A Night at the Farm 2014

"A Night at the Farm" has become a tradition at our church.  I think this was our fourth year attending.  The boys love it.  They have room to run, we are all outside cooking hot dogs over the fire, hanging out with friends and most importantly taking a tractor-pulled hay ride!!  This year was the best weather year yet.  80 degrees on our way there and it didn't get below 65 even after the sun went down.  Spectacular!  Doug had to do a wedding rehearsal, so our friends, Megan and Sky, let Doug use their car and they drove up with me in the van with Marshall and all my boys.  It was like a big, happy family, such a fun drive despite it being rush hour.  Oh, how I love these special friends!  Once we got there, there was already a nice crowd gathered for the event and we just settled in to the fray.  You can see Penn up on the hill exploring a tree.

A sweet friend from church just adores Penn.  She is usually greeting at the service we go to and Penn won't pay her much attention except for a questioning high-five or two.  Well, Angela is now part of Penn's inner circle.  I think he was just more relaxed in the atmosphere of being outside (and no where near nursery).  Angela was thrilled to finally have some attention reciprocated and I was happy to have some help entertaining Penn.

About 20 minutes after we arrived, the bounce house was inflated and the boys were thrilled.  They bounced so much!  

Penn was a lot younger than the rest of the bouncers, so he got a few minutes to himself in the house to safely bounce.  Wouldn't you know he bit his lip and bled like crazy while in there by himself!  Oh well, still happy to be bouncing!

As I mentioned before, the big attraction of the event for my boys each year is the hay ride.  This year was Penn's first time and he LOVED it.  I think it helped that his big brothers were old pros.  They actually part of their dinner on the start of the ride since I had grilled some dogs for them just as the tractor pulled up.

Penn was just in awe of being pulled by the tractor.  Here's Mr. First-Time Hay-Rider with his beloved tractor in the background.

Here are Sky, Megan and sweet Marshall (it was Megan and Marshall's first hay ride too!) with some other sweet friends.

Say "cheese" Penn, Mommy wants proof she took you three on the hayride on her own!

Sky saw my attempt to be in the picture, so he took a few pictures of me and the boys.  We might be an urban family, but I think we fit in just fine on the farm!

Look at the amazing view if you looked up...a canopy of green with hints of the leaves turning colors for the Fall with a backdrop of utterly blue sky.  It just doesn't get better!

Sweet Tav taking it all in.

Keep those heads and hands in the trailer boys!!  

No, they actually did a great job being pretty chill on the ride, just taking it all in.  Last year it was pitch black when we went on the ride, so it was so fun to take it in as the sun was setting.  The boys loved it as did I (although I really, really should've used the restroom before I went...so bumpy for this prego belly!).  Doug got to the party shortly after the hay ride and then things were a lot simpler for me.  We stayed until after sunset so the boys could run around with their flashlights in the dark.  Then it was off to home for a good nights' sleep after all that beautiful fresh air!  Thanks for another great Night at the Farm, North Way!