A Visit to Dairy Carrie's Farm and more!

We are getting ready for the Kansas State Fair this weekend and I just realized that I have not shared our trip to Wisconsin and their state fair.

The boys were very excited for our trip, because we were going to visit Dairy Carrie's farm.  If you aren't already following Dairy Carrie, you really should especially if you love pictures of cute baby calves in your newsfeed!  In case you don't know, the boys and Carrie have had a close bond ever since this cow experience brought the 3 of them together.

When in Wisconsin you have to buy cheese.  We stopped at the Alp and Dell Cheese factory and store in Monroe.  If you are looking for a great selection of cheeses, Tony will not disappoint you.  The Chipotle Gouda makes the most amazing nachos!

Of course when we got to the dairy we had to meet the girls.

 

We always try to make sure we eat just like the locals and apparently at the Wisconsin State Fair a Grilled Cheese is a must.

I mean people were waiting in line for a grilled cheese and there were 10 people manning grills making at least 8 sandwiches at a time.  They really LOVE their Grilled Cheese Sandwiches in Wisconsin.

I was told that having a Cream Puff was absolutely necessary by more than one person, so of course we had to go to the Cream Puff Pavilion.  That's right there is an entire building dedicated to the Cream Puff at the Wisconsin State Fair!

You can walk by the windows where they cut pastries all day long.

And the window into the room that must be chilly where they are filling the pastries with yummy filling.

Don't they look yummy?

My youngest thought they were the best breakfast food ever with the best Strawberry Milk ever in his opinion.  Apparently, he thought since we were surrounded by dairy cows that the milk had to be better in Wisconsin.  :)

I loved all the educational displays around the fair.  This was in the middle of all the 4-H dairy heifer stalls.  That my friends is a dried cow stomach.  Did you know that a cow stomach has 4 compartments?  Each compartment is totally different.  We could look into the cut out holes to look inside and see the differences.

 

The Natural Resources area was really cool with archery practice, education about the Emerald Ash Borer, Watersheds, Smoky Bear School and so much more.  We loved it!

Of course after the fair we had to go back to the dairy and work, well only one of us was really into becoming a dairy farmer.

Before we arrived Carrie told me that she was waiting on a calf to be born and the boys were quick to think that it could ride home in the back seat with them.  We quickly shot down that idea.  The boys and Carrie kept checking on the progress in the maternity pen.  While the farmer and I were packing the truck the boys went to check in the barn and she had finally had her new baby.  A Normandy bull calf and if you don't know about Normandy's you should be following Carrie this week has she visits the home of Normandy cattle.

We didn't go empty handed.  Here is about half of our hostess gift that we took to Carrie, Patrick (aka Mr. Dairy Carrie and his parents.  Our gardens were producing like crazy and it had been so cool in Wisconsin that they are just now getting an abundance of produce.

If you notice most of the pictures are of our younger son, the oldest son had an ear infection that started when we were leaving Iowa.  We definitely will have to go back to visit again as he is more of the cow lover.

We are working on our list of must have eats at the Kansas State Fair and I am considering opening a Cream Puff Booth when my kids are done showing out there...they still a few years ahead of them, so I can work on my business plan.  LOL

Be sure to follow along on Facebook as we graze our way across the fair and hopefully win a blue ribbon, too!

A Kansas Farm Mom

Unplugged Vacation Travel with Kids Part II

This is part II of An Unplugged Vacation.  Part I has some great ideas, too.

Right after the excitement of the county 4-H fair we took off on a family vacation.  I am not talking any vacation.  I am talking a 3550 mile round trip to visit my brother and sister in law in Connecticut. 

In. The. Truck.

Oh and the kids were totally unplugged.

I know what you are thinking.  Have they lost their minds?!

Honestly, the boys didn’t fight until we were headed home and I was fighting a head cold and was losing patience.  If we have the Ipod, tablet, DVD player, etc in the back seat someone is always complaining that

• I don’t want to watch that movie.

• He got to pick last time!!  It’s my turn!

And, my favorite…

• He got the tablet 10 seconds longer than I did that‘s not fair! 

Really, there weren’t that many arguments unless they were super hungry or tired and they would have happened if they had technology.

So what did the boys do in the back seat for 3550 miles?  Part II....

Watch the GPS

We borrowed my parents Garmin for the trip.  (I said the back seat was unplugged, not the front seat.)  The oldest child seemed to enjoy watching the actual speed versus the speed limit signs.  He was quick to point out if we were speeding and watched the estimated arrival times closely.

Bed Time Math

Since I still had my phone, we did a little back to school math practice.  If you are a parent and haven’t found Bed Time Math yet you are missing out.  The blog posts give the kids some science, pop culture etc information and then ask math questions that are age appropriate.  It’s great for all ages.  Yes, it’s supposed to be a bed time thing to do with the kids, but it also works well while traveling or waiting at the doctor’s office.  Bed Time Math makes them practice math without them realizing it in an entertaining way.

Dollar Store Gifts

My mother in law loaded the boys up with a variety of dollar store presents that were even wrapped.  They could pick one an hour until they ran out.  Some were well received and others, well not so much.  The favorite was the Etch a Sketch Pen and the least favorite was the math flash cards.  

Wildlife

My boys are very much outside kids, so the challenge to see new wildlife was one they loved.  The saddest one we saw was a black bear that had been hit alongside an interstate in West Virginia.  

Snacks

Lots and lots of snacks packed in the car kept them happy.  The boys must be getting ready to really grow as much food as they ate.  You could tell when they were hungry and they could tell when the other brother’s “sugar blood” needed to be replenished.  

Picture Search Book

I did buy one of these books where they have a list of things to find in different pictures.  It tricks them into reading and was entertaining to both boys.  They even made it into a competition.

Thank You Notes

Since we had just finished the county fair, the boys had several thank you notes to write for awards they had received.  Yes, I am the mom that believes a hand written thank you note is a must.  I don’t mind computer form written thank you notes, but I figure if you are special enough to get a monetary supported gift from someone, they deserve at least 2 minutes of your time writing a thank you note.  Ok, when you are seven years old it is more than 2 minutes, but I have seen the look on sponsors faces when they open a thank you note and realize the boys have written it themselves.  It is priceless!  Oh, and it was back to school writing practice.

4-H Record Books

Most kids and some parents hate the 4-H Record book.  I tend to enjoy hearing what the boys felt was important over the last year.  Having them trapped in the truck where they couldn’t get away worked well to get a good start on the records and gave them time to think about what they wanted to say.  Since little brother was filling out his first book, it was good for him to listen to big brother’s answers before he had to answer.

I am being totally honest when I say that I did not wish once that we had some electronic device in the back seat to entertain the boys.  Maybe my kids are not normal or maybe all of us parents need to make them take a trip back to the dark ages (when we were kids) every once in a while, so they appreciate what they have a little bit more.

Have you ever taken an unplugged trip with your kids?  What other ideas do you have to entertain the kids without technology?

Unplugged Vacation Travel with Kids Part I

Right after the excitement of the county 4-H fair we took off on a family vacation.  I am not talking any vacation.  I am talking a 3550 mile round trip to visit my brother and sister in law in Connecticut. 

In. The. Truck.

Oh and the kids were totally unplugged.

I know what you are thinking.  Have they lost their minds?!

Honestly, the boys didn’t fight until we were headed home and I was fighting a head cold and was losing patience.  If we have the Ipod, tablet, DVD player, etc in the back seat someone is always complaining that

• I don’t want to watch that movie.

• He got to pick last time!!  It’s my turn!

And, my favorite…

• He got the tablet 10 seconds longer than I did that‘s not fair! 

Really, there weren’t that many arguments unless they were super hungry or tired and they would have happened if they had technology.

So what did the boys do in the back seat for 3550 miles?

This is Part one of an Unplugged Vacation for the kids.

Auto bingo

I played this exact game with my brother when we were kids.  I found it at Lehman’s an Amish supply company in Ohio.

Alphabet Game

Another game my brother and I used to play.  Find each letter of the alphabet in order on signs, store fronts and even inside the vehicle.  No coupons does not qualify for the letter Q even though it makes that sound.

  

I Spy

I didn’t even have to suggest I Spy.  The boys started on their own and really seemed to enjoy it and observed more of the country side.

Legos

OK, yes we picked up quite a few Legos in the back seat and on the floor, but one of the big green squares kept everything they built in place and provided hours of entertainment.  I would suggest one big piece per kid.  Right now, we one have one for the whole family and you just need more space for all those barns, buildings, silos and cows.

Maps

We stopped at a tourist welcome center in almost every state along the way.  I know we all have GPS in the car and on our phones, but map reading is still a skill I think kids should learn.  They followed along as we went by the town exits.

Tourism Brochures

Since we did stop at all the welcome centers, the boys were quick to pick up brochures on things that looked interesting to them.  They even read them to us trying to get us to stop where they wanted.

Don’t Break the Sugar Bowl

Also known as the Quiet Game and all kinds of other names.  This one was instituted in heavy traffic especially if we were trying to find an exit. GPS lady and I were the only ones allowed to talk, so we could make sure dad didn’t miss and exit.  They even made dad be quiet.  LOL

I am being totally honest when I say that I did not wish once that we had some electronic device in the back seat to entertain the boys.  Maybe my kids are not normal or maybe all of us parents need to make them take a trip back to the dark ages (when we were kids) every once in a while, so they appreciate what they have a little bit more.

Be sure to check Part II of Unplugged Vacation Travel for more ideas.

Have you ever taken an unplugged trip with your kids?  What other ideas do you have to entertain the kids without technology?

-A (Crazy) Kansas Farm Mom