Farm Field Trip

Austin's preschool class had a field trip this week to a local farm.  Nanny came over to play with Sarah so that I could go be a chaperone on the field trip.  It was lots of fun, the farmers were very gracious hosts, and the kids were really adorable exploring all the new sights, sounds, and smells that the farm had to offer.

When the kids first arrive at school in the morning, their names are laid out on the table, each on a laminated card so that the kids can trace their names with an erasable marker to "sign in" to class.  What a great idea to help the kids learn to write their names!  Austin is using his left hand in this picture, but apparently he switches back and forth and we're not sure he's right handed or left handed.  We'll see...

Austin enjoying the little slide in the classroom before it is time to get on the bus for the field trip.  Going down the slide before him in this picture is his buddy Owen.

Austin's classmate George was our buddy for the day, meaning that I had the responsibility of keeping track of these 2 little guys throughout the day at the farm (which, I must note, was easier said than done).  Here they are grinning on the bus.  I think they were just about as excited about the bus as they were about the farm.  The bus ride was only about 3 minutes or so, but they had a blast.

Watching as the chickens scurried out of the chicken coop so the kids could go in and see the baby chicks.

Austin was a little hesitant to hold the baby chick, but did well with it once it was settled in his hand.

Patting the baby cow.

 Checking out the lambs.

The kids got a little tutorial on how the cows are milked.

 Then they toured the cow barn.

They saw the front end of the cows...

Then the back end...

The boys thought the pooping and peeing cows were hilarious!

 Keeping tabs on each other as we headed to feed the baby cows.

 Then it was time to put the little guys to work!

They gave the kids these huge bottles to feed the baby cows.  They could barely carry them, but had a ball trying.

Each baby cow was in a little enclosure and there was a bottle propping spot in each one so they could give the baby cows their milk by popping a bottle in each enclosure.

Austin also fed one of the cows by holding up the bottle for him...just didn't get it tipped up so the cow could actually get any milk out of it.

Riding in the truck with Mrs. Stack.

 Enjoying some ice cream cones (after washing hands, of course).

Getting a ride in the back of the truck.

Then back on the bus to head back to school.

Other fun stuff...

Sarah is no longer afraid of the rocking horse.

Horsey ride Grandpa gets some kisses. 

Sarah is really into brushing her teeth lately.  She runs into the bathroom, climbs up on the step stool, opens the drawer with the toothbrushes in it, grabs a toothbrush (hers or not), tries to put toothpaste on it, puts it under the faucet like she is getting it wet, taps it on the side of the sink, then brushes her teeth.  She wants to brush her teeth all the time now...except when Mommy wants to help her actually brush her teeth.

Eating homemade s'mores ice cream.  Yum!

And a cute video to finish up for tonight...
Sarah likes to surreptitiously get candy out of her or Austin's Easter baskets and work diligently to get the wrapper off. She has been particularly successful getting the foil wrappers off of Cadbury Cream Eggs and Hershey Kisses.  When she is a bit too quiet, I find her like this...


That's all for now.  Austin's last day of school is coming up next week.  Then summer fun begins.  We've got him signed up for a little sports class on Tuesdays in which they learn a new sport each week (T-ball, football, soccer, etc.) and swimming lessons on Thursdays.  We've got lots of trips planned for the summer - mostly family gatherings and weddings.  Life just never slows down!