Shoe girls

 I've got another shoe girl. I remember the first time I took Ruby into a shoe store--she practically hyperventilated with excited. Last week, Ruby and I and took Harlow for her first visit to a shoe store and I had a repeat performance. They were both in heaven. We were looking for church shoes for Ruby, but they both found several pairs they would have liked to take home. Ruby was so funny with her comments when I would show her a possibility she would say dramatically, "Oh,,yes! That is a definite yes." or "Yessssss...definitely yes!" Harlow was equally excited  and even though she used fewer words to express it, I knew exactly what she was thinking. She did her gallop- run through the store pointing in every direction shouting, "Shoey, Shoey!" pulling some down to try on every few steps.

After trying on about a dozen pairs of shoes we left with two--one more than we needed, but when they are this cute (the girls and the shoes) it's hard to resist.

This isn't a picture from the shoe store, but it does captures the essence of my shoe loving little one. I snapped this picture with my phone at Target when Harlow found some must-have furry shoes (slippers..I hope!?). She doesn't waste any time when she finds something to try on, she gets right to it. My Miss Independent was ready to trade in her converse for the dead animal-looking boots faster than I could find where she had run off to.

Thankfully, this picture is all we came home with from Target. Better luck next time, Harlow.

Gaver's Farm

Being able to stay home is good, but getting out on a beautiful day is wonderful too. On the second day of our "teacher work day" holiday, the kids and I headed to Gaver's Farm to soak up every moment of the unusually perfect weather.

First stop at Gaver's is always feeding the goats, although to be honest I think only Reed enjoyed the up close and personal interaction with them.

For not being a super animal lover, I was surprised at how confident Reed was around these aggressive (and apparently hungry) goats.

Harlow kept thinking she wanted to feed them, but then always opted to keep her distance.

Ruby, on the other hand, knew just where she belonged--nowhere near those long tongues.

After the goats (or we) had had our fill, we headed up the hill to check out all of the farm games. Gaver's is the best when it comes to having a large variety of outdoor actives. They have lots and we tried them all.

Rubber Duckie races. I love Reed's face as he give water pumping his all.

A "ring-the-milk- barrel" game that mostly turned into s "ring-the-Harlow"game. I liked that game better anyways.

A little baseball throwing.

Ruby wanted to get a picture of me, but I'm afraid this was the best she was able to do. I think she was just excited that she actually took one that didn't cut off my head. I'll have to give the heads up next time that my profile is not my best angle. At least there is now evidence of my existence at this activity.

Super Bikes.

My run away girl.

Gunnysack slides.

Cabin building. Reed had some grand plans...if only he had about 100 more sets of those logs.

This boy of mine was born with a surplus of ideas and a desire to create.

Harlow decided to try her hand at a little corn hole.

And then, because I really, really,really love my children, we went into the corn maze.

Harlow stopped and posed until I took her picture. That girl.

 I had to keep taking pictures to distract myself from the fact that we had voluntarily trapped ourselves in the middle of these tall stalks without another soul in sight in an area with poor cell phone reception. Did I mention how much I do not love corn mazes?? Yes, I love my children that much.

Thankfully we all survived the ordeal and thanks to this little poser it was actually kinda fun.

On our way out the boys raced over the hay bales. I couldn't help but snap some photos of a little brotherly competition.

  The win for Max...which  means, of course, there will be a rematch.

And a win for Reed, which makes a tie. I like ties. And with that we were able to call it a day---actually a practically perfect one.