Agriculture Community Day

The Blacksburg High School FFA club held a community agriculture day at there school. The kids had lots of fun making different crafts, petting animals, painting, planting plants and eating snacks. The day was so cold so it was nice to have a fun indoor activity to entertain the kids. We did venture outside to see the different large animals once or twice. The poor piggies were huddled together trying to stay warm, where as the goats and alpacas didn't seem to mind the cold weather. The kids were able to make peanut butter and bird seed covered pine cone that we put on out pack porch. The kids enjoyed watching the birds and squirrels eating them.

Checking out the rabbits and ferret.

Marcus was more interested in the cages than the animals.

Marcus, Raquel and Natalya making glove gardens.

Enjoying a mini ice cream cone

Checking out the little pigs.

Marcus loved the animals!

Petting the miniature horse

Natalya & Raquel

Marcus sitting on the 4 wheeler.

He was drawn to it every time he noticed it.

Marcus destroying the sample caterpillar

Natalya making an egg carton caterpillar with dad

Raquel painting her flower pot

Snow

We finally got our first big snow of the winter and the kids had lots of fun playing, sledding and building a snow man in the snow. I should say that Natalya and Raquel had fun, and Marcus just tolerated it. He really didn't like being out side in the snow. The family went sledding at the park, but Marcus and I stayed in the truck while the girls and Mike had fun going down the hill. Natalya was really brave and would sled by her self. It was cute watching her slide down. She would just sit on the sled and ride it down until it completely stopped before getting off or she would just sit there on the sled after it stopped until Mike came and got her and pulled her back up to the top. Mike soon learned and had Natalya start pulling the sled up to the top herself.

The girls and I had fun making a snow man and shoveling the driveway (yes Raquel actually asks if she can shugel (shovel)). The snow won't stay long, its suppose to get into the 60's this week and so we had to have as much fun as we could fast.

Mike playing with the kids in our front yard.

Raquel

Natalya enjoying the snow

Marcus & Natalya sledding in our front yard

Marcus taking a ride. He tolerated it, but didn't like it.

Marcus likes getting dressed in his snow outfit but

doesn't like to be out in the snow.

Raquel and Natalya showing off their snowman

Winterfest 2012

The kids enjoyed another year at Winterfest on VT campus. They had fun in the bouncy house, which deflated and fell on Marcus while he was in there. We tried to get him out but he had no interest leaving such a fun place. Luckily they were able to get the air going again before he was completely trapped. We ate popcorn and cotton candy. Played games, colored and stood in line for over an hour to get balloon art. But we had lots of fun!

Mike and Marcus

Raquel and Natalya enjoying the bouncy house

Marcus and Natalya in the bouncy house

Marcus and Natalya squishing their

faces against the bouncy house.

They also had a photo booth with props you could dress up in for pictures.

Marcus trying out the pinewood derby cars.

Making sand art

You would think that every kid would love cotton candy. Cotton candy equals 100% sugar. Well Marcus wouldn't have anything to do with it even after we forced it into his mouth to try it.

Natlaya and Mike practicing their medieval weapons skills

This is how Natalya decided to color her picture.

Laying half on a coffee table and half on a couch.

Waiting patiently for their balloon art.

After standing in line for about 1 1/2 hours this is what we walked away with.

Natalya got a butterfly, Raquel a unicorn and Marcus a bear on a stick with a heart.

Daddy Daughter Dance

Raquel's school put on a Daddy Daughter dance and she was very excited to have her dad take her. They made a little date of it, going out to dinner before and then to the dance. Raquel and Mike made it a double date with her friend Autumn and her dad. Autumn insisted on going to IHOP for dinner and so Mike and Raquel made the best of it and just enjoyed the time together.

At the dance Raquel had fun dancing and hanging out with her friends. Unfortunately she was very tired when she got there and ended up coming home early and falling asleep on the way home.

Natalya was a little sad that she didn't get to go on the daddy daughter date and so we had to make the evening fun at home too. We decided to have a picnic with chicken, popcorn and apples on the floor and watch a fun show. I think both Natalya and Marcus enjoyed having popcorn for dinner.

Raquel and Dad before the dance.

Natalya didn't want to be left out so she got her

picture taken with dad too.

Marcus and Natalya making popcorn

Enjoying their picnic dinner

Seeds

Natalya, Marcus and I enjoyed a fun afternoon at the Price House (Seeds). We had never been there and probably still wouldn't if it wasn't for some girl scout cookies. I had ordered cookies from a friend's daughter and needed to pick them up, she volunteers at the Price House and so I meet her there. The kids really enjoyed seeing all the animals and touching the different bones and toys. We will definitely be going back to enjoy some more fun at Seeds.

Natalya pretending she is a deer.

Marcus checking out the bear skull.

Natalya & Collin making tracks in the sand.

Marcus enjoying the sand.