The Freedom Four

Monday, July 9, 2012

Mirek's First Nature Walk...not exactly a success.

I've really been itching to get out of the house and into some nature (lately I've been thinking a lot of how I want a place with more land. We could probably find a cheaper house than where we are now, homestead for real, and not have to leave home to really be outdoors). I decided to head down the street to our favorite spot (it doesn't really have a name). We've been here so many times and I have so many pictures that I'm thinking of making a seasonal album of the place...to see how the landscape changes.

Anyway, I loaded up all four of the kids and we first headed over to the School Supply Store so they could spend the 6$ from their piggy bank on some new rocks. Mirek seems to hate cars and cries most of the time as we drive. I had also planned on going by the dairy farm after our walk, but let's just say that didn't happen.

After quickly purchasing our rocks, we left for our walk. I let the kids play at the playground a bit and then we were off. Everything started out okay. Mirek passed out as soon as he got in the sling.

Eaden's doodle bugs.

And Taven's...not sure his made it out alive.

Up to this point, everything was fine. Then we came to what is my favorite spot, at the highest and least shaded point of our walk. Here the kids started complaining that they were hot.

We had water.

Eaden asked me to pour some on her so I did. Unfortunately, I also poured some on Naia and Taven thinking they needed it and also that they would like it. I was wrong.

Except for Eaden, the crew started dragging...and crying...especially Taven. With Mirek in the sling, I had to just keep going and tell Taven to keep up. He did.

But the trail was a little overgrown so of course there were complaints of itching.

I just kept going as fast as possible with Taven crying and trailing behind me. We made it to the shade.

But it didn't really help things.

He refused to drink water and just kept saying we were going the wrong way.

We made it home though so I guess he was wrong. Looking back I should have given him the compass I had in my bag. Maybe that would have made him happy and assured him we were going the right way. Or maybe he would have just yelled "NO!" and thrown it on the ground. Oh well. At least we got out of the house.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Gifting and Reading to the Chickens

We went to our best friend's 6th birthday party yesterday! Not buying plastic crud as a gift (and having the kid actually like the gift) can be a challenge as we all know. Here is what we decided upon.

The morning of the party (always last minute) I went to browse at an independent school supply store (that I love) for a gift. They were selling rocks, crystals, and minerals for a little more than a dollar each. So I bought some and then added some from our own small collection. I quickly sewed up a little bag and tada! A pretty neat gift.

In other news, my kids fell in love with a book I checked out from the library last week. It is about a chicken named Tillie who lays eggs everywhere but in the nesting box. Taven loved it so much that he took it out back to show one of our chickens.

The chicken actually listened! Well she stayed a while and pecked at the book a bit. Taven was VERY excited and now reading to the chickens is the new thing to do around here.

(Edited later to add) Look what I found! Part of my old rock collection!

I used to have a much bigger collection, but I think I might have given a lot to my cousin a while back. I knew I still had some though, and after we got Aidan his, my girls bugged me for a collection of their own (besides the ones we have that we found). I told them they could use the money in their piggy bank to buy some on Monday. In the meantime, I searched and searched for mine, and finally, jackpot! I bought most of these at The Discovery Channel Store and a little rock and mineral place back in junior high or high school, and found some in Arkansas. The girls and Taven have been playing with them for about 30 minutes now and all are happy.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Our 4th of July

Not that we need an excuse to go over to my mom's house, drink beer, and hang out, but hey! why not?

"Give me that bike you punk!"

Where there are water balloons, there are boobs.

And where there are water balloons there are also large derrieres.

"Help! It's stuck!"

And where are the men while all of this fun is going on?

Eating and sleeping of course!

"Why would you feed me a pickle sno-cone you jerk!" (Abby is developing a real attitude and a fighting spirit....yes that's what we'll call it. A fighting spirit.)