Easter Eggs!

The boys were driving me nuts the other day.  It was way too windy to let them play outside and we were running out of things they wanted to do inside.  So I started boiling 18 eggs and told them to come help me get ready for a fun project! 

Just getting started

Vince waiting patiently for his blue and green egg

I knew this could end up being ridiculously messy.  As long as Cecilia stayed asleep I figured it would be ok.  Just in case I locked the kids in the kitchen so the mess couldn't flow to the rest of the house.  We covered their little table with newspaper and got started.  A more prepared person would have made sure they weren't wearing anything nice.

Joel trying to dye all his eggs at once

Where can I move this egg to?

Vincent happy with his 2 green eggs

Joel's technique.  The pink cup has 3 eggs in it.

Are they done yet?

I gave the kids their own pile of eggs to avoid any fights.  Vince got started and made a green egg and a blue egg and then another green egg.  He waited for them to dry and then danced around the kitchen with the two green eggs. He was so excited!  I finally convinced him to dye 1 more egg but he really didn't care because he already had 2 eggs.  Then one of the green eggs cracked and he wanted to make another green egg.  Vince didn't get dirty at all!

Look at the concentration on his face!

And the excitement!

The green hands!

Joel was the complete opposite.  He would put 1 egg in each cup of color.  Then he would find more eggs to put on top of those eggs.  He was not happy unless every container had at least 1 egg.  I would put the eggs in the container for them to dry and he would move all the eggs around again.  I finally gave up and just waited for him to be done because he clearly didn't think any of the eggs should dry and they should just soak in the dye forever.

Joel's pretty egg!

The finished project!

Reaching for a green egg

Joel's hands were green when he got done.  The newspaper on the table was soaked.  And Joel was happy!  Then his day got better because his dirty hands meant he got to play in the sink with soap until his hands were a lighter shade of green.

Dancing in soapy water on the bathroom floor

Getting ready for planting 2012

It doesn't matter what time of year it is there are always projects going on at the farm.  This winter there has been a lot of equipment repair and cleanup, grain sales, grain hauling, seed decisions, equipment purchase decisions, and a lot of paper work and meetings.  I luckily don't have to deal with the paperwork or the meetings.  Although some of the meetings involve going out to lunch and that would be fun.

The boy loose on the sprayer!

Trying to get Joel to stop for a picture

The boys!  Joel just wanted to go sit in the cab.

Cecilia (6 weeks) and Me on the sprayer

Vince in the sprayer tire

Joel and the sprayer tire

This time of year is a little more exciting as far as picture taking goes.  That is unless you like to see pictures of Brad talking on the phone.  Equipment is getting cleaned up, tested, and ready to head to the field.  There are talks about the logistics of moving equipment and getting seed, etc in place.  I find that all exciting and I usually give Brad my opinion.  I am not sure if they ever listen to my plan!  Most years are the same but there are always little changes.  The down side of this time of year is I don't get to see my husband as much as I would like and I inherit a lot of his jobs around the house.  I really don't look forward to taking out the trash and having to do the dishes every night. 

Daddy and his helper

Vince helping Brad carry the hose

Last week the kids and I were up at the farm visiting and checking out the new Hagie sprayer!  It is basically an update version of the old one.  It has 4 wheel steer and can turn in really small circles for a big machine.  The boom is lighter and folds out with the press of 1 button instead of several and it unfolds in a different way.  It is hard to explain but very cool!  It has a new monitor that is a lot easier to read.  We also purchased wider tires for it so that we don't have to worry as much about getting it stuck again, plus it gives it a much smoother ride. Oh and a lower step on the ladder.  The kids are thrilled!

The sprayer with its wide tires

The sprayer waiting to get loaded up on the trailer

Vince would never leave Brad's side during planting and harvest given the option

The kids aren't normally allowed to climb all over the sprayer because it has chemicals on it and our kids still put their hands in their mouths all the time.  Usually Brad picks them up and carries them up the ladder and to the cab and they aren't allowed to touch anything!  Then when they are done he carries them down and to the hand washing station and washes their hands.  It was quite the treat for them to explore the sprayer while it was clean!  It was fun for me too!  We all went for a ride together in it just so Brad could show us everything that was new and improved in this model.  Unfortunately they didn't make the buddy seat bigger!  All 4 of us did not fit on it very well.  Cecilia (6 weeks old) was in the pouch and at one point both the boys were on my lap.  I think that we will all just need to take turns this year, but that means that I don't get to ride in the sprayer as much if at all.

Daddy when do I get to help?

Getting the sprayer trailer ready

Vince is very excited for spring.  He was upset that Brad left to spray down south without him.  I promised him we would go down once the planters were down there too and that seemed to satisfy him for now!  I have a feeling we will be spending quite a bit of time visiting everyone in the field this spring if Vince has his way.  Vince just can't seem to believe they can farm without him. 

Brad unloading chemicals

Watching Daddy move equipment around

Ready to head south

Finally Using a Christmas Gift

For Christmas Bob and Sarah gave us a one year membership to the children's museum that is nearby.  I was very excited!  Last week on Tuesday evening I decided I was going to be brave and take the kids to the museum on Wednesday morning.  When I was getting ready in the morning I mentioned my plan to Brad and he didn't say anything at first.  I thought maybe he didn't hear me and so I asked if he thought that was a bad idea.  Brad said "Why don't you see if Aunt Linda wants to go with you guys?"  That was the best suggestion he has had in a long time!

Just starting.  They were a little overwhelmed.

Aunt Linda and Joel

Joel liked the wind tunnel

He attempted (successfully) to drink out of the water tables.  Yuck!

Trying to figure out this contraption

Aunt Linda and Vince having fun at the water table

Joel in the boat...Vince was there too but never at the same time!

Lucky for us Aunt Linda said she would join us!  We love Aunt Linda and had a blast with her at the museum!  I am not sure how successful the trip would have been with out her.

Joel and Aunt Linda in the train

Joel in a mirror tunnel

Vince stopped playing on the train and came to see us.  Joel was thrilled about Vince's arrival!

Aunt Linda and Vince working together

A lucky girl!

Vince is a really good big brother to Cecilia.  From time to time he will just stop what he is doing and go over and talk to her or want to hold her.  For the last week or so he has been singing to Cecilia when she is crying, especially when I am otherwise occupied cooking or tending to Joel.  Vince will start singing Simon and Garfunkel's "Cecilia" to her.  He only knows "Cecilia you're breaking my heart" and he dances around and sings that over and over until she stops crying.  When she stops crying he sings "Cecilia you're not breaking my heart" over and over.  The part that cracks me up is that it really works!  I don't know if she likes the singing or his dancing but it works and that is all that matters.

Vincent and Cecilia

4 Legged Playmates

The kids love the dogs and the dogs put up with the kids in exchange for things like sleeping in their beds or eating the wonderful food they drop on the floor.  They really have a great relationship!  Where we live there aren't a ton of kids around so the dogs end up as playmates.

Bristol doesn't mind being a pillow

She loves cuddling

Vince had a great idea the other day to bury Bristol in a pile of stuff in the living room.  Unfortunately for Bristol it wasn't just blankets.  We are talking cardboard blocks, bean bag chairs, books, pets (stuffed animals) and blankets.  Joel was nice enough to sit next to Bristol and read her the books that were being used to cover her up.  A few times she looked up at me and gave me a look that clearly said "Are you serious?  I really have to do this.  Remember when it was just us and no kids? Stop taking my picture.  You better not blog about this."

Joel reading to Bristol while she is being buried

Mom, you are going to let this happen?

 Sorry Bristol this is how you earn your keep!

Vince and his final product.  Bristol is under there!

Flowers

I do not have a green thumb!  Our landscaping is minimal and if it isn't a hardy perennial the chances of it surviving are very small.  I have been getting better but I have a long way to go.  Now that it is nice out we walk around the house every other day looking for some of our plants and flowers coming up out of the ground.

The flowers they didn't pick

Joel admiring a flower he picked.

We have had some little purple and white flowers come up.  I have no idea what they are but I did plant them a couple years ago.  Both the kids would kneel down and smell them and then move along.  The the other day they asked if they could pick just one.  I gave in and said yes.  Vince picked one and showed it to me and I turned around and Joel had picked all but one.  He was very proud of himself and didn't see anything wrong with what had happened.  Vince decided to pick the last flower.  It is a good thing I have no attachment to most of the plants and flowers around here.

Notice the purple flowers to the right that have all been picked

Vince picked the last flower