Farm Fun

I feel so fortunate that I married a man who grew up on a farm in Kansas. It's been so much fun to visit the farm, and it's a joy to share farm life with Ella as she grows up. We just returned from Kansas yesterday, and Ella had SO much fun! Her cousins are delightful and she would giggle and play with them, chase them around the couch, knock them over on the floor and wrestle them, and then give them hugs and kisses. It was of course fun to see Nana and Papa too. Ella simply adores them, and she particularly has a fondness for her Papa lately. I have so many pictures below of the two of them together. I can't believe I don't have a good shot with Nana from this trip.

Her first obsession on the farm....tractors! This is a new shiny tractor that they rented to do a new kind of planting (no-till planting as I understand it). This tractor is unlike any other that they own - it has a fancy computer inside that tracks every single seed that is dropped into the ground, maps it with a GPS, and is incredibly efficient. Ella loved it!

Going out to the barn with Papa...

One of our mornings there we got to go see Uncle Mark do some roping. Ella was both excited and uncertain about the roping horses....

Aunt Jood, cousins Bayleigh and Cole...

Roping in action...That's actually Jack on the left trying to rope that calf...

Ella's first horse ride!! She liked it until the horse started to walk...then she quickly gave us her "all done" sign. :)

Mama and Ella...

I got a quick little ride, myself. I'm guessing not too many people ride in flip flops. :)

Ella did not enjoy that I was on the horse. She seemed nervous for me that I was sitting on a moving animal.

And this is how we travel on the farm:

(Driving through a pasture in our rental car with Ella in the front seat on Papa's lap.)

We got to meet a new addition to the clan while back visiting - baby Lacey!! That's right, Jason's cousin had a little girl and her first name is Lacey (cute!)

Ella wasn't too keen on sitting on Great Grandma's lap....sorry Great Grandma Mary -- she was tired!

Cole and Ella sitting with Papa in his chair...

Driving through more pasture to see the cattle feeding on the grass...

Ella's first four wheeler ride!!

Ella helping Papa open his fathers day gift a bit early....

And every night we were at a t-ball or softball game for one of the cousins. It was a lot of fun, actually. It's a main event in a small town! Family, friends, extended family, all out on a warm summer evening watching little kids play t-ball. There was even a concession stand open serving hot dogs, snacks, and drinks! Here are some pictures from one evening at a ball game...

Thank you for all the farm fun!