Shamrock Farms

Shamrock Farms is everything a dairy farm should be: clean, fun for kids, and open for public tours. I mean, whoever has a dairy farm and doesn't design it with a giant tub of cottage cheese with a slide inside is just crazy. You know that dairy farm you just heard about that went out of business? It was because they didn't have a black and white spotted tram. Shamrock Farms has a tram. And that's why they are still in business.

If you never thought that learning about cows and milk and stuff was fun, then you need to go to Shamrock Farms. Did you know that ultra-pasteurized milk can stay fresh for up to 90 days? Did you know that a cow has four stomachs? Did you know... well, I'd better not tell you anymore. I don't want to ruin your trip to Shamrock Farms.

Besides all this fun stuff you see in my pictures, there are actual cows at Shamrock Farms. We all got to put on gloves to feed and pet some baby cows.

The best part of Shamrock Farms is that after your informative and fun tour, you get to buy fresh ice cream. It isn't an option not to buy the ice cream because after everything you've learned about cows and milk and stuff you are temporarily convinced that anything with milk in is the most healthy, nourishing thing in the world! And besides, you've got three kids with you and they aren't going anywhere without their Shamrock Farms ice-cream cones. Good thing they're only $1.50.

If you can time it right, it is really special to go to Shamrock Farms on March 17th, St. Patrick's Day! Because, you know, St. Patrick's day is all about shamrocks and stuff. And then you are at Shamrock Farms on a day all about shamrocks. The significance of March 17th does not go unnoticed at Shamrock Farms, oh no! All the employees are dressed like Leprechauns and they give away green foiled chocolate coins and free mint chocolate chip ice-cream. Your kids will think you are a really fun mom for planning something so awesome for St. Patrick's day, even if you didn't realize it when you booked the tour.

If the farm tour doesn't satisfy you, don't complain to me. It's not my fault that you hate cows and milk. If for no other reason you should go to Shamrock Farms so your 8 year old can make smart observations like, "That would be so weird to live with your friends and not your family." And ask you pointed questions like, "Do cows have periods?"

See? You've got nothing to lose. See ya at the farm!

#2 getting his finger "milked"

someone needs to teach #1 how to properly wear sunglasses

Rollin' by the River

This week we celebrated Spring with a break. One day we talked some friends into visiting the river called Salt. Actually it's fresh water and I'm unclear why it's known as the Salt River. The river's current is presently low, leaving plenty of rocky banks to explore and shallow depths for the smallest of friends to safely wade into.

A picnic lunch was packed, sunscreen applied and a morning of fun was had by all. A blue-clawed crawdad may or may not have been caught by a member of our party. At least one of the children unintentionally submerged himself multiple times. If you guessed that it was Buster, you are correct.








#1 made sure to bring her camera. It was our first digital camera, heavy as a brick and the memory card holds a whopping 65 images.

Here are some of the images I found when I uploaded her memory card (along with about 20 pictures from almost 2 years ago):

"What's your 10-4 good buddy? Over and out."



The classic picture-of-yourself-taking-a-picture theme, dirty side-view mirror style.



(This is not Buster, in case you were wondering)

Hold onto your seats. More spring break updates to come....

Beware the Ides of March; or in this case, Celebrate!

Something spooky is going on around here. I suspect the handiwork of a leprechaun or the ominous closeness of the Ides of March.

#3 is not a Mama's girl. She loves playing with friends and her siblings. But when she is without company she has always seemed to have zero desire to entertain herself. She becomes stuck to me like white on rice. If I'm cooking, she is sitting on the counter with me. If I'm reading, she's in my lap. If I'm on the computer she is trying to hold my hand. If she's playing Barbies, she does it sitting in my lap. When she wants to color, she wants my hand on the top of her crayon holding hand.

It is very sweet. But also can be annoying. It's a good thing she's my daughter and I love her. And it certainly helps that she's adorable.

But I'm not used to this sort of dependence. #1 and #2 are and have always been excellent independent players. I've been frustrated trying to foster independent play in #3.

Before the earthquake hit Japan (poor Japan :( ) the seizmic shifts rocked our little domestic boat. Something new and strange: #3 played independently, without guidance, without suggestion, without me all day! From time to time she asked for a drink or for help getting something down but then she'd shoo me from her room. All day.

It was a wonderful, happy day. For everyone. Thank you Leprechauns. Thank you Julius Caesar for being murdered on the Ides of March, allowing the day to be forever haunted and make strange things happen in my house.

ps Despite my flippant reference to the tragedy in Japan I am truly despairing for the loss and havoc the Japanese are experiencing.

5-127

Isn't there a universal blogging rule that says something like, "When a Blogger has nothing to write about, it is acceptable to post random pictures of said Blogger's children for no particular reason."? Rule 5-127, International Rules of Blogging, to be specific.

I hereby invoke rule 5-127.


Exhibit A) Showing how difficult it is to get three beautiful, yet camera-adverse children to pose acceptably for a Sunday-best picture.



Exhibit B) Demonstrating how quickly a cowboy hat and Webkinz snake used as a boa are shed when a camera has been spotted. Just seconds before this one was snapped, #1 was wearing that exact costume while giving her Family Home Evening lesson on John the Baptist.




Exhibit C) Showing that above all, we strive to teach our children how to dine in style. Even if the goblet is plastic and the food is fake.



Next time, we'll be back with our usual earth-shattering, mind-quaking level of blogging.

Maybe.