Treehouses + Tractors

The tree house is from BP's open house at school. It was their class project this year, and they got the idea from Mary Pope Osborne's "Tree House" book series, which I am told all the kids love. (We just started reading our set here at home) In each book the magic tree house takes Jack and Annie, who are bother and sister, on an adventure to a faraway land. The books are fun and educational. They decorated the tree house with life size Jack and life size Annie. They also chose a couple books and depicted the adventures. For example the kids worked together to make a 20 ft. giraffe that was in one of the stories.

BP was ecstatic to show us the tree house that we had heard so much about. We raced across the field to the edge of the woods at mach speed to see it as soon as we arrived. The pride she carried that day I will never forget. It is why she wakes up every morning and asks if it is a school day. It is why she is so excited, yet patient on the 35-40 minute trip there M-W-F. It is why she smiles + skips down the hill each afternoon. It is why I enjoy her stories of what she did each day on the way home. (Today she told me she milked a goat). Her teacher told me last month as they left her building for a hike BP was at the end of the line shouting, "Awesome, this is Awesome" and making everyone laugh. It is why on some mornings after dropping BP off, BB and Baby C and I linger to say hi to the chickens and walk through Mrs. C's garden. This place is like a big hug. It is the best non material gift we could give to BP and next year BB. It is where we hope they will learn to love learning. This parenting thing is all an experiment, everyday is, but this part seems to be working thus far :)

As for the tractor part of my post...we attended a tractor parade in a nearby town. 333 tractors chugging down a little Main Street for over an hour. This event brings all kinds of people...Locals, farmers, weekenders, transplants, grandparents, + babies. If you get bored with the tractors, the people watching is always interesting. We took all 3 girls and Papa and then met friends there. The girls love it, so does their Daddy!