Farm Show 2013

 Today was our annual trip to the Farm Show.  (and I had to download Google Chrome so I can put photos on my blog)

This year Lori was able to join us and of course a large part of the fun is riding the bus from the parking lot to the complex.  This year the bus took us to a different entrance that we usual go to so our pattern of where we go had to be changed up a bit.  

Without me reminding him he asked to go the corn bin first off.  Lori was happy sit with him while I hit the few stands I wanted to see.  We agreed to meet in 30 minutes so I was off with my wallet and camera.  

First I headed to see the gingerbread houses and came across this giant house!  

Wow!!  

These two impressed me also!  

Of course there was a new butter sculpture this year.  

 

I bought a personalized frame for a little friend of ours, some spices from the spice vendor, fried mozzarella kebab(for me), and a chocolate milk shake and french fries for Baylor.  When I headed back to meet them they were on the carousel waiting for it to start.  Baylor kept shouting at me to not eat all his fries.  

So when they were done we took a seat under the slides on the jungle gym.  He worked on his fries and shake between rides down the slides.  

There was so much static from the slide that our hair would stand on end when a child went down the slide.  

We went to the free mini golf next.  Baylor watched Jake, the pirates and Capt'n Hook play mini golf and he was excited to try it out.  

In the booth they were teaching about rodents and how to get ride of them from the home and why it was important.  Baylor did well taking to the ladies about mice and rats and also did a good job putting his way around. 

We worked our way to the animals because Farmer Baylor had some corn and hay to feed his animals.  He was telling us how the animals would be so happy to see Farmer Baylor.  They just love him he said.  And I am sure they do, in their own sheepy way. Apparently we missed the pigs because none of the pigs were there but their signs were.  

In one pen was a giant horse!  He was (is) a draft horse and was just a huge animal.  Baylor was already on my shoulders and while I know we are still not very tell with our combined height, you can see how tall the horse is.  I asked Lori to take a photo of us and while I know she is not behind a camera very often, I would have thought she would have picked up some things about photo framing.  Or at least not what to do. 

So this is how she framed one photo of my wanting one of Baylor and I next to the horse.  Notice how far away she is standing, and how off center we are.  In fact the subject is way off to the left! She is Thatcher after all.  

Baylor wanted to milk the cow again.  He did remind me it was a fake cow.

We made it to the food hall around 11:30 and to say it was packed was an understatement.  But the lines go well and we did not need very much to eat.  Baylor saw the ice cream and asked for a cone.  It was from the honey stand so it had a nice honey flavor.  I choose breaded and fried mushrooms (that were not frozen on the inside this year) and Lori went for beef vegetable soup. (We all had a nice dinner with veggies and real food later)

Then it was off to ride the tractors.  A farmer has to try them all out.  

This was giant among tractors.  It was huge.  

I love his posing for a photo smile! Gube!  

We found the Cory Combine!  Another huge piece of equipment. 

And at the toy booth, a tractor just right for little boys.  He found a small tractor with a hay baler and a bale of hay.  Meme sent him some money and that is what he picked out.  He wanted it open as soon as we were in the van and on our way out.  

The mounted police were making the rounds of the grounds.  

And passed in front of our bus as we were waiting for the light to change.  It gave Baylor and Lori a good view of the horses.  

Then we headed to Bass Pro to find some cold weather gear for Lori.  The warehouse where she works is not heated so staying warm for 12 hours while nearly working in outside temperatures in pretty important.  Since being warm is important to hunters and the like, the store has a lot of choices.  And it is a fun place to visit.  

Such a nice sign at the front door.  

But they have a roaring fire to warm up to on the drizzly day.  

And a huge aquarium   We arrived at feeding time which was an added bonus.  

Then Baylor and I walked around the store while Lori got her shopping on.  It was the least I could for her letting me shop at the farm show all by meself.  

First we went up the elevator.  

Too bad I did not have my wallet so he could practice shooting.  

The store is very manly with a lot of manly mannequins in manly poses. And a lot of manly men in their own versions of the manly hunter uniform.  Mainly a lot of camo hoodies, jeans, and boots.  

But some men were putting in a new display and we walked by as they were creating rocks for the new animals on display.  

Baylor was about to crawl in with the bear!  

A few more photos from the second floor.  We also went down the escalator and then ran around and took the up escalator back to the second floor so we could take the elevator back down. 

Because in the elevator you get to see the inside of the fish tank.  

We walked around the pond while Lori checked out.  Baylor does not think this is any different than the creek out back of our house.  So it was hard for him to not throw rocks and sticks and their landscaping into the pond.  

But we made it back to the car all dry and ready to fall asleep on the 20 minute drive home.  After his bath and getting ready for bed he was already asking about going again another time (next year).  Sometimes I feel like we just do the same things over every year but for me and for Baylor, that is not such a bad thing.  

First Day of Pre-School

Well, blogger is being a poophead again and I cannot upload any photos so I will have to do that when they get it fixed.  Today was Baylor's first day at preschool.

 Our sitter for the last two years, Mrs. Brenda, is retiring in June so we knew we needed to find a new place.  He had only had two sitters, Nana Heidi and Mrs. Brenda, in his life.  They were in his life for a reason and at the right time when he needed them.  Now we have found Mrs Mary Loreman and her daycare/preschool that she runs from her home.  She is part of the Early Learning Network and has a three star rating.  For our initial visit after driving 18 miles, complaining the entire way about how far it is, then talking to her, I left there saying it was the place I wanted him to go.  She was so calm and patient and I was impressed with her teaching methods she outlined for us.  She showed us the progress books they keep for each child and how they use seven methods of teaching and they like to hit each one for each lesson.  It is not a fancy place, just her basement that has been renovated over the years to three age areas and teaching/eating area.  She only has three stars because she does not have the fancy facility of a church or corporate run preschool.  It is clean, she can hold a child in her lap if the child needs it (some day cares steer away from contact for legal reasons, and she teaches in a way I wish more schools would teach.  Every child learns differently and can appreciate her methods.

He started today, and we did not make too much fuss before hand.  I guess I still remember the shy Baylor from last year at this time who hated to know what was coming next.  There was no preparing him beforehand by telling him where we were going.  That lead to tears and protesting.  He would always follow along anyway but I hated going through that.  But he has come a long way in the last year from my shy son how said he just missed me when he had to do to the sitters to the friendly outgoing son who wants to play with everyone.  Lori took him today and I was torn about going.  I decided for his first day it may be easier for her to take him because he can be more emotional with me around.  We did prep him for the change from Mrs. Brenda's to Mrs. Mary's and this morning he was skipping out the door with his little back pack strapped to his back.  Lori called me after she dropped him off for a report.  She said he went right in and Mary greeted him at the bottom of the stairs.  She took him to the table for breakfast of cereal and a banana.  Lori said he sat right down and started eating.  A boy next to him introduced himself and Baylor said, 'My name is Baylor, B-a-y-l-o-r".  She also picked him up today and we met at Hoss's for dinner.  It is his favorite place to eat so we thought it would be a nice treat for his first day of school.  I read the note they sent home with him.  Some highlights are:
--He fit in very well and had a wonderful first day. (insert Mommy grinning like a goof)
--He chose Old MacDonald to sing and told them he wanted to be a Vet when he grew up. (I am surprised he did not choose Wheels on the Bus and in the morning he said he wanted to be Santa Claus and I checked with him twice on that one)
--Lunch was baked fish, rice, broccoli with cheese, and applesauce.  Baylor ate everything and was the first one done.  (Half of that he would turn his nose up to at home)
-- He needs to work on how he holds a pencil. (OK, so I am a bit lazy about that around here)
--He has very good manners, excellent social skills, and cleans up his toys. (grinning Mommy again and why does he not pick up his toys around here)
-- He is very enthusiastic about school and learning, always ready to try new things and seems to learn quickly and easily.  (my cheeks hurt from smiling out of pride)

The only downer was he was too shy to ask for help with his jeans(they had a slide instead of a snap) and he had an accident.  But we had packed a change of clothes in his back pack and he came home in that.  I had put his potty shyness on the get to know him sheet because he did the same thing at Mrs. Brenda's.  He would get shy about asking to go to the bathroom or wait too long.  Oh well!  If that is the worst that happened, I will take it. 

He horked down dinner having his usual Hoss's feast: melon (honeydew tonight), green peas, Italian Wedding soup, and ice cream.  At home he was a wild thing so we played in the basement together until that energy was burned off.  He said several times that school was great and the kids were fun.  Friday he goes again and we have homework to do.  Hopefully he will have just as much fun on his second day!