Farm Days

i am posting twice today because i still had some reporting to do on our week at mom and dad's farm, and i wanted to get that done before it was no longer timely...so here goes:

the above video is annie and her papa being very silly. in an effort to exhaust the child-who-refuses-to-nap, we had her outside running around, flying kites, etc. anything to ensure that bedtime would be swift and long. annie is not the best runner at this point, so she falls often. my dad was getting a kick out of her tripping and falling all the time and finally he started to throw himself on the ground with her. well, she thought THAT was about the funniest thing she had ever seen, and suddenly it's a game. mom and i just sat there laughing maniacally because it kind of was one the funniest things we'd ever seen. after all that running, a girl needs a break for some water. you can view more of that debacle below, if you are so inclined.

as i said, we were busy being kite fliers, too. it was so much fun. it wasn't the best day for it, but we did get her up there a few times. when was the last time you flew a kite? you should do it again if it's been a while, because there is something very satisfying about flying a kite. there is also something very satisfying about watching a 2 year-old trying to figure out the physics of how it all works. here is a video of that, too:

life on the farm was good. not that life isn't good in general, but there's something about all that space to run, fresh air, nothing to do but eat, drink, put a puzzle or two together, fly some kites, grill some steaks, listen to the pheasants, the coyotes, the horses next door, the quiet. not to mention having your parents around to cook for you and dote on you (but mostly your children) all the time...

and before i sign off, i better even the score and give japper his due diligence on the blog today.