Work and Play

This post is about two different days, as is obvious by the attire the kids are wearing.  Notice how one day was cold, damp and dreary while the very next day was nice, warm and beautiful.

Its the beginning of haying season and with all jobs on the farm comes maintenance.  The kids and I joined Josh and Loren at the shop this particular muddy morning.



Ten bucks to the first person who can identify what the men are working on.
(Okay, well you're not gonna get ten bucks, but can you still take a guess?)
If you look close, you can see the tops of the kids' heads - they were playing in, of course, mud!




After a little mud puddle playing, Caleb decided to join in with helping.  The guys were replacing the chute liner in the silage chopper.  If you don't know what that is, don't worry.... they'll be pictures of it working in progress very soon.   The chute liner is a piece of thick plastic that lines the metal chute so that the silage/haylage doesn't stick and gob up inside the chute. 




This is the silage chopper with the chute off.  Do you see that big yellow knob on top of the chopper?  That is where the chute is attached to.  




Busy yard with lots of projects going on.

So did you notice how everyone was dressed?  Layered up to stay dry and warm.  Well, the pictures below are either the next day or at most two days later... shorts and t-shirts.



Playing with Baby Ford.  Caleb's new favorite game is tug-o'-war.  He never wins, but that doesn't stop the rounds of giggles he gives as he tries to pull the calf. 







If you can't pull a calf to where you want him to go, you can always aim him in the right direction with water.  Perhaps Caleb is practicing for grooming the next Fair's prize winner?





Grandma Rhonda introduced the kids to squirt bottles when they were at her house.  Great idea!  For fifty cents a piece, I bought squirt bottles at Wal Mart that can easy keep the kids entertained for a spell...and they last longer ,are easier to use and much less violent themed than squirt guns!




I'm not quite sure what it is that Sarah's trying to prove here.




The afternoon's activities climaxed in standing the ball bat up in the sand so that it would "confuse Daddy when he comes in".  It was quite the job for the kids to accomplish, but they succeeded!