Theis Farm

On Saturday, October 24, 2009 we went to Theis Farm with Hayden’s Preschool. It was so much fun. We had a hayride and there was a pirate ship with treasure, a corn maze, slides and rope swings for the kids. Hayden and his friend Adam had a great time running around. Hayden tells us Adam is his best friend all the time, and according to their teacher they are attached at the hip. It was one of the few days this month when the sun was out, though the ground was far from dry.

Hayden, Adam and some random kid who wouldn't get out of my picture.

Hayden on one of many trip down the slide.

Hayden & Adam just love those boys.

If ever there is an opportunity to ride a pony Hayden is all over it.
Adam, Hayden and Kenny (Adams brother)

Hayden on the rope swing.

Hayden & Adam playing in the straw.

Adam and Hayden in the tractor tire swing. Laughing and laughing and laughing.

Now for the scary part!

There was one thing I didn’t find quite so fun. Above is the picture of a hay stack with a tunnel running through it. I didn’t realize quite how dark it was going to be (completely), how tight of a fit it was going to be (very), or how long it was (extremely). Needless to say I started into the tunnel and somewhere along the way in the complete dark we ran into someone in front of us. They had stopped for some reason I didn’t know. I could also feel the sides of the tunnel on my arm’s, I was hunched over holding onto Hayden when someone bumped into me from behind. Now I don’t consider myself someone who panics easily, but I must admit I started to in this tunnel. I think the only thing that really helped me keep it together was I had Hayden with me. By the time the people in front of us started moving, I was ready to be out of the tunnel. Once we were out it took me a good half hour or so to completely calm down. Very unnerving! Needless to say I no long classify myself as a "Brave Explorer."

Now don't get me wrong!

Now don't get me wrong, I like the rain as much as anyone, and I love a good thunderstorm, but I think this is getting a little ridiculous. Below is the radar from this morning. We may actually have a break in this craziness.

I haven’t seen the sun for more then a half hour or so in weeks. I think I am depressed. Maybe I’m one of those light box people. I’m not sure that is a real issue, but they think it is so I shouldn’t make fun, but I don’t want to be a light box person. I just want to see the sun.

My water babies!

Hayden has no fear of water, which scares the snot out of me. But he loves everything about the water. When we were at my parent’s house a couple of weeks ago we got to go swimming several times in their pool.

And though it was not his first introduction to water Turner came with us. I’m hoping he will have the same love of water as Hayden does.

I have an almost identical pictures of Hayden in the same yellow floaty with my dad at almost the same age as Turner is here. It's on another computer and I'm to lazy to actually go get it so you'll have to settle for a picture of him in the same floaty now.

He thought he was too cute!

I was so proud of Hayden, using a floating noodle under his arms he swam the length of the pool a good 10 or more times all by himself.


Though there are many reasons I enjoy going home to visit my parents, swimming in the pool, with the boys and my dad, is one of my most favorites.

Again not to be judgmental . . .

Again not to be judgmental, but there is another thing that has been on my mind, so again I go back to the show 18 Kids and Counting. This show fascinates me; they seem so normal and well adjusted, for the most part. And unlike so many really large families, they are somewhat stylish and attractive. I still haven’t figured out the no dancing thing, but that is for another post.

Anyway right after I had Turner, my mother-in-law who gave birth to eight children, made a statement that really bothered me. She said “I really didn’t start enjoying my family until about the fifth child when the older ones could take care of the younger ones.”

Now the tie in, if you watch the show 18 Kids and Counting, you will notice when they go on an outing it is the older girl’s responsibility to manage the younger kids. As a matter of fact I believe they are assigned certain younger siblings. Michelle Dugger even once said during the show, God knew what he was doing when he sent the girls first to manage all the little boys.

So here is my problem. Why is it the siblings responsibility to take care of the younger children? Why isn’t it the parents responsibility? How responsible is that?

Now I’m not advocating for small families, but I don’t believe people should have more children then they can handle not only financially, which is a big issue, but emotionally and physically.

I have had conversations with my sister-in-law about how it fell to her to raise my husband because their mom was so overwhelmed with other things and how she was not able to do all the she wanted to as a teenager because she was needed at home to help out with the other children.

Now here is my opinion and this is just my opinion, but I don’t think it is fair that parents should expect older siblings to care for the younger siblings. Help out yes, but to place so much on these kids is irresponsible and selfish on the part of the parents. They are robbing the older kids of their childhood.

Again just my opinion!

The Miester turned four!

A little late but at least I am finally getting around to posting pictures of Hayden’s birthday party from October 3rd (the official day is the 8th). I believe a good time was had by all. He even got a Scooby Doo cake, what could be better. The party was at The Little Gym, what a wonderful place for a party. And the best part of all, I didn’t have to clean up a thing and when we got home he was so exhausted he took a nap.

Where's the meat?

The weather has been cooling off here is St. Louis and so last night for dinner we decided to have grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. We figured it would be a nice warm, easy comfort meal. After Dave made the sandwiches and warmed the soup we all sat down at the table and the first words out of Hayden's mouth were "Where's the meat? I need meat!".

Now Hayden is not a real picky eater, though he has gotten a little more particular as he has gotten older, but he was just so funny about insisting he needed meat for dinner or it didn't count. Luckily we had some bologna available and he was satisfied.

Not to be judgmental . . .

Not to be judgmental or anything, but I just don’t understand, and I’m really trying to. I like to watch some reality television shows. I love Survivor and The Amazing Race which are my staples when they are on, but I also like to watch some of the shows on TLC like Little People Big World, The Little Couple, Big Medicine, Cake Boss and 18 Kids and Counting. (Just for the record I don’t watch Jon & Kate Plus 8.) The other day I was watching a special 18 Kids and Counting where Josh and his wife Anna are having their first baby Mackynzie. Now here is the part I don’t understand, and again I’m not trying to be judgmental, but Anna’s doctor is out of town, so she chooses to have her baby at home with her doula el natural. Now in this modern world of pain medication why does someone choose to do this? I have had two children, and I had epidurals both times, though the second one I felt way more than I wanted to. So why choose to go through the pain if you don’t have to?

▪ Do these people think they will love their children more because of the pain?

▪ Are they going to laud the amount of pain they endured over the child’s head later in their life?

▪ Will the amount of pain endured make them appreciate the child more?

▪ By not having pain medication do they feel they will be more responsive to the baby after the birth?

▪ Is it some religious belief? And if so I would love to know the basis?

▪ Do they enjoy the pain?

I just don’t understand.

Corn Maze

While in Utah my parents and I took the boys to a corn maze. I had never been to one before and it was quite fun, though we did get just a little lost.

Hayden got a balloon hat, can you tell it is a snake climbing up a palm tree?

He also found a stalk of corn with a corn cob still on it and was running around with it slung over his shoulder singing the High Ho song from Snow White. He was quite adorable.

To much Scooby Doo

Is there really such a thing as to much Scooby Doo? If there is, I think we have hit it at my house. Don’t get me wrong I love Scooby as much as the next person, but my four year old has started quoting the cartoons.

A couple of weeks ago for some random reason I still don’t know Hayden came running into the kitchen stopped dead in his tracks and said, “Me , thinks we have a mystery on our hands.”

Then last week we were at a corn maze and our navigator was not the best map reader and was getting us quite lost. As we stood at the juncture of two paths and were debating on which way to take Hayden whips out, “Me think we need to split up and look for clues.”

And on Friday while playing at Eckerts Farm for our ward activity Hayden was running around in the kids adventure park looking for the animals. It was dark and kind of hard to see when he yells, “Me found a clue.”

So again my question is there really such a thing as to much Scooby Doo? Maybe only when he starts asking for Scooby Snacks.