The Linda Family

Yesterday was Ashleigh’s first school field trip. She was supposed to go to Port Discovery last month, but it was during the week she was out sick, so she missed the trip. Yesterday’s trip was to North Run Farm. It was a bit chilly, but thankfully not raining (like it is today, the day the 2 yr olds from her school go!).

I hadn’t planned on going on the field trip, Ash didn’t seem like she needed me there and I didn’t think a chaperone with a baby in tow was what the school really wanted. Tuesday morning she started panicing that she would be taking the bus to their trip and I would not be there. So, I emailed her cottage director. I was told that I was more than welcome to join them, but there was probably not room for me on the bus. I was to follow the bus in my car. PERFECT! I’ll be there to get her on and off the bus, I can enjoy the time with her, but when the trip is over, I get to go home! Plus, no bus full of noisy 4 yr olds!

The farm truly is a farm. They grow hay and feed corn as their main source of income. They also grow pumpkins and gourds. They are only open to the public for 8 weeks a year, and most of their customers are schools. We started with a tour of the “barn” where they sell the produce. We were shown several varieties of pumpkins and we talked about the difference between feed corn and the corn we eat.

Next stop was the animals. They only have 5 animal pens, the cows, the chickens, the goats, the pigs, and the sheep. The cow they have is a beef cow, not a dairy cow. The past 3 years she has had twins. The twin calves were only 3 weeks old, and we got to see them walking around and nursing. It was adorable. The goat also had twins, the kids were 3 months old. One of them was nursing when we first walked up, but they were startled away when 20+ kids came running at them!

The sheep, pigs, and chickens were also fun to watch. We learned that pigs like pumpkins. They were “yelling” at the farmer’s wife when we had our tour because she didn’t bring them a pumpkin. The kids really seemed to enjoy the animals.

Next stop was the hay ride. We went on a short hay ride down the field. We went past the pumpkin patch and the corn maze. It was a short little trip, but the kids enjoyed it. When we got back the kids got to find a small pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. They go through the patch in the afternoons and cut off the orange ones so the kids just have to find the pumpkin that is sitting next to the vine. Ashleigh picked a perfect little pumpkin! It’s bright orange and perfectly round. It’s sitting on the front steps getting us ready for fall.

Next up was the corn maze. The farmer’s wife led us through part of the maze (the whole thing was WAY too long for the kids). She showed them the roots of the corn and told them what animals eat feed corn. We learned that chickens, cows, and pigs all like the corn, but it is VERY bad for horses. More useless facts to add to a little corner of my brain.

We brought the kids lunches for them to enjoy at the farm, so after the corn maze we sat down at the picnic tables and let them eat. When they were done they got to play on the play area. They had a tire park, a mini corn maze (using bales of hay and big tubes), a hay area to climb on, a tipi made with corn stalks, and a corn box. A what? A corn box. There is no sand on the farm. Really, it’s an AWESOME idea. They took old tractor tires and buried the bottoms of them, and filled them with the kernels of feed corn. The kids climbed right in to play with shovels, buckets, rakes, and corn. They didn’t come home all dirty and sandy! It was great.

It was a chilly day, so Bekah and I came home and warmed up, but Ashleigh had a blast, Bekah was a good sport, and overall it was a good day!

I have some pictures, but the picture software isn’t working properly, for now you’ll have to check them out on Facebook

It should come as no surprise that Ashleigh has a love of technology.  She is very well versed in every day computer use as well as the Wii.  Who would have guessed with parents who are so anti-technology right?  RIGHT?  Not buying it?  Ok..I tried.

Occasionally when I am sitting on my laptop working Ashleigh will come over and ask to send Grandma an email.  When she was younger she used to IM with Aunt Beth.  Last week she moved on to another person again and asked to send Daddy an email.  While she does often get responses to her emails to others, the response from Wes had me laughing out loud, so I had to post it.  I usually provide a translation of what she tells me the email says, but we were busy getting ready to go to Grandma and Grandpa’s on Friday, so this email is lacking the translation.

Here is their email exchange -

From: Katy Linda [mailto:katy@worldfire.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 12:07 PM
To: Wes Linda
Subject: a letter from Ashleigh

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zvcggffresaxbvjjklpouiyufgtsqafgbnbmk hllllophycgcfxgggxgg
hvjjgjvjkmlhkhhhioppjgvhcfhghtdxgdrftcddttxxzqwdzesagngjhvjvmbmjjjjjmjmb
j mb hjjbbjhjhbbhnn bhjb hj
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ngbgvb  j                  nhv mkbkjmmnhj v vjh
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jhnbblbj.b jl/ l vghv b mv b    v  bvbgvcdxszaqasedf
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Ashleigh,

Thank you so much for taking the time to write me such a wonderful letter.
It was very nice of you take time out of your very busy day to send me a
note.  It's so wonderful to hear from you when I'm at work.  I really love
your letters and hope you keep sending me them!

Your daddy can't wait to come home and play tonight, we need to have lots
of fun together!

I love you!  ;0)

Sincerely,
Wes Linda
Web Administrator
Johns Hopkins Rheumatology
Phone: 410-550-5907
Fax: 410-550-2072
Email: wes.linda@jhmi.edu

Only Wes would send back a response thanking Ashleigh for taking time out of her very busy day to send him a note. Yes folks, she had to put down the Wii-mote and pick up the laptop for a few minutes while Mommy was running around doing laundry. It was definitely a challenge.

So, this was taped a few weeks ago, but it’s pretty silly.  A nice Doggy and Daughter dance.  Enjoy Ashleigh and Laci having a ball.

{vidavee id=”18146″ w=”420″ }

 So, since it’s that time of year, I thought I’d finally start using some of this fine technology that we own, and post some videos.  We took this one on Saturday, when our fine child decided to do a “magic show”. Hope you enjoy!

{vidavee id=”18145″ w=”420″ }

It was time.  Ashleigh’s room was over run by toys she barely played with, and the space needed to be put to better use since she will be sharing that room with her younger sibling before we know it!  Last Friday we looked at the Toys R Us ad that had come in the mail and saw a good looking play kitchen on sale.  Wes suggested we clean out her toys and trade for the kitchen.  I was completely ok with the idea, and we thought it was an even better idea when I remembered that we had 3 gift cards in my wallet for Toys R Us & Babies R Us.  Ashleigh wasn’t really thrilled with the whole giving toys away part of the deal, but once we talked about it a bit, she was all excited.  We got 3 trash bags out, one to use for toys to give away, one for toys that we should save for baby, and one for trash and toys that were broken.  In just 2 hours or so we went from 3 toyboxes and a big basket of toys, plus what was already on the shelves/cubes in her room to one basket and the cubes/shelves!  We were able to rearrange things a bit to make everything fit better and off we went to Toys R Us.  We enjoyed walking around the store, looking at toys, including big huge kitchens that put our real kitchen to shame   We found a few options, and while I clearly had my favorite as far as look, it was a little bigger than the space we had set aside for it.  So, we let Ashleigh choose.  She was the one who gave away her toys to kids who needed them more than she did, we figured she deserved it.

Since she is on a fairy kick, it was no real surprise that she chose the Tinkerbell Fairy Cafe over the wooden, pastel kitchen I liked.  Hers was a better idea for the space, and it was cheaper, so we didn’t fight with her too much.  Just suggested that the wooden one was bigger and had a phone.  But, alas, the fairy won.  We also got a $10 gift card with the purchase of Disney Fairy products that week.  Ashleigh was eyeing up the Tinkerbell Slippers that were above the Fairy Cafe, and they matched her Halloween Costume.  So, after we checked out, I headed back into the store to pick them up for her and Wes headed to the car with Ashleigh.  It ended up being a great night.  We ended up spending about $30 and Ashleigh got a kitchen she LOVES and she will be thrilled with her new Tinkerbell shoes when she gets them for Christmas!

Ashleigh was super excited to get the kitchen put together.   She tried to lug the box up the stairs by herself, but was unsuccessful.  We set up the video camera and got to assembling.  Wes hasn’t had a chance to edit the video yet, he’s been working a ton the past few weeks, so I’ll cut him some slack   After it was set up, Ashleigh made us tea and baked goods until an hour past bed time.  The majority of Saturday was also spent cooking food in the kitchen.  She LOVES her fairy cafe.  One of the best toys we’ve ever bought.  It’s a combination of a kitchen and a store, and it’s pink and purple and covered in fairies.  Yup, every little girls dream.

Here are some pictures of Ashleigh enjoying her cafe.

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