Sweetwater Dairy Farm

I just wanted to share some pictures of our field trip to Sweetwater Dairy Farm. It started out with a 45 minute bumpy bus ride to the farm (by the end of the trip I was a bit nausiated) then when we got there we went to the gift shop to watch a short video about the dairy farm. Afterwards, we got to sample some different flavored cheeses. They had all kinds from your basic mild cheddar to the extreme fajita, salsa, etc. flavors. Afterwards, the we waited our turn for the actual tour of the dairy farm. On the tour, we saw some cows, and then some more cows, and then some more cows. We also saw the milking process. The cows just stood in line and they would wait their turn to be milked by these machines. It was quite interested to see them come right up and get in position to be milked. I pictured them like us waiting in line at an amusement park ride and waiting our turn to get on. "Ooh, almost there. Pretty soon, I'm going to be milked. I can't wait. I've been waiting in this line forever. What's taking so long? There are just too many cows today. Why did I choose today to come get milked?" Just some of the thoughts running through my mind as I lazily watched the cows get milked. Anyways, something interesting I wanted to mention. While we were there, there was a guy from the Southern Living magazine taking photographs of the place and decided to take pictures of our kids. So, we might be pictured in the magazine that is supposed to come out in the spring. But until then, here are my pictures of the field trip. Of course, notice all the lovely pictures of my son not smiling. What a brat!
This is a picture of a mom cow and her new calf, just born hours before. I wonder if their milking area hang lower after each birth?

The milking area. Farming has gone high tech!

Mother of the Year

Okay, so nobody laugh, but I am now a PTA mom. Anyways, you would think that I was trying for mother of the year this past week. Well, the PTA was throwing a teacher's luncheon. So, of course I signed up to bring stuff, 4 lbs of sloppy joes, 2 dozen buns, and a dessert. On the very same day, Christian class was going on a field trip and I signed up to go as a chaperone. I also signed up for that evening to go with our church to the Ronald Mcdonald House to do some service work. This is after working a full shift the night before and the night after. Was I crazy or what? Well, I spent a couple of hours before working making homemade sloppy joes and then the next morning after I got off I went to the school, dropped off the food, and then joined the 3rd graders on the bus for a 45 minute drive to Sweetwater Dairy Farm. We were there until about 1 and then headed back to the school. Afterwards, we went home early and then it was time for homework. By this time I was very, very tired and have been up for over 24 hours. So needless to say, I decided not to go to the Ronald Mcdonald House and stay home and sleep. I guess in the end I did not earn my mother of the year award. Oh well, maybe next year.

Yearbook Pictures

Here are my yearbook pictures through the years. It is quite funny. Don't miss out. It might be your only chance on seeing an asian in an afro hairdo. I am kind of glad to say that after reviewing the different looks, I don't think that I look good as a thin person. They just look kind of funny to me. What do you guys think?

Homemade Cookies

I was in the mood for chocolate chip cookies today. So, I went to my cupboard, got out the sugar, flour, chocolate chips, etc. and started mixing up the dough. NOT!!!! A few weeks ago I had bought a big tub of cookie dough mix from a fundraiser and it has been sitting in my refrigerator. Today it was calling out to me, "Bake me, eat me, I'm delicious". So, I thought it would be unhealthy for me to eat raw cookie dough (although it is quite delicious) and decided to do some baking. Is it sad to call taking a tub out, putting spoonsful on a cookie sheet and turning on the oven, actually baking? Well, no matter. I think they turn out about the same in the oven (maybe even better!). Anyone for some Peanut Butter chocolate chunk cookies? Let me know!

Don't you just love my new double oven stove? It makes cooking a little nicer.

Christian's New Pet

Well, we got a second pet on Saturday but it didn't last long. We have had a big problem with our hedges being invested with spiderwebs. So, Steve went on got this solution from Home Depot that you attach to your water hose and spray down the hedges. As he was spraying them down, he noticed a preying mantis and called for Christian. Well, of course, Christian wanted to keep it. So, they brought him inside and Steve actually went out and got a little glass aquarium with rocks and plants in it for him and put the preying mantis in there. Christian even found a few bugs around the house for him to eat. If anyone knows Christian, they would know that this is a major big deal. Christian absolutely hates bugs (but he made Steve carry them to the mantis). Unfortunately (we believe) that Steve accidentally sprayed him with the strong solution he bought (called Seven) and the next morning when Christian went to check on him, he was dead. He wants to look for more preying mantis now to keep them as a pet. Here is a picture.

Christian's Tender Moment

I just wanted to share a moment that Christian had that I thought was very sweet. I think it was Thursday (with me working nights I really screw up my weekdays) that Christian told me that I didn't do that right. I was wondering what he was talking about and then he went over to the mantel and did something. I didn't bother to look until later but he had moved my two willow tree baby figures over to the father and son figure. Now, for those of you who don't know me that well, I have had two almost to term stillborns. Christian has always known about them and will occasionally bring their names up (Noah and Samuel). He really misses them, especially the one we lost just last year. He had always wanted a brother and was sad when it didn't happen. Last year my mom had gotten me a twin set of babies from Willow Tree and they are supposed to represent my two that I have lost. They were sitting over on the other side of the mantel and the father and son figure was on the other side. Well, when Christian went over there he moved the two babies over to the father and son so now this is what it looks like. I guess he thought that the father should be talking to all three of them. I just love it when he shows this softer side of himself. I hardly ever see that anymore.

Christian's Biopoem

One of Christian's writing assignments was to write a biopoem. Here is what he wrote (a biopoem is a poem about yourself)

Christian Andrew
Funny, playful (was supposed to come up with 4 but he could only come up with 2)
Son of Stephen and Jennifer, cousin of Hunter and Camden, Grandson of Sarah, Andrew, Edwinna and Winton (he was going to write "son of Mom and Dad)
Lover of video games, bakugan (thank you Aline!), Spongebob
Who feels sad (because he has to go to school), happy, proud
Who needs water, mom and dad, house
Who fears the dark, spiders (unlike the Phui boys, who loves them enough to hold them by their little legs), and bees
Who gives Bakugans, love and help (This is one he had a really hard time with. I think he realized that he didn't give a whole lot)
Who would like to see Nick (Centrone), Kevin, and Haleigh (yes, his arch enemy from Harrisburg. He needs her help in Sly.)
Resident of Knoxville, TN
Yoder

As you can imagine, we had a lot of fun doing this! :)