Fun of the Farm Part 2

Even though our final month of summer has arrived we aren't going to let the fun start to dwindle. This week was packed full of good times. Hot weather didn't slow us down. Monday night Doug scored more points as being the fun parent and set up a two man tent on the little deck off our bedroom. We drug out the sleeping bags and blankets and pillows galore. We also brought flash lights and books and stories to share. The girls thought this was the most fun thing imaginable. Hey, can't say that I blame them. But with that kind of excitement it becomes hard to convince anyone to fall asleep. So Doug left us alone and slept inside and the girls (myself included) all laid down and talked ourselves into a hard sleep. Well, at least they did. Sleeping on a wooden deck on a hot summer night isn't as easy as it used to be. I thought I did amazingly well to sleep until 3 am and then I decided to move my old bones into bed. Just as I settle into my soft, comfortable bed not more than 2 feet away from where they are sleeping Kate awakes. And then Hadley awakes. I swear they are like little wild animals. They could sense, even in the deepest sleep, that I had left the den. Lordy. So out of bed and back into the tent I went to try and lull them back to bed but no luck. So the whole clan moved back inside. Why is it that I was the only one tired the next morning?

Our chickens have been keeping our bellies full of eggs this summer. Call me crazy but I never tire of collecting their beautiful eggs. Daily I marvel at how perfect they are and the beautiful range of colors they produce. Although Thelma is the orneriest hen she is the best layer. She lays early and her eggs are usually extra large. Tres eggs are the easiest to identify because of their blue/green color. Our newest layer, Runner, has started laying eggs and hers is the small egg on the top. They will become larger as she lays more, it is typical for them to start small. I hope to add a few more hens to the flock pretty soon. We love having eggs for breakfast and sharing farm eggs with friends and family, there is nothing like them. Their shells are much harder than store bought eggs and the yolks are practically orange.

Hadley and Kate's little neighbor friend, Kylie, came over to play Friday morning. We feel really fortunate to have such a nice little girl living out here "next" door. Next door calculates to about 3 miles up the road. They had a sweet little tea party after dressing up in princess dresses. Melissa and I just had to sit back and marvel at this because neither one of us were ever the princess type. We were tomboys through and through. No barbie's for us, breyer horses and dirt hills. These girls will have a great time growing up together. Kylie is expecting a baby brother this fall.

Friday night Hadley and I went out to one of her friends birthday parties. Lash turned 5 and he was having a bike riding party. I have never seen so many little kids pedaling around on their bikes and scooters. They all had a lot of fun. Hadley and Lash have known each other their entire short little lives and they also attend Kids Place preschool together.

We were all glad the giant thunder clouds swung wide and missed the kids party so they pedaled until dark.

Kate and Hadley spent the night with Betty last night so Doug and I had an old fashion date night. We watched a movie, one of our favorites, American Beauty. You should check it out if you haven't seen it for awhile. It is really an amazing film. And then we headed to town, AFTER DARK, to get ice cream. Heavenly.

So that brings us to Sunday. My good friend Tara Anderson is moving to Walla Walla from Warden. She brought her husband, daughter and mother in law over to see their new home. They won't be able to move into their house until the middle of September so they will be living in our guest house until then. Their daughter is 6 and Hadley and Ashleigh will have a fun time on the farm for the remainder of the summer. Tara and I met last year while showing under the trainer at the Quarter Horse shows. She has since sold her mare but our friendship has continued. I know we have some good times ahead of us. We had such a kick spending the afternoon together watching Doug making beer.

Like Father Like Daughter

Hadley and Doug spent the afternoon riding motorcycles and testing their skills over homemade jumps. I wish you could have seen the intensity in Hadley's face as she approached the jump. Over and over she circled around and flew through the air. Kate is every bit as passionate about the bikes but just isn't quite big enough to ride by herself.