We Are Farmers Now

Last weekend, the Olson Four and the Russell Two shed our city-dweller personas and became farmers! (Be amazed, dear readers, that all of us returned from rural life ... it was with some hesitation that we did so.)

What in the heck am I talking about, let me bring you up to speed.  Late last summer, we learned about Hoehn Bend Farm, which is located in Sedro-Woolley. We tried to get a reservation for 2016 but were informed that they were booked, so if we wanted a summer stay it would have to be in 2017. In January (when reservations for the summer can be made), I hopped on the website and got a farm weekend reserved. The farm house can hold up to 6 people, so we invited our friends Dave and Anne to go with us. As an added bonus, we got the OK to take Buca with us. Win!

This is a working farm and guests are invited to be as involved (or not) in the day-to-day farm activities as they want to be. Umm.... it was a no-brainer to me that we'd get involved. Why go to a farm if you don't get your hands a bit dirty?? The wide-open land was practically screaming out to me. Plus, they have animals (cows, goats, miniature donkeys, chickens, and a pig) right there! Many people would cringe at the idea, but I could hardly wait to get there!

I was like a kid waiting for Christmas in the days leading up to our departure. I'm sure I had a stupid "crazy person" grin on my face the majority of the time.... I didn't care. I was going to a FARM! With animals! 

FINALLY, the big day arrived. We packed our stuff, loaded up the car, piled in, and headed north. Unfortunately, our drive was a bit longer than we'd hoped because of Friday afternoon traffic on the freeway, but even that wasn't as bad as it could have been. About 2 hours after we left home, we pulled into the farm's driveway and were greeted by the smell of fresh-cut grass and Farmer Jean's open arms. (Farmer Jean is a woman after my own heart. She loves to plan and document things. We "get" each other and that was obvious from our months of emailing back and forth leading up to our weekend on the farm.) Soon after, we met Maggie (the dog) and Farmer Terry, Jean's husband.

Our backyard and view for the weekend

We got the lay of the land and were invited to look around right away. We also learned the three rules of the farm: (1) Don't touch the hot wire, (2) If you open a door or gate, close it right behind you, and (3) Don't go near the pig (Polly) with food or if you smell like food.

Naturally, we were drawn to the animals and were anxious to get a bit more familiar with them. We learned their names, a bit about their personalities, and how they came to be residents of the farm. We also learned that the goats love name-brand saltine crackers (no generic brand will do for them!!) and Polly the pig doesn't like bell peppers (that's my kind of pig!).

One of the "Spice Girls"

One of the cows getting some lovin' from Farmer Jean

Eventually, we pried ourselves away from the animals and farmers to get settled in the farm house, complete with a mud room (I now have mud room envy!), 3 bedrooms, full kitchen, full bath, and a deck (where we ate dinner both nights). The farm house was very cozy and I felt even more connected to Jean when she made sure to point out where the first aid kid was. (I told you ... two peas in a pod!)

Soon after unloading the cars and figuring out who would sleep where, we headed back outside to help with the evening's farm chores. We piled into the Jeep and trailer to help Terry and Jean feed their herd of cows, some of whom are pregnant and due any time. (I hoped a calf might be born over the weekend, but no such luck.)

Farmers Terry and Jean, and Maggie the dog driving us out to the cows

In the trailer feeding the cows -- Farmer Terry pointed out this is the
first time he's had swimsuit-clad farm hands.
The next day, he claimed he'd never had PJ-clad farm hands when he realized
Conor was still in his jammies!

Dinner? Get mooooooovin'!

Did we hear it is dinner time?

The critters on the farm were a definite draw from the get-go and they didn't disappoint. The miniature donkeys were wonderful (although, Buca might disagree after they unequivocally evicted him from their area at one point), and the goats have such a comedic personality. Polly the pig adores being scratched behind her ears and wants every ounce of affection possible.

James (aka Bond James Bond) and Prissy

Prissy and me

Ginny says "moo"

Me with the herd as the sun set behind us

Polly says "put down the camera and please scratch me"

Cluck!

We're now pretty sure that Conor is part goat!

The goats in the bed of "their" 1948 Dodge truck

So, what sorts of farm-based tasks did we wind up doing? Oh my! So many!! The adults learned how to drive tractors (yeehaw!) and wound up showing we have quite a knack driving farm equipment here and there. Who knew?? The kids helped collect eggs and transported the chickens to their outdoor coop in the mornings and back to the barn each night. Annika, Conor, and Anne also took the mini donkeys (James, Prissy, and Wee-Wee) on a walk around the field to get some exercise and nibble on the freshly-cut grass. We also helped feed the various farm critters and learned some basics about caring for them.

Conor showing his egg-hunting prowess

Annika "helping" Farmer Terry

Conor and James chilling in the field

The kids walking their donkeys

Anne trying to convince Prissy to walk with her
(Prissy was too interested in snacking to listen to Anne's "STEP UP! PLEASE??" commands)

Yup. I drove a tractor, too! This was my view from the driver's seat.

Annika and Wee-Wee

Maggie was the ideal kiddo and donkey supervisor

Annika and Wee-Wee

Dave maneuvering the tractor

Eric, tractor driver extraordinaire

Annika feeding the chickens

Eric escorting Coco, the escape artist to the coop

Conor and Annika transporting the chickens from the barn

Conor and Anne with the morning's fresh eggs

While out in the field, Farmer Terry explained how farming kids learn to drive at a much younger age than their city-dwelling counterparts to. He then offered to teach our kids how to drive .... his Jeep that was pulling a trailer ... in a huge field. Why not?!? So, all three kids got a turn behind the wheel and loved every second of it. (Side note: On Sunday morning as we packed up the van, Conor asked if he could drive us home. Sorry kiddo, I-5 and a grassy field are not exactly the same driving conditions!)

Annika getting last-minute instructions from Eric before she hits the accelerator 

Conor behind the wheel of the Jeep

While we did dive into farm life and help out, we also had time to relax and enjoy our rural environment. A hammock swing hangs from the apple tree just outside the farm house, and that swing was rarely without one of us in it. It was so popular among the kids that we adults had to set timers to make sure there was an equal amount of swing time for each munchkin.

A hammock, a sunny day, and a bag of Pirate's Booty.... what could be better?

Annika relaxing in the swing

Laughter all around

Happy boy

Yup, I even got a few turns in the swing

Good buddies!

We also filled our free time with playing a lot of frisbee, baseball (well, our version of it), and the kids ran through the sprinkler so much that they turned pruny! Buca also enjoyed his leisure time on the far and was incredibly grateful for the wading pool the farmers filled up for him.

Buca was grateful for the apple tree's shade -- we topped out at 96 degrees!

The kids had lots of fun in the sprinkler

The Three Farming Amigos

Anne showing off her inner-country girl

Dave and Eric enjoying some leisure time on the deck at the end of the day

This was a common sight all weekend long

Annika getting ready her her next pitch

Farm girls chew on grass, right?

And so do farm boys!

Frisbee galore

Run, Dave, Run!

Eric enjoying some R&R after a busy day on the farm

Anne's action shot

Batter up!

The extra news from our trip is Conor lost another tooth while we were at the farm. The was sitting on the deck wiggling it when out it came. Who knew farming was so good for tooth loss???

During some down time, Farmer Jean took us on a tour of their other property, which was purchased by Terry's grandparents in the early 20th century (1910 or 1917, I believe). Part of the property was used as a Christmas tree farm, which was abandoned many years ago. The trees grew into a forest and frame a very pretty meadow. We also saw the bulls/steer, a frog pond, and some incredible old buildings. The barn on the property was built in 1904 and is preserved by the Historical Society. How neat is that??

The kids in front of the 1904 barn

hat a view!

We went lots of places in the Jeep over the weekend

Maggie keeping up with us as we drove through the field

Abandoned Christmas tree farm

1904 barn

Antique farm equipment

Don't mess around with farmers or their stuff!

On our way home Sunday (with Eric behind the wheel, not Conor), we found ourselves recapping our weekend away. Eric said he wasn't sure what to expect and what expectations he did have were blown away. He very much enjoyed the hospitality and ability to really get involved on the farm. Terry and Jean are not only farmers ... they are educators (Terry used to teach 4th grade) and do an incredible job sharing information about the land, its history, and why/how they do what they do. We are so grateful they welcome people to their farms and hope to return for another fun stay at the farm. 

Last Day of School 2017

Yesterday, the kids bid adieu to 1st and 3rd grade.

They'd been counting down to it for the past two weeks with great anticipation. This week was filled with "wrapping it up" activities, including cleaning out their desks at school, bringing home piles of art projects and graded homework, field day, field trips, and a board game party (for Annika's class).

As soon as the last bell rang, the kids came flooding out... and that is when the reality of change hit Conor and he decided he wasn't quite ready for 1st grade to end. The proclaimed that he would really like to have another week or two of school. We talked about how change can be a bit unsettling and that's OK. We also talked up 2nd grade and how much Annika liked having her as a teacher. He seemed a bit more at ease, but also might have just been humoring his crazy old parents.

After school, we zipped home to reveal the surprise we had in store: a family outing to the newly-released Captain Underpants movie followed by lunch at Five Guys. The kids were beyond thrilled!! Not a bad way to start their summer vacation, if you ask them. :)

As I write this post, I can't help but be a bit amazed by how much the kids changed over the school year. Annika has grown almost 3 inches in height and is very close to her goal of growing out her bangs. Conor started out 1st grade without his two front teeth and is now about 2 inches taller than when he started the school year.

  

Conor's Year-end Interview

My favorite thing to play is: Hula-hoop tag

My favorite color is: Chartreuse

My favorite book: The Book with No Pictures

My favorite TV show: Pokemon XYZ

My favorite food: Suckers

When I grow up, I want to: Be a famous soccer player

My favorite thing about 1st grade was: Getting to play Ga-Ga Ball

Something cool I learned this year was: How to tell time

Something I want to learn in 2nd grade is: Multiplication

Something I want to do over the summer is: Go to the Dollar Store

Annika's Year-end Interview

My favorite thing to play is: Kitties

My favorite color is: A glowing red pink

My favorite book: Captain Underpants

My favorite TV show: How to Train Your Dragon

My favorite food: Swedish Meatballs

When I grow up, I want to: Take a vacation to Hawaii

My favorite thing about 3rd grade was: Having a very nice teacher

Something cool I learned this year was: That a right angle is a point of a square or rectangle

Something I want to learn in 4th grade is: Grammar

Something I want to do over the summer is: Go to the pool

Cousin Frank's Wedding

Last month, my cousin Frank got remarried and we were invited to be part of the celebration. So, the morning of the wedding, we piled into the van and made the trek down to Portland.

Knowing that we'd be traveling on Memorial Day weekend, we were keen to avoid as much holiday traffic as possible, we we timed our time on I-5 very strategically. For the most part, we had an easy drive. We did encounter some slow downs in/around downtown Seattle (no surprise there) and near the bases south of Tacoma (again, no surprise). We got to our hotel in time to get settled and take a few breaths before changing into our wedding clothes and heading out to the church. It was rather hot that and we were quite grateful for the AC in the car... and later, the pool at the hotel.

The ceremony was sweet. My cousin basically cried the entire time. The priest was quite a character, and even brought Joy dish soap in to the mix. Troy did the readings, many of my cousins were in the wedding party (y'all clean up real good!), Troy/Staci helped performed the lasso portion of the wedding, and I was the Eucharistic minister. WHEW! I'm pretty sure Eric and Conor were most excited when I suggested they avoid wearing their blazers because of the heat. (Yeah, increasing my chances for winning wife/mom of the year right there!) :)

The reception was held at the Elks Club that very kindly had AC. A few of us (me included) were plagued by sore feet, but at least no one had to melt in the heat. (My van's display registered 102F when we left the church!!!) We were asked to offer marriage advice to the newlyweds, which we all did ... including our kids (see below). The band was quite good and many a twirl, boogie, and twist was performed over the course of the evening. At one point, I tried to get my cousin Ron's little girl (4) to dance with Conor, to which she replied, "EW! I don't dance with BOYS!" (Oh how she'll change her mind on that in another 10 years of so!)

I had a great time catching up with my extended family members, many of whom I haven't seen in years. The kids had fun meeting new (to them) cousins and dancing until they were exhausted. Annika and Conor were most tickled, however, when my Aunt Marie gave them $2 bills. Who carries those around with them?!?!?! Our kids didn't even realize $2 bills existed until she handed them to the kids.

After the reception, we make the short trek back to the hotel. The kids and I hopped into the pool while Eric lounged by the side of the pool. Eventually, we hit our pruny fingers and toes limit and headed back to our room, only to be invited by Troy/Staci to come over to their room for pizza (Bonus!!). We quickly changed into dry clothes and had a little post-reception reception. We recounted funny stories and shared memories from the day and our previous excursion to visit this side of the family during our childhood years. We fondly told stories about visiting our grandma "back in the day" and (perhaps) made her a bit of a known entity for our kids, who never had the chance to know her.

We practically fell into bed that night, to say the least! Lots of fun, but so tired. :)

Marriage blessing

The Olson Four

Conor loved the wedding bells

Conor's marriage advise (pt 1)

Conor's marriage advice (pt 2)

Aunt Marie and me

Annika escorting Aunt Marie back to her table

My cousin Terri, Annika, and me

Uncle Jim (also my godfather) and me

Terri and me

Doesn't Conor look THRILLED to be surrounded by us gals??

My little cousin Tonya is so darned lovable!

Conor showing off his dance moves

The men of the family

Staci is the BEST photobomber EVER

Troy, Annika, and me

My cousin Terri, her husband John, and me

Annika's Perserverance

More than once, Annika has mentioned feeling nervous as we approached the local pool for her diving class. I knew the inward dive was in her head, so we talked about it a bit and I encouraged her to find other dives that she could work on until her confidence rebounded.

The reason for her apprehension was rooted in another diver (her age) banging her face on the diving board while performing an inward dive. No one could possibly blame her for being skittish around the inward dive! (Personally, I hate watching her do them because it looks like she'll whack her head every time ... 'tis the nature of the dive, I guess.)

I didn't realize until yesterday that it wasn't only the inward dive that was in her head. It was flips, too. I think when that other little girl got hurt, it made Annika realize that diving includes some element of personal risk. She could get hurt, especially if the other girl (who is a very talented and driven diver) could get hurt.

Yesterday, Annika did her forward dives beautifully and without hesitation. When her coach instructed her to try the forward flip, she walked down the diving board and balked a number of times, and even lost her balance and plopped into the pool. On her next attempt, I could see her talking to herself as she walked down the board ... a self pep talk, was my guess. Eventually, she decided it was a good opportunity to give the flip another try and did it! The smile on her face after that initial flip was priceless and I couldn't help but clap for her, as did her coach.

From then on, she flipped without reservation or hesitation. So proud of her!!

Conor's Dynamite Dance

One day, I'm pretty sure when he is a teenage and looking back through our family blog posts, Conor will be mortified that I posted this. Until then, enjoy these video segments of our boy dancing to one of his favorite songs. :D

Macros at the Arboretum

Last week, Annika's class took a trip to the arboretum near UW as part of their study of plants and their life cycles. I was fortunate enough to be able to go as a chaperone and am so glad I did. The kids were great and it was such fun to watch them learn from the arboretum staff as we wandered around the beautiful and lush grounds.

Honestly, we couldn't have gotten any luckier with the weather. It was warm and sunny the entire day. The muddy ground here and there was the only nod to the massively wet weather we've experienced lately. The kids shucked their coats and enjoyed the warm sun on their arms and faces for a bit. (What a novelty!!)

Before you wonder, yes, I did take photos of the kids and paid attention to them. In fact, I took a crazy amount of photos, but to respect the privacy of the non-my-child kiddos, I won't post any of them here.

That said, I did take a few moments here and there to snap some macro shots of the various flowers along the way, too. (Don't all field trip chaperones sling two cameras across their bodies while out with the students?)

Enjoy!

Yellow azalea

Pink azalea

Mushroom trio

Curly fern

Fuzzy fern

Teeny, tiny daisy

White rhodedentron

Shroom in profile  - up close and personal 

Conor's Latest Funny

A few days ago, the kids and I were driving home from Ballard and were stuck at a red light heading. To pass the time, Annika and Conor started reading the signs on the nearby buildings.

I heard them struggle with a word; they kept trying to sound it out, but without any luck. Because the light was so long, I was able to start looking around and realized they were trying to read the word "psychic" on a building. I helped them figure out the word and asked if they knew what a psychic is.

Conor replied, "Yes! It is a super hero's little buddy."

At that moment, I was so grateful that I could grab the steering wheel to within an inch of its life to help control the giggles that wanted to erupt from the core of my very being. After taking a few slow breaths, I was able to say, "Close, but not quite. That's a side kick, honey, not psychic."

Psychic ... side kick ... tomato ... potato