gets to play without a big sister dictating what he can play with.
He'd really like that soda. He thought about learning to crawl to get there, but changed his mind (and daddy moved his drink).
What a cute guy!
I can feel that first tooth under those bottom gums, so I'm going to be surprised if it isn't here next week. So... look forward to that!
See you soon!
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