A Day in the Backyard...

being quite serious. Why my children rarely smile for the camera is beyond me. Suggestions?

Anders looking serious.



Jorja looking serious -- understandably, I suppose.

Back to the Roots...

of eating. Anders, Jorja, Isaiah, Grace, Joy, and I headed over to one of Western Washington's awesome, organic farms. The kiddos were even "enrolled" in a Farm Tots class. While the little ones were busy harassing the farm animals, climbing stacks of hay, and refusing to eat lunch I went shopping and walked away with an assortment of edible goodies -- peaches, pluots, tomatoes, spinach, basil, and decorative gourds.

Anders making friends, via food, with one of the pygmy goats.



Grace, Isaiah, and Anders inundating the food pellet machine -- if only they had a quarter.



Is this pygmy goat smiling? Maybe Jorja's entertaining her with an array of facial expressions, or singing, or...?



In midst of their first wagon hayride...



with a stylish 1950's tractor pulling strong.



Scarecrow explorations...and undressing.



Jorja and the gourd she selected.

Outside Pottying

Jorja prepping to potty outside.



Jorja feelin' proud of her accomplishments.

Trail Walkin'

This past Saturday found us about 90 minutes (60 minutes of driving + 30 minutes of pottying) south of home. We decided to spend the drizzly day tromping and tramming around a 724-acre park with lakes, trails, meadows, and animals galore. Other than a few special parenting moments on the hour long tram ride that carted us through a section of the park where an assortment of large mammals roam, it was a fantastic day. (i.e. Jorja thrusting herself against the bus window while screaming "No bus, no bus, no bus", Anders witnessing three bison defecating and continuing to talk loudly about "Poop, poo, poop, poo" for a solid 5 minutes, Jorja requesting to use the Bjorn travel potty in the bus, and Anders eating food bitlets off the floor of the bus.)