NCSU Farm Days

This made me laugh...they see the cow, they hug and give the cow high fives and then they both turn around in unison and say cheese...all without any prompting. That's two kids who know the routine. I guess the 20+ character greetings at Disney taught them something!

Ryan loves animals (much like his Mommy). He seems to "feel" them. I love watching him look them in the eyes and just observe them. He was so excited to get to hold the chicks at Farm Days. I think he could stay there all day and just pet the chicks.

Joseph, Arianna and Ryan petting the calf.

Ryan again looking into the eyes of the goat

My two adorable kids!

Arianna is my intense thinker. She wants to know why they have tags in their ears, why there is a stamp on the cows behind with the numbers 203, why why why. She also loves animals though not with the same intensity as Ryan. I guess she has no choice with me as her Mommy!

I think I enjoy going to Farm Days as much as the kids. I want to be there petting the animals as much as they do. Though I try to control my impulses to push past the gazillion school kids pushing past me to get to the animals. I'm bigger and stronger and I want to pet them MORE than them. But I don't, I just try to be patient and keep them from pushing my kids out of the way. Nothing like pushing my kids out of the way to make me have a VERY difficult time controlling those impulses:)

Arianna was a pro at holding the chicks. This chick curled up in her hand and went to sleep.

I am so grateful that NCSU has this activity every year. I grew up on the farm and really want my kids to have those experiences. I remember sitting in the small pen with all of the chicks. That was the best feeling with all of those little soft chicks peeping all around me. They would crawl in my lap and we would snuggle. I remember going in the cow pasture and petting the cows. Those are some of my favorite childhood memories. I wish my kids could have the same kind of experiences without the crowds and gates but unfortunately my grandparents and Chris' no longer have the large farms. So we go and enjoy what we can get thanks to NCSU!