Lightening Online

Here are some photographs I took at the Field Days last Wednesday. The kids get the Wednesday off from school so they were our focus on that day.

Trailer Boy having some fun at the local Case IH dealer’s stand. Even better was having people in the “know” who made sure he got a free Case showbag with lots of goodies including a tractor keyring which he thinks is PERFECT because the wheels actually move and the keyring section makes a great “trailer” (I think he’s calling it a spreader). Shhh….don’t tell anyone that I pilfered the Case pen from his bag - it’s a good pen!!!

If Farmboy had a never-ending cheque book, this would be his next purchase. Well, one of them anyway. Isn’t it shiny?

This is “apparently” the tractor Farmboy would like to buy for me to drive. The look of terror on my face is REAL, even if I’m not really driving it!!! It’s BIG!!!

See!!! TOLD you it was BIG!!! Not as big as the one Farmboy is drooling over in the photo above but waaaayyyyy too big for ME!

Here is Singstar Princess looking beautiful as usual. I wonder how much Megafert will pay me for featuring their balloon on my blog??? I didn’t even get a free beanie or scarf from them either!!!

“Dad, can we buy one of these?” Trailer Boy would LOVE a 4-wheeler! We’d like to get one as they’re quite handy around the farm. However, it’s the kind of purchase that is very “non essential” during extended drought. One day….

So there is a brief glimpse into one of our days at the Field Days. It’s very red isn’t it? I have to admit I’m rather partial to the red coloured machinery myself (the main opposition to red is green - John Deere). Plus of course good coffee and good company made the local Case site quite attractive.

Yesterday my brother brought his two girls down to the farm for a visit. It has been almost 2 years since we’ve seen them. They live quite a distance away from us. The youngest has never been to the farm and the older one has only been to stay once, over 3 years ago.

So we thought it would be fun to show the “city cousins” a bit of what life on the farm is like.

Here are the kids on the back of the ute, ready to go feeding sheep.

My 4 year old niece hanging over the side of the ute watching the sheep eat the grain. The ute is barely moving at this stage (for anyone concerned about safety issues).

One of the great perks of living on a farm is that our kids get to “drive” the ute rather young. Here Farmboy is setting the ute in motion so that our 4-year old niece can have a drive.

“Look daddy, I’m driving”. A is very intense as she attempts to steer the ute over toward the sheep. That’s my brother hanging his head in the window, enjoying the fun his daughter’s seem to be having.

“I can’t believe I’m driving a REAL CAR” says my almost 7-year old niece. Mum might be in China but can you really top driving a REAL car????

Here’s Singstar Princess with her cousin Z playing with a couple of lambs we brought in from the paddock.

Farmboy showed the girls milk coming from the mother of one of the lambs. Later in the day the 4-year old stated “milk comes from a cow, not sheep”, with a very serious look on her face. She must have spent an hour or more trying to process that confusion. It was all rather cute.

Farmboy showed the visitors how a sheep gets shorn. And showed off his growing bald spot for posterity’s sake.

“A” thought the shearing plant was a little loud. My boys are taking it in their stride. Singstar Princess has seen it all before and is playing in the background.

Leighton showing the cousins how it’s done.

“A” decides she would like to have a go. As long as Uncle Farmboy turns off the noise!

Some things are the same - city or country. Cousins dressing up.

I think you could say a good day was had by all.

1. The way your eyes twinkle when you smile.

2. The way I feel so safe and warm when you wrap your arms around me.

3. How you snuggle your kids in their covers at night so they will feel warm and cosy and SAFE.

4. Your deep resounding Faith in God.

5. The way you always put your family before your own needs and desires.

6. Eating your Homemade Chips

7. The way you let me warm my cold feet against your warm legs when we’re in bed at night.

8. The way you massage my feet without expecting anything in return.

9. The way I can tell you anything and know that you’ll still love me regardless.

10. Watching you get excited when you’re passionate about something.

11. Seeing the way people look up to you and really LISTEN to what you have to say.

12. That you are my BEST FRIEND.

Happy 12th Wedding Anniversary honey. I can’t believe it’s been 12 years when it feels like just yesterday we were married. I can’t wait for the next 12 and the next 12 after that. Marrying you was the BEST decision I have ever made.

We had a lovely weekend away.

Trailerboy was concerned as we drove down to the campsite. We were towing a trailer but NOT the camper trailer. He doesn’t understand the difference between “camp” and “camping”. It was beyond him to understand rooms full of beds instead of sleeping in the camper trailer.

He was very excited to sleep next to one of his buddies. Even more so that they were wearing IDENTICAL pj’s. They looked so cute!!!! And I didn’t take a photo???? *sob*

In fact, I took the camera (and even remembered to recharge the batteries). But didn’t take one. single. photo.

I had my own little cabin next to the main campsite. Not quite up to a complete weekend of people with no breaks in between yet. Plus I need lots of sleep. Not really conducive to a campsite environment. So it was nice that I could go and be a part of the camp but have my “respite” as required.

Friday night we began the camp with some excitement. The kind a mother can do without. Trailerboy (who is 4) decided to chase a boogie board that was floating out to sea and got out of his depth. He ended up being fine but was most upset about the boogie board so Farmboy went for a swim to try and recover it. Not an easy feat given how quickly the wind was blowing it out to sea.

Saturday was overcast which was great for being on the beach throughout the day. We had a number of canoes as well as a boat with a biscuit (okay, I don’t know if you spell the ski “biscuit” the same way you spell the eating “biscuit).

For those who don’t know what that is, it looks something like this and gets towed behind the boat.

It was a lovely relaxing weekend of being together as families and enjoying the warm weather at the beach. And of course, eating too much food!!!!

We seemed to avoid too much sunburn other than a few of the kids getting sunburnt right under their eyes (the part where you can’t really put cream).

Coming home wasn’t much fun as it’s about 10 degrees hotter here than where we were staying.

Although it WAS lovely to come home to all the lovely comments and participants in this week’s Smiley Saturday. Thank you everyone!