Montana- Wednesday

Wednesday was large animal day.

The cows were extra friendly that day.

The 4 calves were just learning to be afraid of humans and so the kids were able to enjoy some close ups with these 200 pound newborns.

I'm pretty sure the kids were the more afraid of the two species.

Heidi was Grandma's shadow and made sure to help with all the chores.

Earlier in the week Grandma and David were playing pretend with the kids and convinced Heidi that the chickens were pirates.  The rest of the week whenever she saw one she would get serious and say "look, pirate!"

Archie was a natural at scaling fences and it was a source of never ending frustration to Alex that not only was he a faster runner, but he could beat her over the fence as well.

Wednesday was also fort day.

We went over to the "West 40" and grabbed the round cattle feeder thing.

Heidi was a big help.

This is also where the horses are kept, and Alex LOVES horses.

We set up our fort and then made a dozen trips back to the house for blankets, snacks and toys.

These baby chicks hatched just after we left!

After the fort was set up, we went back to work collecting eggs.....

and playing.

As much as these pictures must make it look like it was nothing but butterflies and bliss the whole trip, there was plenty of everybody fighting for the same thing and chaos in general.

Annie was master of the trampoline.

And Heidi was master of the swing.

Wednesday evening we went back to the fort in hopes of conning the horses to come over the creek and give us a ride.

Alex was fearless. Which made me plenty fearful.

Waiting for the horse to get bridled, these guys held still for a good 5 minutes in anticipation!

All except Heidi who stood still for 2 minutes and then tried to push Annie around.

Archie and David were the only boys, and David had given the kids trading cards with his picture on it (a school program) which Archie kept in his front pocket all through church on Sunday.  They were sort of buddies.

Archie got a long ride around the yard which I'm sure he enjoyed, even though I couldn't get a single picture of him smiling.

Heidi LOVED it and once she got off kept saying "Now, the white one.  Let me ride the white one."

David played the part of amazing Uncle very well.

I was surprised that Alex was a bit nervous for her turn.

But she took to it like a champ.

Annie laughed and smiled and wasn't afraid at all!

Mooters the horse (we didn't name him) is such a kind and gentle animal.

I was very grateful for this, because Alex couldn't keep herself away.

Montana- Tuesday

Once the kids got accustomed to the farm and all the machinery we set them to work.

I believe Archie liked to "work" more than he liked playing.

I was amazed at how well, and how long the kids helped pick up sticks after a windstorm!

Heidi Love, love, LOVED Sammy, and Sammy was so patient and let her give lots and lots of hugs.

Annie was our little ray of sunshine.  Giving out smiles freely and having more patience than was deserved with the big kids attack hugs.

Tuesday we went up to a tiny little museum by the airport that I've driven past a hundred times and never stopped at, to see a two headed calf.  It lasted about 10 minutes.

The bonus of the trip was the train engine next door that we played on for an hour.  Alex and Archie posed for me when asked, and Heidi ignored the camera as usual.

It was a windy day and when we got home the kids decided they had better rescue the swing which had been caught in a tree.

They were like little monkeys.

Alex and Archie carrying a stump across the yard to use as a stool

We tried to have a picnic on the lawn, but the kids just wanted to jump on the trampoline.

Heidi was content to push Uncle David in the swing.  You might be thinking "how nice to be able to sit while the kid pushes the adult!" But you would be wrong.  Heidi pushes in such a way that for the first time in years I became motion sick and had to get out after 5 minute and lay on the grass.

We had set up a big pool behind the house just off the deck and it became the perfect hang out spot.  The water wasn't even to the kids waist's and they loved climbing in and out and using their butterfly nets to strain the leaves and bugs from the water.

Heidi loved the pigs almost as much as the dog.  Every time we went through the gate she had to stop and stare for a good 10 minutes.

Every time we went through the gate she had to stop and stare for a good 10 minutes.

Montana- Sunday and Monday

The bedroom where we slept in Montana has this magical window shade that blocks out ALL sunlight.   It is amazing.  I would open it just enough when I went to bed, so that the sun would awaken me at some point during the day, but the kids could be tricked into in past 7.

We were very happy that church didn't begin until 1pm, so we would sleep in and so the kids got to enjoy the morning exploring the farm and helping grandma with the chores.

The kids were thrilled to find a garden snake on the way to get ready for church, and did NOT want to let it free.

So we took turns passing it around and around until finally mean old Mom set it free.

That didn't stop them from trying to track it back to it's home, in hopes of catching it again later.

Monday was farm day.

Alex had been so excited to see the horses from the minute she discovered we would be visiting Grandma's house.

But what everyone loved the most that day were the sheep!

The kids chased them back and forth from one end of the property to the other and then left open gates for them to escape.  We would have to run around the yard trying to herd them back through the gates and Alex felt like a little shepherd.

Alex has decided to grow her hair out.  I threatened her that if that was her choice then she would have to let me brush and do her hair EVERYDAY!  So we would sit down for 20 minutes every morning and I would get to do everyone's hair.

The farm is a magical place for little kids.

And I'm so glad that Archie was able to come along on our visit so that Alex could have someone to share all the adventures with.

Heidi's companion of choice was Sammy, or "Sandy" as she called her.  I can't remember if Heidi had just kissed Sammy's nose, or if Sammy had just licked Heidi's mouth here.

Alex was quite concerned when one little sheep got separated from it's friends and took it upon herself to reunite them.  It was so cute.  That night we talked about Jesus and the 1 sheep of the 99.  I don't think she got it.

Alex is  my little bleeding heart.  I think she got my "gift" of over empathizing with things.  Fortunately for me that does not yet extend to spiders or grasshoppers, which she will eagerly squish for nickels.

Most of all it was just fun being with my Mom and David (not pictured).

We spent plenty of time with the horses.

And mean old Bucks even let Heidi pet him.  Then she became obsessed with the white horse and asked all week to ride it.

Alex was secretly thrilled when both her and the sheep were headed the same place and it seemed as though they were following her.  This was the day my Mom reminded me of when we had just moved onto the farm and Michael and I shared the job of guarding the fence at the far back pasture.  We would take 3-4 hour shifts sitting on a chair in the field trying to keep the sheep from sneaking through the fence to the neighbors field.  This was before ipods. It was very boring.

Grandma had saved some milk from when the lambs were babies so the kids could have a try at feeding them.

Archie and his lamb were both champions at the task.

Heidi didnt' quite have the strength to keep the eager lamb from pushing her over.

But Annie did it like a pro and got down to business.

There was lots of team work going on the whole week.  It turns out if you set a couple of kids free in a giant yard with plenty of dangerous things, they don't feel the need to come bug you about being bored or to ask for help every 15 minutes.  Heidi was always 5 steps behind the big kids.

Which scared me to death after learning she could climb up AND down the ladder to the tree house on her own.  I tried to help her down once but was so terrified that I almost made her fall myself.  She didnt' fall out of the treehouse, but before the week was over she got shocked by the electric fence, fell off the trampoline and got bit by the dog on the face (she earned it and I think the dog let her off easy).  I did catch Alex once trying to scale the fencing at the top so she could climb higher in the tree.

My favorite part of the trip was leaving these two to their own devices.  They would run in and out of the house as they pleased, asking for snacks and then disappearing again.  We didn't have to worry about cars or strangers and I learned that I can trust Alex.  She knew what was off limits and where not to go, and I didn't have to worry about cars running her over or her getting lured into neighbors houses by sly children.  They played so well, and loved their freedom!