field trip to the farm

john john and i went with ella's 3rd grade class yesterday.
it was a beautiful, cool morning - a perfect day for an outdoor field trip.

i have been on this field trip with all three kids now, it has been a fun tradition.
there were lots of animals:  goats, ponies, chickens, turkeys, pigs -
the kids loved them all.

we had a full lesson on corn and then got to go through a corn maze (above).
really neat to be in there amidst all that corn growing.

then we got to go out and pick vegetables and learned some interesting facts too -
did you know a banana is an herb?
we picked zucchini, cucumber, radishes, and swiss chard (photos).

 the kids also got to ride the 'train'...

 jump on the new 'jumpy' dome...

 ride the 'bikes'...

 and pick pumpkins...

it was a good day.
and i feel so blessed to be able be at these special days with my children.

on the way home from school christopher said, 'i wish i could go on a field trip'.
at least i was able to tell him that the 7th grade football team is probably getting out of school early one day next week to get to a tournament game they're playing in way out in timbuktu!

happy 11th birthday, andrew!

last friday was andrew's birthday.
i couldn't sleep the night before, so hard to believe my second child is 11.
kids sure do grow up fast, too fast - seems like just yesterday they were my little toddlers.

he had a sleepover with some of his good buddies.
they hit the neighborhood tp-ing and door bell ditching other kids from school.
totally entertained them for hours that night and the next morning too.
some had never tp'd before, they came dressed in black shirts -  ready for the challenge!

they played a ton of football out front while everyone was arriving.
and then moved it out back to run around some more and eat.

they were so fun to have, just had a great time together hang'n out.
it was neat to see them interacting with each other, laughing and goofing off.

when we said prayers before we ate, they started saying the 'our father' in spanish.
they were having a test on it the next week, and they just belted it out.
it was pretty funny, they got almost all the way through but didn't quite have the end down.

so, we started over - in english this time.

it was a fun party, and the boys were all so well behaved and nice to have around.
we had a big family dinner celebration on sunday.

happy birthday, andrew.
you are such a special child, a true born leader that others are drawn to.
you are sensitive and kind and compassionate.
you are athletic and outgoing and have a wonderful love of music.
you are such a gift from God and we love you immensely!