Every year for the past 16 years, our family has attended Homestead Heritage's Children's Festival in El Mott. The first time we went, I was carrying three week old Mary Susannah in a sling. I was so happy with my new little girl, and I think it helped seal my love for Homestead Heritage's festivals forever.
This year, I took two new girls who I hope will soon be my daughters. Unfortunately, when I took pictures, I included them in most of them, so I can't post them yet. And Mary Susannah, Beau and the oldest girl took off alone much of the time, so I don't have pictures of them either. Mary Susannah took some herself, but she deleted most of them, except for shots without people in them.
I don't like pictures without people in them....
So...all I have left for this blog are the few pictures "I" got with my little digital camera.Sure am glad I brought it along!
Right off the bat, the bigger kids wanted to separate and go do their own thing. With Beau's promise to watch over the girls, I gave them permission, and off they went. The little ones and I headed over to the petting zoo. It's always a crowded mass, with not near enough animals to go around, but Luke and Angel-Leah each managed to snare a rabbit before we left:
There were also goats, sheep and puppies. Tommy wasn't near as sad as he looked, it's just that rabbits scratch when you hold them when you are four years old and don't quite know how to do it...
From there, we headed over to look at the baby chicks. Now we live on a chicken farm, and if there is one thing my children are used to seeing, it's chickens. But they don't stay a couple of days old forever:
Again, there was a mass of children, and we had to share. Next spring, they can hold them all they want at our own house!
It was soon time for the children's singing, my favorite part of Homestead Heritage. Luke's little sister wasn't too crazy about that, though, and fussed most of the time, until I finally began to scratch her back, and she fell asleep in my lap. With a sigh of relief, I sat back to listen to the wonderful singing. We shared kettle corn, homemade cinnamon doughnuts and organic, natural sodas as we took in the music.
That done, we headed over to the hay ride, which, next to the singing, is my next favorite thing. I cannot believe I forgot to take pictures on the hayride. The kids all sat with their legs dangling over the side, and me hanging onto the hood of Tommy's sweatshirt - although, I don't know which would have been more dangerous...him falling off the wagon, or him falling off the wagon and strangling to death as I held onto the hood of his sweatshirt...but it gave me some comfort to know I was holding on to him...
From there we visited different buildings. We went to the herb garden, which I LOVE, and I bought myself a salve making kit. We wandered around some more, and ended up at the 'make a boat' booth. Here's my four little ones, waiting their turn:
Those sweaters the girls are wearing got me much attention at the fair. I don't know how many people commented on them, and one lady got my etsy address. I had enough inquiries about them that I plan to get some business cards made. And maybe have the girls carry something I make all the time? :o) Little sister's sweater is already in my etsy shop. Angel-Leah's was a bit more complicated to make, and I may have to make another one and see how many hours it took, and how much the yarn cost. I ordered the yarn for that one especially from online because I wanted the best for what I knew would be a big job.
Boats made, the kids soon went over to paint them. Paint was scarce as it was almost time for this booth to close. The kids were scraping the bottom of tubs and adding water to get enough to paint:
Many minutes later, someone complained about having to pay when there wasn't much paint. uh oh...we had not paid. And having already spent nearly $15 each for four boats, I wasn't much inclined to pay an extra $2 each for very, very little paint...
But Angel-Leah came over and asked me if I knew we were supposed to pay extra to paint. I didn't, I admitted. You better go pay, she said. But the paints all gone, I said.
She looked at me with her big blue eyes. I turned and went back to the cashier...
"I didn't realize we had to pay to paint the boats." I told the man. "Oh, yes," he said. "Several people have made that mistake. We need to make a bigger sign. How many boats did you make?" "Four," I replied. "But the paint is almost all gone. We are having to add water to the bottom of the cups to get any paint." "Yes," he said, "We will have to get more before tomorrow."
I looked at him. He looked at me. Several seconds passed. I sighed, and got eight more dollars out of my purse, which he took without a qualm.
It was worth my integrity before Angel-Leah's eyes, I guess, to pay $8 for practically nothing...
Once painted, we headed off for the pool outside the booth to sail the boats, completely washing off what little paint we managed to get on the boats:
But it was fun, and the kids were WELL pleased with their expensive toys. And if nothing else, they have taken at least one, and sometimes two baths a day so they can play with their new boats.
We ate ice cream in the dark, went to the bookstore where I bought several books (my own treat every year) and then went to the adult choir's singing. Little sister didn't like that much better than the earlier singing, but twelve kids later I am really good at selective deafness, and the singing was really LOUD.
We trooped tiredly to the bus when the singing was over. The kids thought that was one of the best parts. We found our car in the dark, and headed the hour drive home.
Another good year. I highly recommend Homestead Heritage Children's Festival if you haven't ever been!!
This year, I took two new girls who I hope will soon be my daughters. Unfortunately, when I took pictures, I included them in most of them, so I can't post them yet. And Mary Susannah, Beau and the oldest girl took off alone much of the time, so I don't have pictures of them either. Mary Susannah took some herself, but she deleted most of them, except for shots without people in them.
I don't like pictures without people in them....
So...all I have left for this blog are the few pictures "I" got with my little digital camera.Sure am glad I brought it along!
Right off the bat, the bigger kids wanted to separate and go do their own thing. With Beau's promise to watch over the girls, I gave them permission, and off they went. The little ones and I headed over to the petting zoo. It's always a crowded mass, with not near enough animals to go around, but Luke and Angel-Leah each managed to snare a rabbit before we left:
There were also goats, sheep and puppies. Tommy wasn't near as sad as he looked, it's just that rabbits scratch when you hold them when you are four years old and don't quite know how to do it...
From there, we headed over to look at the baby chicks. Now we live on a chicken farm, and if there is one thing my children are used to seeing, it's chickens. But they don't stay a couple of days old forever:
Again, there was a mass of children, and we had to share. Next spring, they can hold them all they want at our own house!
It was soon time for the children's singing, my favorite part of Homestead Heritage. Luke's little sister wasn't too crazy about that, though, and fussed most of the time, until I finally began to scratch her back, and she fell asleep in my lap. With a sigh of relief, I sat back to listen to the wonderful singing. We shared kettle corn, homemade cinnamon doughnuts and organic, natural sodas as we took in the music.
That done, we headed over to the hay ride, which, next to the singing, is my next favorite thing. I cannot believe I forgot to take pictures on the hayride. The kids all sat with their legs dangling over the side, and me hanging onto the hood of Tommy's sweatshirt - although, I don't know which would have been more dangerous...him falling off the wagon, or him falling off the wagon and strangling to death as I held onto the hood of his sweatshirt...but it gave me some comfort to know I was holding on to him...
From there we visited different buildings. We went to the herb garden, which I LOVE, and I bought myself a salve making kit. We wandered around some more, and ended up at the 'make a boat' booth. Here's my four little ones, waiting their turn:
Those sweaters the girls are wearing got me much attention at the fair. I don't know how many people commented on them, and one lady got my etsy address. I had enough inquiries about them that I plan to get some business cards made. And maybe have the girls carry something I make all the time? :o) Little sister's sweater is already in my etsy shop. Angel-Leah's was a bit more complicated to make, and I may have to make another one and see how many hours it took, and how much the yarn cost. I ordered the yarn for that one especially from online because I wanted the best for what I knew would be a big job.
Boats made, the kids soon went over to paint them. Paint was scarce as it was almost time for this booth to close. The kids were scraping the bottom of tubs and adding water to get enough to paint:
Many minutes later, someone complained about having to pay when there wasn't much paint. uh oh...we had not paid. And having already spent nearly $15 each for four boats, I wasn't much inclined to pay an extra $2 each for very, very little paint...
But Angel-Leah came over and asked me if I knew we were supposed to pay extra to paint. I didn't, I admitted. You better go pay, she said. But the paints all gone, I said.
She looked at me with her big blue eyes. I turned and went back to the cashier...
"I didn't realize we had to pay to paint the boats." I told the man. "Oh, yes," he said. "Several people have made that mistake. We need to make a bigger sign. How many boats did you make?" "Four," I replied. "But the paint is almost all gone. We are having to add water to the bottom of the cups to get any paint." "Yes," he said, "We will have to get more before tomorrow."
I looked at him. He looked at me. Several seconds passed. I sighed, and got eight more dollars out of my purse, which he took without a qualm.
It was worth my integrity before Angel-Leah's eyes, I guess, to pay $8 for practically nothing...
Once painted, we headed off for the pool outside the booth to sail the boats, completely washing off what little paint we managed to get on the boats:
But it was fun, and the kids were WELL pleased with their expensive toys. And if nothing else, they have taken at least one, and sometimes two baths a day so they can play with their new boats.
We ate ice cream in the dark, went to the bookstore where I bought several books (my own treat every year) and then went to the adult choir's singing. Little sister didn't like that much better than the earlier singing, but twelve kids later I am really good at selective deafness, and the singing was really LOUD.
We trooped tiredly to the bus when the singing was over. The kids thought that was one of the best parts. We found our car in the dark, and headed the hour drive home.
Another good year. I highly recommend Homestead Heritage Children's Festival if you haven't ever been!!
Great post, it looks like you all had a fab day!
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