These Are My People...

...well, some of them.


We had a farm day.
It started with work, but I missed that part because I slept throught my alarm. I was pretty mad at me. I made breakfast for the kids instead - scrambled eggs and homemade bread, as usual - and folded a load of laundry. A few hours later I hitched a ride with Calvin and Christian when they came by our strip mall for a thing or two.

We bought T-posts from Tractor Supply Co. and, since they didn't carry the right springs, we bought gummy worms from Ace Hardware.

Calvin and I rode shotgut. Christian listens to 'Oldies' - the underground stuff from the 80s and 90s and Calvin and I don't, so there was flipping stations all over the place. I don't think we listened to one full song.

Back at the farm, a bunch of us sat around on our cars while a few peeps finished mowing strips for fencing. The weather was almost perfect, I might add, so it wasn't sweaty, only pleasantly warm.

The LaPrises hadn't arrived, yet.

Laura had emailed that Starbucks was handing out a free drink - some fruit cooler spiked with caffine - and we planned to head there after work. After a debat about time and lunch, we hopped into vans and trucks and headed out the farm space which is surrounded by trees. Kaitlyn and I hitched a ride with the Higgins boys and I was in the back seat of the truck this time. As we were about to dart out onto the road, the LaPrise girls pulled up. We rolled down our windows and yelled stuff about going to Starbucks now.
"Already?" Laura said. "You mean we missed all the work?" She was dissapointed, not happy.

The LaPrises followed us. Funny stuff happened along the way, like opening the doors at a stop street for Christian to spit because he refused to swallow whatever he had in his mouth, and Caleb throwing a flower out the window and calling Kristen on her phone to tell her to pick it up off the road. Stuff like that. Silly stuff I won't write down.

Calvin, Christian and Conner

The drinks were ok. They were free, so it doesn't really matter how they tasted, right? Good thing, too, because now we all know we don't want to buy the Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher. Ya'll remember that.

We blocked up the entrance to Starbucks for a while, then decided to head back for lunch, and the Dove boys and Calvin and Tasha ran across the road to Jimmy John's to get $1 bread sticks.

Apparently it was crazy in the back of the LaPrise car

When we got back, Mom arrived with lunch and Emmanual, Jacob, and Tamisha. Laura had brought her iPod and docking station powered with new batteries - the champ. It made the walk throught the woods to the pond that much better. Wading tall grass, treading on pine needles, and walking rabbit trails with Owl City and Nickelback blasting all around - I don't think things can't get much better on a nature walk.     

Campbell, Tasha, Calvin, Christian, Connor, and Caleb

Lunch by the pond to music was great and when it was done Mom and the kids went back home. We were left by the pond.

Ok. I never thought we would swim in the pond. It was dirty and had scum floating by the edge. Then they threw Calvin in and he came up smelling like rotten mud and I was certain we wouldn't swim in the pond. Then Tasha threw Conner in and they threw Calvin in again and then the boys tackled Christian and somehow got him in, even though I'm pretty sure he'd rather not have. 

Conner and Calvin

Calvin and Conner crawled up the bank and pulled Tasha in from behind and she lost her red head scarf in the water and didn't mind, only I did, because I liked it (it made me look French ;-). Also, Mom's Sansa Clip was in Tasha's pocket and nobody knew it.

Yeah, and then came the mud. The pictures will tell.

Christian and Calvin

Campbell (believe it or not)

And we got handprints...

Laura and Tasha
(hark! the docking station is visible amongst the grasses)

...On our biceps. What biceps?

Laura, Me, Tasha, Calvin, Conner, and Campbell

There's not much to tell about the mud. The pictures tell it best. They slathered it on and Conner pilled it up on his head, which made him look like Megamind - and also when he slicked down his hair.

Campbell, Conner, and Calvin

It reminded me of this. Same boys. Seven years ago.

Micah, Conner, Calvin, and Campbell

Micah, Calvin, and Tasha

Calvin and Campbell

Conner, Calvin, and Campbell

Conner

Wow

The boys jumped in to wash off. The water actually looked clean and nice and it was sunny, so I decided to have a go and I convinced Kaitlyn to get in, too.

It's a good swiming hole. We'll be doing that again...

the synchranized flip

Ok, I have to post the video (courtesy of Kristen's phone).

And, about the work, a lot did get done. It was well worth organizing the day. Brush was cleared, lanes were mowed for the fence post. Fence posts were planted and clips for the strands were clipped on the posts. Thanks guys for taking the day to come help. It was a big help to The Farmer, she told me. And thank you Laura and Kristen for the photos :-)

 You guys are the best! 

***

One last thing: The Farmer got a new goat and a parakeet and a rat and she wants me to show their pictures to you. So, meet...

Berretta

Markie

 Rowan

Have a great week.