As some of you might remember last year at farm camp I put a lot of work into things to do at farm camp, arts and crafts, adventures, all sorts of things. Then after all my hard work none of the kids wanted to do any of the things that I had prepared for them. So I spent the whole weekend annoyed while the kids had a blast doing their own thing. So this year I decided to make no plans, purchase nothing, and just go with the flow, let them do whatever farm things they would like. The addition of two babies to farm camp also meant there were less adults to oversee adventures, added bonus I got to cuddle this tiny nugget.
Baby's First Farm Camp!!! It was extremely hot and humid on Saturday so Thatcher and I cuddled inside most of the day.
I didn't plan anything, but mom did get together archery things for all the kids. We brought Zane's bow and she had gotten two other ones and lots of arrows. Uncle Zach gave archery lessons to the kids and I think they all had a good time. Again, crazy hot/humid so there was limited time for archery.
Once everyone was on the verge of heat strokes we came inside for water and First Aid class. I had planned nothing for this, but think it pretty well. First up we learned how to dial 911 on both android and apple phones, both when they are locked and unlocked. Everyone had a paper keypad to dial on and everyone had to demonstrate that they could get the phone unlocked. I've meant to show my kids this multiple times before, because there is and Emergency Call button on the phone, but I'm glad they know how to find it now. Next up was how/where to tie a tourniquet if someone is bleeding a lot, and also pressure dressing application. Everyone had a scenario to playout and they got to tell us where the tourniquet/bandage would be placed. The kids did a great job and Rowan was a wonderful patient, he lost multiple pretend limbs in these scenarios, but we saved him every time.
Future safety classes we need to have include electricity safety since two little boys might have been caught trying to put keys in electrical outlets. Also, burn safety after a minor burn while cooking breakfast. As the weekend progressed, and my children got burnt to a crisp while wearing sunscreen, I feel like maybe we should also review sun/heat safety. If I could only get them to stay inside for more than ten minutes at a time.
Baby carrying at farm camp was a great this year. Here we are with our little adventurers.
At some point Saturday there was a creek walk which I missed while cuddling a baby. In extremely exciting news Rowan came back exhausted and we got to take a nap in the recliner together. This might have been my absolute favorite part of the weekend. This could easily be the last time this sweet little boy falls asleep on my shoulder. Soaked up every second.
While inside cuddling the baby the kids, with help from Aunt Kari's cousin, found a huge black rat snake in the front yard. They put it in a plastic tub so we could release it into snake heaven during our farm camp snake hunt. Here are the little boys in their adventure hats, ready to go measure a huge snake!
We measured the big beast before letting him go. He measured right at 62.5 inches long. I'm thinking he's our biggest snake to date!
Our new policy of catch and release means we get to watch them slither away too, great fun!
On our snake hunt we found two more snakes, cut a lizard in half with a rock, and caught one toad. It was yet another successful hunt.
The kids also got to practice riding in the back of a pickup, a must have skill for any farm child.
Before leaving the West pasture we had a little lecture on buffalo wallows. These wallows are over a hundred years old. They were there when Great Grandpa staked his claim on the home place. They are from the buffalos rolling around in the grass, leaving this huge wallows that are usually a great place to find tadpoles, but there wasn't any water in them this day.
Saturday evening we had a campfire with hot dogs and marshmallows even thought it was blazing hot. The boys put up the tent so Maggie and Zane could camp out with Zach. It rained/kind of stormed Saturday night, but the kids slept right through it. Sunday morning everyone put on their matching patriotic farm camp shirts for the first of many cousin pictures.
Look at these handsome boy babies! They are so tan and their hair is sooo white already.
Sunday morning Able and I went over to Uncle David's to reclaim mom's saddle from the rafters in the barn. I spent hours sitting on this saddle in the red little building behind our house growing up. This was the keystone of the store that we ran out of that building. The pretend kids who would come shop with their pretend parents could ride on it. I could "ride" the pretend horse to get more supplies for our pretend store. Thirty years later, after we cleaned it up a bit, it smelled exactly the same.
These two little cowboys loved it!
Mom had also gotten a couple bikes for the farm and Uncle Able changed the tires on the bike he had growing up. Then it was time to set up a classic cinder block ramp. I'd tried to explain this to Zane previously, but he couldn't quite picture it. Needless to say the kid who rides around the neighborhood doing wheelies everyday, LOVED popping wheelies off the end of a ramp. He could have done this all day, but the lake was waiting.
The Richards kids got in on the fun as well.
Before heading to the lake we had to run to the bridge for a quick game of Pooh sticks, one of my personal favorite farm activities. Here is baby Alice playing her first game of Pooh Sticks. She struggled a little bit with the actual letting go part.
The lake was beautiful and we did all the normal lake things, watched sweet babies playing in the shade, cannon balls off the dock, lots of fishing, paddle boat rides, kayak rides, and Uncle Able even taught them some new moves (the twist jump, can opener, swan dive ect) tons of fun!
Look at this sweet smiling face!
Another generation of Dotter Grandchildren begun fighting over who gets to sit in the blue chair!
The Korenak clan stayed at the lake Sunday night and had more fun Monday. By Monday afternoon everyone was exhausted! Zane opted for a nap in the chair outside. He was filthy, sunburned, and so happy.
So that's the wrap up of last weekends fun. The kids had a great time and I think I learned that my children eat like horses and I'm not sure how I'm going to keep them fed. We only have a few more weekends of family fun before I head back to work, so glad everyone got to play together at the farm.
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